My Octy vRS is at 58,000 miles and will be 4yrs old in January.

I've got a feeling that any day now I'm going to get the count down to my next service - it has more or less been every 15,000 miles.

So I'm going to be looking for:

4th Variable

Cambelt

Waterpump

So far I've had one quote for this work - all of the above and also brake fluid change (apparently this is due during the 4th variable too).

£745 all inclusive.

This is the Skoda main dealer closest to me.

Is it worth me shopping around other Skoda dealers - or will they quote around the same?

Is it worth speaking to VW garages - as I'm sure they will have seen the same engine etc in the Golf, so should know what they are doing.

I know I could probably get cheaper going independant - but I'd like the VAG stamps in my book.

Always worth ringing around. Ask a local Indy to quote you, then call back the dealer and see if they can do a better quote. I doubt they will be able to match it but if you word it something like I can get it done cheaper but I would prefer to use professionals like yourselves then see what reaction you get. Usually we likes being buttered up

Where abouts are you?

I have had quotes ranging from £350 to £440 for the cambelt and water pump.

I'm in a place called Chatteris - about 15 miles from Cambridge & Peterborough.

The quote I've had so far is from Als-Lock in Ely.

The breakdown of the quote being:

Waterpump & Cambelt - £450

4th Variable service - £225

Brake fluid change - £40

I've fired off emails to Vindis Skoda, Cambridge & Horton's Skoda, Lincoln

I have also done Wings (VW Peterborough) & Vindis VW, St. Ives.

Waiting back on quotes from them all at the moment.

Does anyone know of any good indy's I can get in touch with - just to get a none dealership price?

Jabbasport are just down the road from you, they are a sponsor on this forum, they did my cambelt and waterpump about 3 weeks ago.

Had my Octavia Classic 1.9tdi DSG (new Jan'07) serviced last week with 31k miles, 4th year service (master?) at £404 @ the only Skoda dealer in Jersey.

This included the diesel fuel filter, but not the air or pollen filter, brake fluid was changed last December due to new disc's and pad's being fitted..

No mention was made of the cam belt (toothed belt) needing changing!

Was I ripped off?

Seems I was by looking at the above!

I think I will go indipendent next time.

Edited 11 October, 201015 yr by Jerseyman

As far as I'm aware the cambelt is a 60,000 mile or 4 year old replacement.

Had mine done recently as a 60,000 mile service and cambelt done at an independant (using genuine parts) for around £450.

Cambelt and water pump, all genuine VAG parts (inc antifreeze) at an indy for £250!!!

The parts at trade are about £145 inc VAT (water pump with the metal impeller), plus £40 deposit on your old pump being returned. Never fit a pump with the plastic impeller - they have been known to break up and fail.

Got charged £100 labour - took 2 mechanics just under 2 hours total - then again I do know them very well and got it rather cheap for cash!

I reckon anything over £300 at an indy for cambelt and water pump and it is getting on the pricey side. Insist on genuine VAG parts as they warranty them against any damage caused by premature failure. Make sure the garage you use has the correct locking tool for the crank and cams or they could end up messing the timing up very easily.

I am more than a little confused (as it seems many are on this forum) by when Skoda recommend changing the cambelt - it is called a "Toothed Belt" in the service schedule book (the book the dealer stamps after the car has been serviced) decribed in the book as follows;

"In addition every 120 000 km (74564 miles approx) , replace toothed belt (PD engines)" mine is a PD engine.

Also on the service sheet ( the sheet of paper the dealer ticks to show what work he is supposed to have done) on the back is clearly stated that "Toothed belt change interval Octavia II @ 80,000 miles, again no mention 4 year change.

Is a Toothed Belt the same part as a Cambelt?

Having said all this, I have expianced a cambelt failure on a Volvo 745 (Volvo called a is a Cambelt,but is was a petrol car), about 10 years ago, not something I would like to pay for if the car is not covered by warranty, fortunatly my Volvo was - £1500.00 worth!

Edited 11 October, 201015 yr by Jerseyman

Cambelt and water pump, all genuine VAG parts (inc antifreeze) at an indy for £250!!!

The parts at trade are about £145 inc VAT (water pump with the metal impeller), plus £40 deposit on your old pump being returned. Never fit a pump with the plastic impeller - they have been known to break up and fail.

Got charged £100 labour - took 2 mechanics just under 2 hours total - then again I do know them very well and got it rather cheap for cash!

I reckon anything over £300 at an indy for cambelt and water pump and it is getting on the pricey side. Insist on genuine VAG parts as they warranty them against any damage caused by premature failure. Make sure the garage you use has the correct locking tool for the crank and cams or they could end up messing the timing up very easily.

Yours is a TDi, OP has a TFSI, quite a different job I assure you.

As for the water pump, ive said it plenty of times before and I stick by it. I have never seen a replacement pump break only OE ones and its been a few years since I see one of them fail. Buy a genuine water pump and you get two years parts warranty, if it should break you have VAG to claim an engine back on. Fit a non genuine one and you get 12 months normally if that on the part only and thats about it. Take your chances.

And VAG dont make metal water pumps for the four cylinder engines. So if you had a metal one, it wasnt genuine.

Edited 11 October, 201015 yr by Tech1e

Yours is a TDi, OP has a TFSI, quite a different job I assure you.

As for the water pump, ive said it plenty of times before and I stick by it. I have never seen a replacement pump break only OE ones and its been a few years since I see one of them fail. Buy a genuine water pump and you get two years parts warranty, if it should break you have VAG to claim an engine back on. Fit a non genuine one and you get 12 months normally if that on the part only and thats about it. Take your chances.

And VAG dont make metal water pumps for the four cylinder engines. So if you had a metal one, it wasnt genuine.

It was in a VAG box bought with the cambelt kit also in a VAG box from a VAG parts supplier. I know as I had in the boot for just under 2 weeks until getting round to getting to the garage. It most definitely was a metal impeller.

I take your point about the TFSI being a different job though.

Fair enough, been fitting them at dealers for the last 11 years just never seen one thats all, nice to see they have come forward though.

I am more than a little confused (as it seems many are on this forum) by when Skoda recommend changing the cambelt - it is called a "Toothed Belt" in the service schedule book (the book the dealer stamps after the car has been serviced) decribed in the book as follows;

"In addition every 120 000 km (74564 miles approx) , replace toothed belt (PD engines)" mine is a PD engine.

Also on the service sheet ( the sheet of paper the dealer ticks to show what work he is supposed to have done) on the back is clearly stated that "Toothed belt change interval Octavia II @ 80,000 miles, again no mention 4 year change.

Is a Toothed Belt the same part as a Cambelt?

Cambelt=Toothed Belt

There is heated debate about the 4 years regardless of mileage.

I always do mine at 4 years as I do approx 17k per year so the mileage is there or there abouts.

If I was only doing 10k would I do it at 40k? Probably, not worth the risk not to IMHO.

Fair enough, been fitting them at dealers for the last 11 years just never seen one thats all, nice to see they have come forward though.

Apparently fairly recently, I will try and find out the part number from the garage as they get the parts for me and I pay the trade price

Very handy if you don't mind paying cash for all of your parts!

Apparently fairly recently, I will try and find out the part number from the garage as they get the parts for me and I pay the trade price

Very handy if you don't mind paying cash for all of your parts!

If you could grab me the part number that would be great, I can make sure they stock some at work then,

I had the water pump changed to the metal one the first time round , its nearly time for its second belt would the pump need changing again??? Oh £200 for the belt and tension-er fitted

I'm in a place called Chatteris - about 15 miles from Cambridge & Peterborough.

The quote I've had so far is from Als-Lock in Ely.

The breakdown of the quote being:

Waterpump & Cambelt - £450

4th Variable service - £225

Brake fluid change - £40

I've fired off emails to Vindis Skoda, Cambridge & Horton's Skoda, Lincoln

I have also done Wings (VW Peterborough) & Vindis VW, St. Ives.

Waiting back on quotes from them all at the moment.

Does anyone know of any good indy's I can get in touch with - just to get a none dealership price?

i just had a Quote from Mitchells (Chester) for cambelt and pump - £568.25 - OUCH , anyone know of a good indy in Chester ?

I'm hoping to buy a Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI. The Car has just done 60,000 on the clock, so should i be asking the dealer to do a Cambelt change? The service book has stamps, but no paperwork to tell what work has been done, but guaranteed they haven't done the Cambelt.

The independent car lot state that, IF the cambelt should be changed at 60,000 they will do it, however THEY think that that the cambelt should be changed at 120 000 km (80,000), so they will check with the dealer and if this is the case, then they won't do it.

What do you think?

The 2.0 is normally 80k or four years. Some even are up to 95k now, depends on engine code.

Always remember to check with VW and seat dealers for a quote I have found the Seat dealer near me to be half that what Skoda charge for a belt change

Say hello to Kelvin if you do ever go to ALS-Lock.

I part ex-ed an Ibiza FR TDI with an Octavia I bought off him - great deal he did too.

Went over and back in the same day and bought it - much to his surprise

Funnily enough my 56 plate vRS will be 4 years old in January and my service coundown has just appeared. It will have approx 55k on the clock when it goes in (about Dec time). I have been quoted £828 (parts, labour and VAT) for the following:

4th Variable Service to include spark plugs and air filter (brake fuild change done last year so not req'd)

Cambelt and water pump change

Compared to the original post of £745 it would seem to be in the right ball park (since my quote includes the plugs and air filter) ? This is at a Skoda main dealer (that I trust and have used many times before). I do not want to use an indy as I have a Skoda extended warranty and the air-con pump is sounding noisey, so i'm expecting a warranty claim at the same time.

I am in the south central region so labour rates will be high and therefore probably not that comparable with other quotes.

Any opinions ?

Just bought a 2006 Octavia VRS PD, it has 58K on the clock and I got the cambelt and waterpump changed today from £330 from a indy.

Could have lasted to 80k but i thought ive just bought the car, rather be safe than sorry and plus ive got the cash atm to do this!

Forgive my ignorance but what exactly does a 4th variable service consist of? my car was just serviced at 55K in July.

Edited 20 October, 201015 yr by Awesam

My Octavia has just had its fourth birthday and s due a new timing belt even though it's only done 22,000 miles, I've been doing a lot of reading about whether to change it or not but think I'll need to get it done as the consequences if it goes wrong are too much. I'm confused what else I need to do though, the car has been regularly serviced each year and had an extra service from the Ford garage I bought it from in April this year so I'm not sure if I'm ok to just go for the cambelt change and get a service next April or get a service with the cambelt change.

I'm starting to wonder if I misread the topic about Broxburn Skoda as someone said they got a cambelt change for £199 which seems way under any of the other quotes here? In terms of keeping the car serviced with the manufacturer does Seat count at all as part of the same company or are they effectively an independent as they're not Skoda?

John

I have my Fabia Vrs done at West End for the £199 inc vat deal, considering I am not that far from you, the drive down was effortless, being diesel relatively cheap and the wife got a days shopping in Edinburgh!

I think the £199 deal is for 1.4 and 1.9 diesels, I also have a new Octavia vrs common rail which they said they we not able to do it for £199, but would offer me a cracking deal when it was due. I would return for servicing and future purchase, everyone was very friendly and eager to answer my persitant questions, better than what I have been used to locally.