OK, I've had what I think is the final word on this issue from VW Commercial Vehicles (UK). I'll leave you all to make your own minds up but I translate their final answer as them saying 'we believe that UK VW van buyers are bigger suckers than those in mainland Europe and we are therefore insisting on earlier cambelt changes for them because we think we can get away with it and make more money so hard luck'. This is the full text of the exchange:
Sent: 9 March
I’ve got a 2018 T6 150PS manual (Registration: **18***) and I am being given conflicting advice about when the cambelt should be changed. One van centre has told me 4 years and another 5 years (the van has only just done 10000 miles).
Could you please advice on the correct time period.
Thank you.
Received: 11 March
Dear ** *****
Thank you for your recent contact to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles UK regarding the cambelt interval for your vehicle.
I have investigated the issue and can confirm that the cambelt interval for the above vehicle is 4 years.
If I can be of any further assistance, please contact me on the details below.
Kind regards
Alex *******
Customer Relations Advisor
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
T 0800 783 4909
E customercare@vwcv.co.uk
Internet:
www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk
Sent: 11 March
Thanks for that BUT how does it stack up with the advice on the VW UK website which states:
‘We recommend changing your cambelt once every four years for cars registered before September 2009, and every five years for cars registered after.’
See:
VW Cambelts Frequently Asked Questions | Volkswagen UK
I am also aware that the advice for cambelt changes within mainland Europe imposes no such time constraints on cambelt life and on that basis, the advice in your message below does not seem to make a lot of sense (apart, of course from the fact that VW stand to make a lot of money from the UK policy which could be seen as amounting to profiteering by insisting upon unnecessary work). I should therefore be grateful for advice on why you should mandate the 4 year life for a cambelt - please do not say that it is caused by environmental or weather conditions as they can be far harsher than in Scandinavia / Northern Europe or, indeed, Southern Europe.
Thanks in anticipation.
Received: 11 March
Dear ** *****
Thank you for the swift response and my sincere apologies for not addressing that point.
Volkswagen Group UK is the authorized supplier of Volkswagen Group products into the UK. As such, each individual country is its own authorized VWG franchise. VWG's global guidelines differ from product to product and from country to country. They also supply different recommendations based on product derivatives i.e. engine size/specification. On some occasions "best practice" may differ across each country or in relation to Volkswagen Group Germany's recommendations.
After substantial compliance and approval testing during production, both VWG Germany and Volkswagen Group UK determined that changing the timing belt (including a possible check/change of the water pump) prolongs the life of our UK product derivatives specifically and as such, reduces the chance of our customer's suffering a catastrophic failure of the timing belt, leading to a potential engine seizure/valve damage (and likely a substantial repair bill).
Please allow me to apologize as I appreciate any maintenance costs for a premium product such as yours can sometime be challenging but we only recommend the best for our customers. Please also be aware that any work completed by our approved Volkswagen Group networks comes with an OEM 2 year part guarantee and 12month labour guarantee - something not usually supplied by independent garages.
If you would like to discuss anything else or need any further clarification, please feel free to contact me.
Kind regards
Alex *******
Customer Relations Advisor
