I've got my 2008 Octavia Diesel estate booked in for a major service and timing belt replacement. My car has only got 46,000 miles on the clock and the VW dealer (who is excellent) has offered to replace the water pump for an extra £70. Is this really necessary? I've had a fair few cars with mileage of well over 100,000 and never had to replace a water pump. Surely Skodas are more reliable than that. Since it's first year when I did 18,000 miles, I now only do 9,000 miles per year and I don't see me keeping the car for more than another 3 years.

Any thoughts?

Not worth not replacing if the impeller goes you have a ruined engine

Just as likely to fail as the tensioner.

I've got my 2008 Octavia Diesel estate booked in for a major service and timing belt replacement. My car has only got 46,000 miles on the clock and the VW dealer (who is excellent) has offered to replace the water pump for an extra £70. Is this really necessary? I've had a fair few cars with mileage of well over 100,000 and never had to replace a water pump. Surely Skodas are more reliable than that. Since it's first year when I did 18,000 miles, I now only do 9,000 miles per year and I don't see me keeping the car for more than another 3 years.

Any thoughts?

£ 70 sounds a bit steep, needs doing though plus every thing done by the dealer is guaranteed 2 years

£30 odd for the water pump, coolant and a little extra labour.

Sounds about right to me.

£30 odd for the water pump, coolant and a little extra labour.

Sounds about right to me.

Ok You win

£ 70 sounds a bit steep, needs doing though plus every thing done by the dealer is guaranteed 2 years

Not every Skoda dealer though. Mine has a one year guarantee policy .

Not every Skoda dealer though. Mine has a one year guarantee policy .

mmmmmm, Intresting, I have extended warranty and repairs carried out under Warranty or not are guarantee 2 years.

it just saves on labour costs as if it goes you will be paying for the labour costs of a cambelt change again, so might as well get it done while the belt is off

Mine will be 4 years old this sept & will have covered approx 35k,i will be changing the water pump at the same time,i will be fitting my own cambelt so no labour charges for me but its still good practice to change water pump along with idler pulleys & tensioner at same time as cambelt,

What about the new vRS TSI and 1.8 TSI chain driven 'sealed-for-life' engines which don't ever need a belt replacement job, are their water pumps prone to failing at low mileages as well?

What about the new vRS TSI and 1.8 TSI chain driven 'sealed-for-life' engines which don't ever need a belt replacement job, are their water pumps prone to failing at low mileages as well?

The water pump is belt drive not off the chain.

Mine will be 4 years old this sept & will have covered approx 35k,i will be changing the water pump at the same time,i will be fitting my own cambelt so no labour charges for me but its still good practice to change water pump along with idler pulleys & tensioner at same time as cambelt,

Why are u changing ur belt at 35k

Why are u changing ur belt at 35k

Please let's not get into this again it's been done to death on here, yes we all know the cambelts last for ever.

The water pump is belt drive not off the chain.

Thanks. I take it that it can be changed a little bit easier then (or is this not the case?)

What about the new vRS TSI and 1.8 TSI chain driven 'sealed-for-life' engines which don't ever need a belt replacement job, are their water pumps prone to failing at low mileages as well?

"sealed for life" ? Are they not inspected at certain stages etc?

Had mine done at 41K when it was 4 years old.My dealer replaced the pump also and the 2 stretch bolts for the engine mounting as they are 1 time use only apparently.

Why are u changing ur belt at 35k

Because its my car & its my choice to replace my cambelt at 4 years old if i want to,after i have used my £100 of vouchers at skoda parts dept my cambelt replacement costs should be around £100,i intend to keep this car & dont fancy rebuilding my engine when my belt or water pump or tensioner fails(i saw a mk 5 golf gti last week with its engine in pieces getting rebuilt due to cambelt failure,car was 5 years old with 45k on the clock) for me a mornings work & £100 far outways the 2+ days work £+++++++ costs to rebuild my engine if it fails............this is only my opinion,im not getting involved in this 4 year cambelt change interval or not arguement.

What about the new vRS TSI and 1.8 TSI chain driven 'sealed-for-life' engines which don't ever need a belt replacement job, are their water pumps prone to failing at low mileages as well?

I remember reading on here about a couple of people who had their water pump fail on the tsi engine,it was replaced f.o.c under warranty.

Ironically its not easier to change, it's an arse.

It's mounted under the inlet manifold on the other end of the engine by the gearbox. A gear is driven by the timing chain that runs a shaft. The shaft runs along the front of the engine to a belt, the belt then drives the water pump unit.

Because its my car & its my choice to replace my cambelt at 4 years old if i want to,after i have used my £100 of vouchers at skoda parts dept my cambelt replacement costs should be around £100,i intend to keep this car & dont fancy rebuilding my engine when my belt or water pump or tensioner fails(i saw a mk 5 golf gti last week with its engine in pieces getting rebuilt due to cambelt failure,car was 5 years old with 45k on the clock) for me a mornings work & £100 far outways the 2+ days work £+++++++ costs to rebuild my engine if it fails............this is only my opinion,im not getting involved in this 4 year cambelt change interval or not arguement.

I only asked no need too snap, iv never heard of a Gti golf doing that.

Not snapping at you,the" cambelt at 4 years or not" has been done to death on here,the mechanic i was talking to said this was his 2nd golf he has seen with a failed cambelt & he had done a tfsi audi too,all failed within 6 years from new,the other golf had done 70k & the audi 80k so they were both higher miles but still less than 6 years old.

hmm, my water pump wasn't done when I got my cambelt done. Fingers crossed it lasts for another 3 years so it can get changed when the cambelt is done again

I hesitate to mention this unless it starts a trend; but there is a camshaft seal that could also be replaced whilst the belt is being done. Why does no one ever recommend this as a prophylaxis?

I remember reading on here about a couple of people who had their water pump fail on the tsi engine,it was replaced f.o.c under warranty.

Thanks. Very useful info.