Cam belt change

[Ljb]

Hi, advice please! I bought a 2015 T5 last week and the garage agreed to change the cam belt and water pump as part of the deal as it was last changed in 2020. I’m due to collect the van next week.

They phoned today to say it does not need to be done as it has only done 18,500 miles since 2020. Is this reasonable? Looking online I’ve found recommendations for changing 60,000 to 80,000 or four to five years which would be this year. They are going back on the agreement we made and which we shook hands on.

I would be interested to find out what other people think, thanks

 

[Bav]

VW recently changed their position on cambelt replacement and now recommend the cambelt is changed every 140k (they also dropped any time-based criteria).

Cambelt + Water Pump Replacement - Official guidance

Had the below from VW on FB. Waiting on an email from them to confirm what the correct guidance is. May take 48 hours. Will post when received.

www.t6forum.com

I'm sure most on here would caution against leaving a belt for so long - especially for vans with low annual mileage - but that is now VW's official position.

 

[Sackmycook]

Duplicate thread !!!

 

[Ljb]

Sorry yes, unintentional

 

[Chippie1]

It’s great news for dealers as that used to be a fairly standard practice to haggle on vehicles 4 or so years old! If they’ve agreed to do it though I would be inclined to push that regardless of what vw now state.It Would future proof it for you and save you some money down the line

 

[Ljb]

Thanks for all the advice, very much appreciated!

 

[jayc001]

Doesn't need changing but it's several hundred pounds of parts and labour so if they agreed on it then either they should discount or offer alternative like engine service etc.

 

[Ljb]

Thanks for the reply and suggestions. I’ve just contacted VW to be absolutely sure (I like to have it in writing!) and they’ve said as already discussed here 140,000 with no time stipulation.

Out of curiosity do people really leave it for 140,000 as it does seem a very long time - I expect to do 10,000 miles a year ish but I wouldn’t like to wait all those years before changing it.

 

[jimc91]

Thanks for the reply and suggestions. I’ve just contacted VW to be absolutely sure (I like to have it in writing!) and they’ve said as already discussed here 140,000 with no time stipulation.

Out of curiosity do people really leave it for 140,000 as it does seem a very long time - I expect to do 10,000 miles a year ish but I wouldn’t like to wait all those years before changing it.

No one on here has left it for 140,000 miles yet as the guidance has only recently changed, I guess the question should be; is anyone prepared to leave it for 140,000 miles before changing one, I wouldn’t

 

[Bav]

At current rate of usage, it'd take over 20 years for my van to get to 140k. Needless to say, I won’t be waiting that long before changing the cambelt.

 

[Vanderlust]

VW gone from one extreme to the other. I had to have my belt done under the previous advice at 4 yrs 40,000 miles and the “used” belt was indistinguishable from the new one being fitted so clearly premature. But for me the new advice is from experience with other vehicles too long. Given the variables in driving style temperature extremes etc, I suspect a compromise of 80,000 miles or 6/7 years will be my next change if my 204 ps hasn’t eaten it self by then.

 

[Ljb]

No one on here has left it for 140,000 miles yet as the guidance has only recently changed, I guess the question should be; is anyone prepared to leave it for 140,000 miles before changing one, I wouldn’t

Yes you are right I did not word the question correctly and was not specific - how many years would people leave before changing the cambelt regardless of mileage?

 

[Ljb]

VW gone from one extreme to the other. I had to have my belt done under the previous advice at 4 yrs 40,000 miles and the “used” belt was indistinguishable from the new one being fitted so clearly premature. But for me the new advice is from experience with other vehicles too long. Given the variables in driving style temperature extremes etc, I suspect a compromise of 80,000 miles or 6/7 years will be my next change if my 204 ps hasn’t eaten it self by then.

thanks

 

[jayc001]

I had mine changed recently. 112k miles and 6 years. Only changed at that point as belt tensioner noise was worrying me. Had it been silent I would likely have waited a few more months.

 

[Curlynot]

Unless the belt is contaminated/damaged its often pulley failure that causes the belt to break, the idler pullies or tensioner bearings can dry out or fail and they only have to run a tiny bit out of alignment to wreck the cambelt.

 

[Ljb]

Just to update that after a bit of a challenging but calm discussion () they are now honouring the deal we had made and are replacing the cambelt and water pump

Thanks for everyone’s input on this, which has been really helpful and a great support!

 

[Rioja John]

At current rate of usage, it'd take over 20 years for my van to get to 140k. Needless to say, I won’t be waiting that long before changing the cambelt.

At my current usage it would take me 46 years and I would be well and truly gone before then, as I would have to reach the age of 120.

John

 

[AdL]

I had an Audi A4 Avant. Bought new. Did 246,000 miles and 13 years before the cam belt snapped. Wrecked the engine but by then the rest of the car was pretty much finished anyway.

 

[JIMIE_NW]

Now VW has changed their cam belt guidance....

Would you say that applies to new vans only (manufactured since the change came into place for UK)? Have the belts or anything changed for them to change the advice or have they just changed their minds?!

Mine has done 17,000 since the last change and just gone over 4 years... so under the old advice it should be changed, but not under the new advice.

Very confused

 

[Bav]

Now VW has changed their cam belt guidance....

Would you say that applies to new vans only (manufactured since the change came into place for UK)? Have the belts or anything changed for them to change the advice or have they just changed their minds?!

Mine has done 17,000 since the last change and just gone over 4 years... so under the old advice it should be changed, but not under the new advice.

Very confused

The new guidance doesn't differentiate between new & old vans, so applies to all equally.