cambelt change due 4 years old?

[dgannon69]

I got a letter from The audi dealer i bought my car from advising me that audi now recommend that cambelts are changed every 4 years.

I find this quite hard to understand as they say the average annual milleage is 10,000 to 12,000 miles so 4 years times 12000miles is only 48000miles before you need a cambelt change is what they are now saying even though they advice it to be done at 80000miles...

what the hell is going on? seems like they are just trying to get some more income. a cambelt change due before major service?!!

anyway, anybody else come accross this and what do you think? should i get it done even though i've only covered 38000 miles?

Its a 52 plate 1.8T btw

Regards
Dave

 

[j4jon]

I got the same letter from my local dealer, so I phoned them up and they said that Audi UK had changed the interval to 4 years / 80k miles, but in between them sending me the letter and then me phoning (about 2 weeks) they said Audi UK had put it back to 8 years / 80k miles. They also said that lots of people had got the same letter and then them having to say it ws mistake.

So I really don't know what or who to believe?

 

[mad max]

had mine done at 49k for peace of mind along with waterpump.about the right mileage i would say

 

[matt5594]

mines going to be done on next service which is about 3 months away, it should fall into the 70k-80k mileage by the time its done, its a 1999 car with currently 68k on the clock.

 

[dgannon69]

ok, i'm calling customer services tomorrow to see what they say about it... i just think 4 years is a bit silly, some cars aren't even run in by then so i don't see the sense!!

I will post up tomorrow after i find out what they say...

Cheers
Dave

 

[S3_MCD]

Cambelts are basically rubber, as such are perishable, they under go alot of heat and stress ....

I managed 79k (all motorway miles) in 3.5yrs, then my belt went - would have cost 7k for a new engine, fortunately my dealer was on my side and AudiUK stumped up.

I think £350-550 every 4yrs is a small price to pay to insure against a potential total engine loss.

I think its good and about time that Audi are taking things on board and letting their customers know about recommended belt changes.

 

[AndyM]

Local VW garage sent me a letter saying 4 years, when I queried this with Audi recently they said its now been further revised to 5 years or 80k (think that was mileage, cant really remember).

I assumed the belt is perishable to some extent in which case the length of time between changes will be as important as the mileage done. The £350 odd for the belt change is far cheaper than fixing the engine when a belt snaps.

 

[dgannon69]

Right ok i've spoke to audi UK, they have said that the idea has been disguarded now and to just stick to what my service manual states... I guess that this means if in the future it does snap before their recommendations that they should be liable for some, if not all of the costs to repair it?

Regards
Dave

 

[tonedef]

Right ok i've spoke to audi UK, they have said that the idea has been disguarded now and to just stick to what my service manual states... I guess that this means if in the future it does snap before their recommendations that they should be liable for some, if not all of the costs to repair it?

Regards
Dave

If you're going to rely on audi picking up the tab for any expensive swap in the future, make sure that you keep a full dealer service history on the way to 80K or they might question your mileage. VWUK did just that to me when mine snapped on a 16V Corrado. It had missed just one dealer service when it failed at 57K or so, yet their argument that they could not confirm the mileage as there was one year they had not inspected it.

As S3 MCD says, what's £350-550 against picking up all or at least part of the tab for maybe a new top end, maybe a new engine???

 

[l66hod]

just had the cam belt and water pump done on my A3.. Cost £160 for all work carried out by my local garage.. VW / Audi specialist.


Thinks this was a good price. the garage is in Somecotes in derbyshire.

 

[MattS5]

Just spoken to Robinsons Audi in Norwich and also Kings Lynn (they have 2 dealerships)

Norwich tells me the interval is now 80k miles or 4 years, the Kings Lynn dealership has told me 80k miles and no limit on age, but would recommed it's done at 5 years.

I've now contacted Audi UK and am awaiting a response.......when I called, the technical guy was at lunch.

Its hardly a difficult question, but one Audi seem to be very confused over.

 

[matt5594]

just had the cam belt and water pump done on my A3.. Cost £160 for all work carried out by my local garage.. VW / Audi specialist.


Thinks this was a good price. the garage is in Somecotes in derbyshire.

thats a great price, you must be sleeping with teh head mechanic's wife on the side

 

[monkeytrousers]

Hmmm. My car's 4.5 years old but well short of 80K. Perhaps I should consider a replacement cam belt as a "prevention better than cure should it fail" strategy?

 

[S3_MCD]

Hmmm. My car's 4.5 years old but well short of 80K. Perhaps I should consider a replacement cam belt as a "prevention better than cure should it fail" strategy?

....I would !!!

 

[jpda4]

I must have had the same flyer......

asked a mate whos dad owns a garage to get me a price...... £150
then rang audi......£303 including 10% parts 10% labour discount
and local specialist..... £280

audi dealer told me the service interval for my 1.6 is 5 years or 120k

5 years old tomorrow and @ 61k miles
now got to decide whether to get it done or not

 

[alecblack]

I phoned Perth Audi and asked them as my car is 99 V plate on 68k. They advised me to get it changed now as there now policy was 5 years/ Any miles

Ayr Audi quoted me £280 which I thought was good, will book it in next week.

 

[macdoug]

I was getting the 3rd AVS on my S3 done recently. I called around for prices. Each dealer gave me a different answer to the cambelt question and each gave massive differences in the cost for the work.

From memory Perth told me it didn't need done till 80k. Western Edinburgh and Stirling both siad it should be done at 4 years no matter the milage. Incidentally, Stirling was the cheapest by about 200 quid!