I have just called 4 skoda dealers to check when my cambelt needs changing on my fabia vrs. all 4 said its 80,000 miles or four years. But, i have read on here that most people get it done at 60k? what is the reason behind this and what would happen if my cambelt was to go befor the 80k skoda have been telling me?

many thanks.

i'm sure its 40k or 4 years

60k or 4 years

it used to be 80k but then they revised it!

is it any wonder dealers dont touch my car!

its 120,000 km (75,000 miles) or four years its not been revised as far as i know and work in a skoda dealership and not had anything from skoda about it getting changed

I understood it used to be 4 years/60,000 miles but latterly it's changed to 4 years/ 75,000 miles...

talk about confused!!

first i hear 40k then 60k i went to skoda and they said 80k now its 75k :S

but it's always been 4 years every time I've asked any were so I'm just change it at 4 year old no matter the mileage

what a load of poop!

just change it often and you'll have no probelms, i usually do it as soon as i buy a used car :thumbup:

Changed mine not long ago at 55k and 7 years !!!!! Was only a month or so after I bought the car but not something I would recommend.

Anyway if I can try and apply a little science to this subject.

Whilst mileage is an important factor materials tend to wear and stress when they are subject to changes in load......(imagine bending a paperclip repeatedly, after not very long it will fatigue and break). This is in simple terms because you keep changing the stress and load on it. As another example, a light bulb will rarely fail when it's on, it's much more common to fail when you first switch it on. This is because the filament is stressed much more when it is warming up.

A cambelt is is most stressed when you first turn the engine and the belt is cold, once it's warmed up and more flexible (generally rubber becomes more pliable with heat) it's stress is less. Essentially what will determine the life of the belt is the number of stress (warm up/cool down) cycles the belt has to go through and this is why mileage is less important.

Joe Bloggs might do 20k a year because he works 40 miles from home. Jim Bloggs might do 5k a year because he only works 10 miles from home but the number of journeys they do (hence warm/cool cycles) is the same.

I hope this makes sense and offers some explanation to why the age is more important than the mileage.

Certainly an official document I downloaded from Skoda's website - probably from http://www.skoda.co.uk/skoda3g/content/businesssales/fabia/fabiasmr.xls (no longer working) - on 10 February 2006 (but which is dated within as 6 October 2005) clearly states "60 K miles"

Document now available at www.fabia-vrs.com/downloads/files/fabiasmr.xls (haven't checked if it's the same one)

4 year guidleine even if you've done 10k miles

Changed mine not long ago at 55k and 7 years !!!!! Was only a month or so after I bought the car but not something I would recommend.

Anyway if I can try and apply a little science to this subject.

Whilst mileage is an important factor materials tend to wear and stress when they are subject to changes in load......(imagine bending a paperclip repeatedly, after not very long it will fatigue and break). This is in simple terms because you keep changing the stress and load on it. As another example, a light bulb will rarely fail when it's on, it's much more common to fail when you first switch it on. This is because the filament is stressed much more when it is warming up.

A cambelt is is most stressed when you first turn the engine and the belt is cold, once it's warmed up and more flexible (generally rubber becomes more pliable with heat) it's stress is less. Essentially what will determine the life of the belt is the number of stress (warm up/cool down) cycles the belt has to go through and this is why mileage is less important.

Joe Bloggs might do 20k a year because he works 40 miles from home. Jim Bloggs might do 5k a year because he only works 10 miles from home but the number of journeys they do (hence warm/cool cycles) is the same.

I hope this makes sense and offers some explanation to why the age is more important than the mileage.

That's not the only reason, rubber ages (think very old tyres) as ozone reacts with it and breaks it down so an old cambelt is gonna be like an old tyre. Cracked and brittle.

I had mine changed for the 2nd time in June last year at 120,000 miles (Just over 7 years old) If I end up keeping it long enough I'll get it done at 180K (I will prob get to 180K before 2014)

Edited 3 March, 201115 yr by PoloGaz

oh better check mine its done 56k and its an 05 plate, i hope its had one done it that time :S

what sort of price are people paying to get it done ...

Edited 3 March, 201115 yr by s_matt

Check this out it is interesting:

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=67755

oh pi55 i guess i am going to have to look into getting it done :(

oh pi55 i guess i am going to have to look into getting it done :(

VAG UK cambelt change interval seems to be different to the rest of the universe.

Nice to see some dealers doing the belt for sensible money though. West End Skoda still have the £199 offer running.

Nice to see some dealers doing the belt for sensible money though. West End Skoda still have the £199 offer running.

is that all inclusive??

Nice to see some dealers doing the belt for sensible money though. West End Skoda still have the £199 offer running.

That doesn't include the water pump does it?

is that all inclusive??

Yes inc VAT but not the water pump.

Yes inc VAT but not the water pump.

any idea on the cost of the pump??

any idea on the cost of the pump??

£48 from a factors, or about £55 from Skoda.

any idea on the cost of the pump??

Think it is around 35 quid but they also will charge you for replacement VAG G12 coolant which is expensive - told me it was "special" to VAG cars.

£48 from a factors, or about £55 from Skoda.

cheers fella

Think it is around 35 quid but they also will charge you for replacement VAG G12 coolant which is expensive - told me it was "special" to VAG cars.

lol brilliant

Damn, that's loads cheaper than what I paid. Think I paid around £350 from awesome.

just got off the phone from skoda oxford and they said they would do the lot for 400 including the pump