The damper is around £40-50 from GSF (INA). Please do get a genuine thermostat, mine went kapoot after 6 months from GSF.

Ok all the prices together does this seem right?

Timing belt and water pump stuff

cam belt kit £85

water pump £32

tensioner £65

2 bottles G12 £15

£197

stat £20

temp sender £27

£47

Grand total £244+ fitting, all this is for genuine parts anywhere I can make any savings? Got a feeling its gonna have to be put off abit longer otherwise

Cheaper stat here: http://www.vwspares.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=149

I used one from VWSpares in mine and had no problems with it although it was a Febi Bilsten one which they don't seem to sell any more only these Gates ones.

Could you do any of the work yourself to save on the labour? (stat and CTS replacement are both straightforward jobs to do yourself although when changing the stat you lose a lot of coolant so would make sense to do it at the same time as the waterpump).

What about temp sensor can get a febi one for under a Tenner?

What's oe make of the temp sensor and stat?

Mechanic is gonna be doing the water pump with the cam belt off so might aswell let him do the complete cooling system

Get a genuine VAG CTS not a Febi one, I bought a Febi one for about £8 the same time I bought the stat, within 3 days it had failed and the car was at my local garage gaving a genuine VAG CTS fitted and me with a sheepish look on my face and £8 wasted.

No idea who makes the genuine VAG stuff - assume it's Bosch?

I wouldnt penny pinch here - the stat I got from GSF went after 6 months and the CTS is known for playing up for a cheap one.

Have you called David at Sere motors in NI?

He can get OEM bits dirt cheap. I get all my filters, n75 valves etc from him.

ive got a belt tensioner and pulley only test fitted to an engine never turned £100 deliverd