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Passat 1.8 20V Cambelt Change


Langers
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I'm a bit confused by the service schedule for my 99 Passat.I've been told that the Cambelt needs changing at 80k miles but the service schedule states that the 4 cyl 5 valve engines don't need this until 120k miles!!

Has anyone else had this confusion or am I just being a bit thick?? pengy.gifpengy.gif

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Welcome Langes,

I'd go with Techie's advice!!!

My Dad's motor was due a cambelt and booked it in, however the timeing sucked as they were too busy at the garage and it would go over the recommened mileage, however they said it wouldn;t be a problem, guess what happened!!!

They had to rebuild the engine out of their own pockets as they said it would be fine, tut tut seat!!!

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Cheers Chaps,

I was convinced that it was 120k but was a bit nervous as everyone was suggesting 80k - even Heritage VW here in Bristol. But then again, they don't know their ar5es from their elbows!

Talking of timescales, I had my car booked in for 5 weeks to get a new key cut and coded. After the mechanics picked up the job at 2pm that day, I received a call saying that they didn't have any blank keys in stock! sportifs2.gif

Now it's booked in for two weeks time! I think I might be starting to understand why the Sharan and other VW's did so badly in the JD Power surveys.........

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Change the cambelt if in doubt. My passat has just thrown its belt at 73K. 1500 quids worth of damage to the engine.

I would rather pay to get it changed and not have the worry of paying a BIIIIIGGGG bill! I was told not to worry till 80K, wont do that again! suicide.gif

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  • 4 weeks later...

Got my car back after my last post and found out the problem was not the cam belt itself but the tensioner siezing. They also found the ancillary belt tensioner in the same condition. Same out come though, 8valves bent plus all the extras and the £1400 bill!

Thats life! ROLLEY~14.GIF

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Surely, if the VW recommended change for a cambelt is 80k miles, and the cambelt or some subsidiary part fails at 75k miles, shouldn't VW cough up some of the costs of repair? After all, you are following their service intervals.

Might be worth a call to VW Customer Services, or another chat with the dealer service manager about it.

It does make those seemingly expensive extended warranty things appear a lot better value for money when you hear stories like this though (sorry mate).

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My car was right on the edge of needing a change and to old for vdub to care about. The vw/audi specialist (that fixed mine)did say that they had a 4 year old 1.8T 20V A4 with the same problem at the same mileage and Audi didn't want to know either.

VW have got a modified tensioner for the belts now but was a bit chiffed it wasn't mentioned by the dealer when having a service before. £155 for the VW orig tesioner.

Still a nice car though, but I have had more trouble with it in two years than my Ford that I had for eight.

At least it wont rust! crazy.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

If your cam belt change period is failing before the time when you need to change it, then as S4Dreamer says, you should talk to VW, if they are no help, why not try going through watchdog?

If they've modified the tensioners and stuff, then that indicates they've found a problem, so i'd have thought that gives you a good reason to complain, and at least get a goodwill gesture.

I've had cambelt issues in the past, so im very careful to change my cambelt every 50k miles, even though my service manual says 80-100k, and im sure the service history says you should review the change period if you drive enthiastically.

All manufacturers are bad about cambelts going. Due to an accident i had an old peugeots engine rebuilt, including a new cam belt.......5000 miles later my cambelt went, and i never got a single penny, the AA guy said he was 95% sure it was a badly fitted belt, but couldn't prove it, so i had no case mad.gif

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Was very chiffed at first, now well and truely over it.

Got a case of can't be arsed as it would probably lead to adding insult to injury.

I should have known not to listen to them in the first place.

Vauxhall have had a similar problem with their Vectra's, so I hear, and have reduced the change from 80k down to 40k.

I don't think it's just a VW/Audi problem, manufacturers are just trying to get longer service intervals to attract fleet sales by supposed lower running costs.

Life can be like that, I have an old car why should Vdub care!

ROLLEY~14.GIF

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To be honest, manufacturers seem to stop caring about cars after you've brought them, if you buy loads of cars from somewhere you tend to get some service, and sometimes they are helpful up to 3 years (60k). Once that passes, they are no longer obligated by warranty, so they can do and charge what the hell they like.

I've learnt that a *good* specialist is the only way to go after 60k, they are cheaper, more knowledgeable, and more helpful.

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[ QUOTE ]

Totally agree there.

I use Autotechnique in Southampton now and they give excellent service and care about what they do.

As you rightly say going to a VW dealer ship is a waste of time after the waranty expires. 169144-ok.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I've heard good things about them. I use a place called Monks in eastleigh/chandlers ford. Im very impressed with them, soo much more knowledgable than 90% of the staff at southampton audi!

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Unfortunately this appears to becoming an increasingly worrying trend that the good service is to be found after your warrenty has expired. A guy at work had issues with his passat and found the main dealer a waste of time - they were just interested in plugging him in and charging him £90 per hour for the honour of doing squat.

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I think I was charged £40 +vat per hour at Autotechnique and rebuilt the damage done by my cam tensioner/belt in 10hrs.

Its not the labour mate, it's the parts, a nice change not to be screwed by a garage (and I don't mean at the end of a late Saturday night!). grin.gif

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