Cam belt change

**rjt64** · 15-03-2011,03:16 PM

OK my 140 highline bought new in march 2008 with a service/maintanance deal from dealer has just had its 3 year service with the VW main dealer.

They did-after much pushing-do a brake fluid change but didn't change coolant. Oil and filter changed-and they washed the car

Car has only done 27k BTW

They said that next service in 1 year will be a big one-well it would be as I'm out of warranty as of thursday.
Also say cam belt will need changing!! at 36 k or 4 years and that will be £700 odd.....

My problem is that my service booklets that I got with car doesn't seem to mention my particular Passat so I am unsure if the dealer is right or wrong.

I have a 140 bhp TDI pd highline estate.

Any one any ideas

**martin1810** · 15-03-2011,03:41 PM

Cam belt change interval is is 75,000 miles with no time limit.

**rapport25** · 15-03-2011,03:53 PM

Originally Posted by martin1810

Cam belt change interval is is 75,000 miles with no time limit.

Hi Martin, I have seen various threads and dealer states every 4 yrs etc.... Is that not correct then?

Mine will not be getting changed until its covered 80,000.

**podwin** · 15-03-2011,04:20 PM

I am also expecting the dealer to say mine needs a belt change next service at 4 years.

What can I say to shut them up and not to argue the point, because I believe martin1810, he's said it before.

Telling the service dept that it doesn't need one because a man on the internet says so, isn't going to come across very well.

**martin1810** · 15-03-2011,05:04 PM

It is not for me to argue what the VW service requirements are. Just ask a dealer to show you the information from VW that states what mileage and what number of years for cam belt change. I will be surprised if they can find any document that states every 4 years.

**vince47** · 15-03-2011,09:14 PM

My 170 SEL estate was serviced today. It is 4yrs old and has covered 20k miles (yes, just 20k). I take it to a VW place in Hare Street (not quite accurate, they collect and return it) not far from me and they charged £188, £90 cheaper than a VW place 20m in the other direction.
They did the service, then rang to say that they recommend a cambelt change at the 4yr point and didnt argue at all when I said VW dont have a time limit I believe. He also said they recommend a brake fluid change at 2yrs.
I think its probably reasonable to recommend it and equally reasonable to decline it as I did. Yes, its a gamble and one can certainly argue that if it breaks, well it'll cost a lot more. (oh, the cambelt change with pump was around £350 from memory)
I will give it another year I think, if I still have the same car as the 20k has not been stop/start but more like steady revs which should be easier on the belt. My gamble which I am happy with, but if it was 4yrs, driven hard, 40k or more I would have had it done

**Quatrelle** · 15-03-2011,09:47 PM

I've had mine 4 years from new and it has done the equiv. of about 24k miles. At its 4yr service all they did was the oil etc. The brake fluid was tested a year ago and found to be ok, it wasn't changed this time and neither was the cambelt.

They are very conscious of the age/kilometrage of my car because it's unusually low for a French car, so the need or otherwise of a cambelt change won't have escaped them.

**jimgironde** · 20-03-2011,10:08 AM

My 140TDI will be 4 years old this Sept and will have done about 41/42K by then.

I am uncertain what to do about the cambelt, last time I was in the dealer they mentioned it was coming up.
Like others I tend to side with Martin1810, the VW dealer is tring to drum up business in hard times. But what is the view of others if the cambelt went say 6 months after the dealer had "recommended" its change. Would there be a goodwill payment coming from VW?

**vince47** · 20-03-2011,10:41 AM

As per my entry above, at 40k 4 yrs my personal preference would be, on balance just to fall in the direction of changing it. I would be thinking of the water pump too which might wreck the belt if it fails. IF, and its a big IF, VW helped out if it failed, the repairs might still be more than the £350 I was quoted to change it. Personally there is no more worrying about it. Its done.
If you are selling the car in the next year, thats another thing to consider although most buyers now seem to ask about cambelt changes, so might help it sell for a better price/easier. If you sell the car in the next 3 yrs or so, you wont have spent any more on it than waiting 5-6yrs to change it. It'll still be one change.
In the end its a bit like the `is it worth insuring my house contents` question. No real answer. You might have a burglary, you might not. Thats my view for what its worth. The only thin I am sure of is that I would shop around for prices, they vary hugely

**mikecb1** · 20-03-2011,11:34 AM

I have a similar dilema to other posters. My 170 Sport is just over 4 years old, with 30k miles. At the last service I was urged by the (indy) dealer to change the cambelt and water pump. I declined on the basis of VW cambelt data quoted by Martin. The response was that "we see a lot of Passats with water pump failures after 3 years, and these can loosen off tension on the cambelt leading to engine failure". For this reason more than the risk of outright cambelt failure I am planning to have the work done at the next annual service. The remaining question is whether to have this potentially critical work done by the VW main dealer, in the hope of better support should something subsequently go wrong?

M