Confirmed with Mitsubishi that it's 60k or 4 years for the VAG 2.0 PD engine in my Lancer.

IIRC the cambelt intervals were lowered from 100k on certain engines to 80k due to an unacceptably high number of snapped cambelts within 100k leading to extensive engine repairs under warranty.

If you think how many times that belt does a 'lap' of the engine pulleys as well as the temperature range it operates under means it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise it won't last forever.

I for one will always go by what Skoda UK recommend, they are the ones that approve warranty work. What the factory say and what Skoda UK decide may also be 2 different things.

Sarcastic comments aside, what the hell is the problem parting with less than £250 every 4 years to change a bloody belt? That's not even the cost of a decent pair of tyres

UK dealers are working from a different song sheet and horror stories about £8500 for a new engine after a belt snap WAY BEFORE time OR distance help to keep everyone paranoid and the tills ringing.

It's not a horror story. That's what my employer (past firm, no no more) had to pay Merc to fit an new CTDI Sprinter lump because they let an engine exceed their recommended interval - DESPITE being told at a service the week earlier it was overdue.

Just because the van had done low mileage on round town deliveries they thought they could wit until it hit the 70K like the high milers they ran.

Cue memo that all drivers must adhere to manufacturers service books

The dealers and importers can't win. On one hand specifying a safe replacement limit in time and mileage terms to take into account all possible operating conditions is a scam, on the other hand when belts start letting go before the original specified mileage limit, the dealer is still going to get it in the neck.

I've seen belts break on 6 month old/10000 mile Ford Escorts in the past. It's your car and your choice.

Still keeping with the cam belt thread,many years ago i had a 2.0 Ford Cortina auto, and the cam belt broke. As it was before 5pm that day i walked to a Ford garage and bought the belt i still remember the price £20 .Took the cam cover off and fitted new one . At the time i did not think it was a drama case, my wife kept the car for her use for another 10 years with no problem, so 13 years one cambelt.960000 miles.

I also had an early 1.6 Sierra Pinto engine go which just required a new belt. Something about room in the engine for the valves to go when it failed if I remember rightly? Not the same on modern engines though where it just gets mashed :(