Timing belt renewal: age or mileage?

[chapel]

My R is coming up to 6 years old, but has only covered 27,000 miles (yes, a shocking waste I know). So would a wise man change the cam belt? If wear is a matter of mileage it shouldn't be necessary, but if the rubber deteriorates over time irrespective of use, perhaps I should. I'd appreciate guidance from anyone who really knows about cam belt wear.

[Cuprabob]

VW UK recommend that it's changed every 5 years irrespective of mileage however if you check your service booklet it only gives a mileage for change. You pays your money you takes your chance.

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/serv ... ge#details" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Personally I would get it changed along with the tensioner and water pump for peace of mind.

[Boydie]

Mine has just turned 5 in December and I had mine done with only 25/6k miles on the clock

[trevor]

Mine is 5 years and only 24k on the clock and it's going in next week for cam belt and tensioner and water pump at an independent VW garage not paying VW prices !!!

[Matty81]

I know this is an old thread, but may I ask what price you were quoted by the indi garage? mines a 2011 with 36k miles so I guess It needs changing soon

[Maisonian]

I got quoted £349 for cam belt & water pump through Inchcape VW about 1 month ago; I had an agreement through the people I bought it from that they'd honour that price following on from an online advert (that has expired without being taken down).

Outside of that pricing, I think they wanted about £470ish for both.

It's one of those things that are worth doing for peace of mind, think the figures they've updated to now we're 120,00 miles or 5 years between intervals. Might be expensive, but nowhere near full-engine-rebuild expensive if the belt goes ping!

[Matty81]

yeah i was looking in the server book last night and it said to check it every 20k miles and change every 120k, but didnt mention anything about how time

Was that price you got quoted fitted? if so thats not bad

[Cuprabob]

yeah i was looking in the server book last night and it said to check it every 20k miles and change every 120k, but didnt mention anything about how time

Was that price you got quoted fitted? if so thats not bad

The time interval is a VW UK recommendation whereas the factory,vast per the service book, only stipulate a mileage. Some would say it's just a revenue generator for VW UK but you pays your money, you takes your chance.

[Maisonian]

yeah i was looking in the server book last night and it said to check it every 20k miles and change every 120k, but didnt mention anything about how time

Was that price you got quoted fitted? if so thats not bad

Yeah, I paid £349 for the cam belt and water pump changed, done and dusted. They did 'forget' about the deal I had with the salesman in the first place, but a re-itemised bill later and I was skipping away with the engine all sorted for a half decent price.

And as mentioned, it's a bit of a roll of the dice once you get to the 'threshold'. Are the belts good for more than 5 years? Probably. But to be on the safe side it's worth doing; the longer between changes, the higher the chance that it'll snap and blitzkreig the entire engine's internals. 5 years/120k is probably when it's likely to START being at risk, and yes VW are in the business of making money, but buying a new motor because old one self destructed is going to me more of an expense!

[Macman]

I was just told today by LOOKERS Dealer that VW have now revoked on their 5yrs Interval Time and is by 60,000 Miles ONLY. I am at 75,000 and had it done at 60k so my next is at 120k.
Has anyone else been told this by their Dealer OR seen by VW in any new update?
*THIS WAS A CHANGE LAST YEAR 2023
Another had similar:
https://www.volkswagenforum.co.uk/threa ... ars.43793/
"Our VW Golf SE 1.4 petrol which is 6 years old and 24,000 miles on clock was advised to have the cambelt changed by a trusted independent VW service centre, quoting the main dealer requirement to do every five years, irrespective of mileage. Hence, called VW UK customer service and was advised as follows:

Cambelt to be inspected at 90,000 miles
Cambelt to be replaced every 15 years or 300,000km, whichever is sooner.

VW also provided this advice in writing."

[bigkris06]

**This is my opinion only**
Regardless of what anyone says I would not feel comfortable leaving a timing belt for 15 years.
I feel that the 5 - 6 years 60ish k is long enough taking into consideration the cost of the job and the cost of the potential failure costs.
My previous car (Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 CDTI) was on 170k and was due cambelt at 120k, never got it done because I didn’t care if it went or not but was fine. My daughters 206 1.1 back in the day shredded the teeth pretty much bang on when it was due.
Although VW may have put this in writing, I can’t imagine they will provide any help if it failed if it was left that long or for that mileage.
Hope this helps.