Servicing costs for Fabia VRS - 4 years old, 37k miles and engine light?

[richieboy]

It's been a while since i've posted here, but am still enjoying my Fabia!

It's coming up to 4 years old and has 37,000 on the clock.

Unfortunately those 4 years has just flown past and i understand i have to get the cambelt changed, so have called a couple of local places and the best price so far seems to be my (not so local) Skoda dealer:

- £389 for cambelt inc. parts labour

- £299 for service inc. parts labour

- £50 for MOT.

So my first question is - does that seem right, and also, should i get it changed now or leave it?

Second question - a light that looks like an engine has literally just come on this morning, the manual says its an "exhaust control system" warning light. I've done a general check of liquid levels etc and all seem ok...i just don't want to spend near £800 on the car and then have to spend loads more on this problem so was hoping to get some detail on what it could be and if it could cost a load...

Thanks in advance.

:|

Edited 19 February, 2010 by richieboy

[Irvtheswerv]

Where are you based? Simpsons in Colne quoted me £300.21 for the cambelt they are a main dealer. You can buy genuine VAG cambelt kit from a dealer for £120, non VAG for about £70, depends if you think £270-£320 is fair for the labour for a 3 hr job (mine is being done as I type and that's what I'm paying for).

Dunno about service, air+pollen filter, oil+filter = £60 plus an hours time, what's being done for the rest of it?

[Big Mikey]

Could be the lambda probe matey - they don't last forever. Get a fault code scan done and that should give you more of an idea. £299 for a service (4 years or not) seems a little steep to me? Cambelt sounds about right if they're changing the water pump too.

[mannyo]

The engine light is the "check engine" light, and it could be anything. The only way to know what it is, is get the fault codes read using vag-com or a dealer.

[kotlewski69]

Yeah sound about right. I got quoted £314 from a main dealer for a 20000 mile service!!! CEL light could be anything, could be your EGR coked up. Any loss in performance?

[richieboy]

Thanks for your responses guys, it all seems pretty steep to me but i am a little skint at the mo! Have managed to get it to £320 for the cambelt/tensioners and £240 for the service...it's not amazing but i think it's the best i'll get round here (Sussex).

I was hoping someone might say to get the cambelt done next year - but i suppose if im risking thousands of pounds of damage i may as well pay the few hundred to get it done now!

Oh, and in response to above - no noticable difference to anything driving wise, i did 60 miles today and had no problems at all...and i was looking for 'em!

Cheers

Edited 19 February, 2010 by richieboy

[Ultima]

How often does the cambelt have to be changed on a Fabia VRS? I was looking to buy one with 33k on clock will the belt need changing soon?

Also, do Fabia's suffer from ABS/ESP module fault that I've heard that Mk5 Golf's have that costs £1500 to fix ?

Thanks

Edited 19 February, 2010 by Ultima

[BOBAD]

I was hoping someone might say to get the cambelt done next year - but i suppose if im risking thousands of pounds of damage i may as well pay the few hundred to get it done now!

Cheers

Just by way of comparison, I got the following estimate from the local specialist independent garage which I have been using for a long time. He is efficient, trustworthy, very capable and excellent value for money.

My Fabia will be 4 yrs. old in May and because I have access to other vehicles the mileage is only 27,000.

Estimate:

New cambelt (VW kit) fitted incl. VAT = £225

New fuel pump if fitted at same time: + £60

But the really interesting thing is that I asked him how much the repair cost would be if the belt failed.

He said "In the region of £850." I told him I thought it was in the thousands.

"No. Using VW parts, around £850".

So, based on the mileage being so low, I'm leaving it until next year.

Considering Ford and Vauxhall engines run to over 100k on the original cambelt, perhaps it's time for VW to start questioning their engine designers about the inadequate life-span of their belts, and maybe put a call in to the American giants to discover the secret.

Now I'm waiting for the avalanche of replies telling me I'm making a big mistake.......

Bob.

[wja96]

Now I'm waiting for the avalanche of replies telling me I'm making a big mistake.......

Good price for maintenance. I'd get that £850 quote in writing as you really can't predict what will happen when the cambelt snaps. And why do the fuel pump? Surely you want to do the water pump?

Actually - I smell Troll.

[BOBAD]

I'd get that £850 quote in writing as you really can't predict what will happen when the cambelt snaps.

Of course not, the £850 was a rough estimate not set in stone!

And why do the fuel pump? Surely you want to do the water pump?

Yep. It was a typo.