Timing Belt and Water Pump Change

[skodaowna99]

Hi Skoda fans

My Octavia 1.9 TDI is due a timing belt change, as I've just ticked past 120K miles. I've been quoted £480 for a full timing belt kit change plus water pump (ex VAT I guess).

Anyone have any thoughts on whether changing the water pump is really necessary? Trying to trim the cost, as my insurance, tax and MOT are all due as well (ouch!)

[Kenny R]

Plastic impeller on water pump has been known to break (more so on turbo/petrol cars) but has happened on diesels.Not worth taking the risk really,as the timing belt needs to be off to change it,so why wait till it breaks and have to do the timing belt again.

[vrs180]

Defo change the pump at that mileage.

£480 sounds a bit steep though.

Just for comparison all the genuine Skoda parts for my octy vRS worked out at £200, that was for cam belt, tensioner/damper, idler roller, water pump, 7 x engine mounting bolts and G12 anti freeze.

HTH

Bill.

[johnmb]

Defo change the pump at that mileage.

£480 sounds a bit steep though.

Just for comparison all the genuine Skoda parts for my octy vRS worked out at £200, that was for cam belt, tensioner/damper, idler roller, water pump, 7 x engine mounting bolts and G12 anti freeze.

HTH

Bill.

I am having mine done by an indy in exeter and its £350 for all off above work plus a new Auxilary Belt fitted as well , second Time belt change and would say yes to the pump .

Edited 21 May, 2010 by johnmb

[Dose]

Always replace the pump when changing the belt.. remember the pumps done the hard work like the belt, upon fitting a new belt all you are doing is puting strain on the old pump which is already weakened through use. just my opinion of coarse

[skodaowna99]

Thanks everyone.

Will change the water pump too. Might try gettng a 3rd quote though. It's not going to be cheap, but might manage to shave £50 off the cost yet.

The killer is that I'm due an MOT, insurance renewal and tax all at the same time. Plus I have a couple of annoying electronic gremlins relating to the door microswitch (doors locking themselves etc), but might have to live with that for a while....

[KenONeill]

Ok, it was last October, but "A for Audi" in Clydebank quoted me £300 for full cambelt kit, waterpump, and labour, so there's got to be some room to get under £480 for the job. In fact, they also adjusted the fuel timing, and the better economy is going to more than pay their bill over the 4 years.

[DGW]

Anyone have any thoughts on whether changing the water pump is really necessary?

See my post below....

http://briskoda.net/...ost__p__1078401

Although the replacement was a modified OEM part, I will be playing safe and having that changed in July when the second cambelt change is due.

[Jigger72]

£480 seems like a lot to me. I had mine done at a Skoda garage in London and it was only £350 all in, and the water pump's only £28 so it ain't going to make much difference to get that done at the same time.

Sounds like the garage might be trying it on a bit? :wonder:

[skodaowna99]

I forget the exact breakdown of the verbal quote, but the guy quoted around £250 for parts, then around £230 for labour and VAT. Another garage nearby quoted me £80 more than this. These are private garages, not dealers.

[Jigger72]

It's about a 4-hour job (so I was told) so the guy's labour charges are about £60 an hour, which is more like London stealer prices than West Lothian indy garage prices

Is there a Skoda dealer near you? Might be worth checking with them how much. I had mine done about 2 years ago so maybe prices have gone up everywhere :S

[shappy]

Hi I had the same done to mine last year at Skoda. Timing Belt and water pump. I asked to speak to the head mechanic and asked him his thoughts on it. He said if it looked worn he would suggest replacement. I said I would prefer if it was I asked him what his best price was and after conferring he said they could do it for £360 Inc vat.

I would have the water pump done it is only about £30 to £40 on top.

Hope this helps

Ps. if you book in with the dealer you will get a hire car for your trouble. Also my local Garage said they would not touch the job without doing the water pump because they have had too many fail afterwards.

Cheers

Shappy

[skodaowna99]

OK, just got a quote from nearby Skoda garage in Edinburgh:

Parts (timing belt kit and water pump): £201

Labour: £206

Prices inc. VAT.

[skud vrs]

I had quote off skoda dealer in Bridgnorth £380 inc vat and metal water pump.

[mascall82]

Evening everyone,

 

I have just been quoted £290 +vat (£360 total) for a new CAM belt and water pump on my Octavia TDi estate. This seems quite steep as I have since sourced the parts for a fraction of the price. Would REALLY appreciate some advice.

 

Cheers, 

 

Paul

 

[gadgetman]

That's a good price Paul

[Kandy]

Main dealer national fixed price servicing is £350 + £100 (inc.) for water pump if wanted (cars 3-10 years old).

[SKODYFREAKZ]

My local garage bloke who I trust quoted me for timing belt pullys and water pump £127 for parts and £90 labour #checkaround

[KenONeill]

My local garage bloke who I trust quoted me for timing belt pullys and water pump £127 for parts and £90 labour #checkaround

It's an easier job on the SDi because you don't have turbo-intercooler-manifold pipes running across the upper belt cover.