Havn't posted in these forums for over a year as I soft of lost interest in my RS. But back again and just had her valeted and serviced today. The dealer tells me there are cracks all over the timing belt and it is 1mm out of alignment. What's more there is less then 35k km on my car and the belt is good for up to 180k km according to the dealer. Unfortunately it's 3 years old in Sept. so out of warranty and goodwill only covers non-serviceable parts. The dealer suggested that because my car is "tuned" that could be the reason, even though I don't see how - I only do 7k miles a year !!. And the only mods done are a revo technik remap, K&N 57i induction kit, Forge dumpvalve and Samco carbon fibre intake pipes fitted.

Any ideas what could be up ? The mechanic thinks I might be ok till next service but the service manager says I would be better getting the whole thing changed. At 75euro/hour labour they reckon it will come to somewhere between 500 and 750 euro !!! They will ask Skoda if they will pay for the part if they find what they think could be a manufacturing defect but the labour makes up most of the cost which I wont be able to avoud. I'm totally gutted by this as I just dropped 1500 euro on 2 Nvidia 7800 GTX video cards :( Looks like the credit card is going to have to cope, and I just got out of debt !!!

If the car is out of warranty I would try an independant garage and get a quote.

Must be some specialist around your area that can do a cambelt change on a VAG 1.8T.

What I wouldn't do is leave it, if it's suspect change it ASAP.

Cheers

Lee

If I have read this right, you have another 3 months on your warranty. If not then, Mr Barrel, please meet Flanno scenario will emerge.

Hey good graphics choice mind

Also if out of warranty, hit a local VAG tuner, typically half dealer rates.

If they are asking Skoda, then you should not be paying labour...They will get paid by Skoda for warranty work, so if they are going for that they will be paid twice; sneaky.

Cam belt should last younger, now is is a consumable...perhaps, but not at that distance; should not even be a concern.

Nothing you have done will effect it's life IMHO*

Problem is; if it looks "rough" it could go tomorrow or in 12 months...I'd really be stomping my feet for this all to be done under a warranty claim. Contact your regional Skoda Customer services unit for a third viewpoint as an aside to views posted here

Oh, one is assuming it's been serviced on the schedule, hence the alignment is another "manf defect" to consider, has it shifted 1mm since the last service?

*Not an engineer, not technical advice

Thanks for all the input. Last service was 1 year ago at 11k miles and no mention of it by the dealer about the belt. No VAG tuners around where I live. Might try the tuner that did my Revo technic remap though. I hear good things about them. A bit of distance to travel but worth it.

Would you recommend I buy the genuine parts from my dealer and get the independent to fit it, or should I go through the independent for everything and risk him fitting a spurious part.

On the subject of labour, I was told I have goodwill on non-serviceable parts (not labour) for 3 years or 80k km. My door light would not come on when the front passenger door opened and it turned out the contacts in the passenger door lock were worn. Skoda paid for the part but I had to pay the 2 hours labour !! What is really strange is that the fault in the door lock happened just after the car went out of warranty, and the same thing happened on the drivers door just before the car went out of warranty but they only covered the drivers door.

75 euro an hour labour is a real killer. No wonder all the Taxi drivers where I live got rid of their Octavias.

Personally I would disagree that remapping/tuning generally has no impact on the belt - it will have an effect. I'd certainly change critical parts like that more frequently.

That said the kind of thing you're described smells of a manufacturing fault so there is a chance you'll get lucky. Hope you do

Hopefully...but the belt developing a fault after 20k seems crazy.

Anyway, I shot off an email to Westward Precision Engineering in Westmeath, who are a Vag tuner and did my remap. They might be able to offer me a better price on getting it fitted.

Assuming Skoda wont pony up for the part, would you recommend I buy it from them or get the vag tuner to source it ?

Buy it where you fit it, the labour is gonna be the cost anyway, as you say. That way they are responsible for it and cant say 'well yeah but you got it somewhere else, out of our control' that kinda thing. Price diff won't be that much, if anything on the part

which dealer did you go to? Shaws in longford seem to be the most reasonable of the lot.... http://www.briskoda.net/forums/showthread.php?t=23935.

Was that the whole belt or did it include the kit and pretensioners ?

My dealer charges 75 euro an hour and claims 5 hours to do the job.

Hopefully...but the belt developing a fault after 20k seems crazy.

Anyway' date=' I shot off an email to Westward Precision Engineering in Westmeath, who are a Vag tuner and did my remap. They might be able to offer me a better price on getting it fitted.

Assuming Skoda wont pony up for the part, would you recommend I buy it from them or get the vag tuner to source it ?[/quote']

I'm sure Martin would only be happy to give you a quote to sort out the timing belf. He might throw it on the rollers when he's finished with the change - if you ask nicely!

75 yoyos an hour eh? Sounds like dublin prices to me...

Hi Flanno,

Long time no hear. I tried contacting you a number of times, are you on a different email address ? PM me if your details have changed.

I have sent you a PM about a few things

Sorry to hear about your troubles, hopefully you'll get it sorted ASAP.

Was on to Skoda Ireland service manager today and basically once my dealer takes the belt apart and issues a report to them, they will make a warranty decision about what if any of the work they will pay for. Meanwhile my dealer reckons he can get me out with a new belt, pretensioners and water pump for approx 450euro which is a damn site better then the 500 to 750 euro story I got on Friday. Here's hoping they find a defect or broken tooth on the belt and I don't have to pay for any parts.

Was on to Skoda Ireland service manager today and basically once my dealer takes the belt apart and issues a report to them, they will make a warranty decision about what if any of the work they will pay for. Meanwhile my dealer reckons he can get me out with a new belt, pretensioners and water pump for approx 450euro which is a damn site better then the 500 to 750 euro story I got on Friday. Here's hoping they find a defect or broken tooth on the belt and I don't have to pay for any parts.

Best of luck with it. Get the dealer to hold onto the evidence (just in case you ever wanted a second opinion)

It's in the dealers today having the belt (and possibly water pump) done, plug plugs changed, and they are finally going to fix that rattle in the back seat I have had for 3 years (* the plastic catch inside the seat is loose, which I found out myself *)

I was onto Skoda Ireland and they said once they strip out the belt they will make a decsion on warranty. The service manager says that Skoda are unofficially aware my car is modded but that better not impede their decision.

I have a feeling the garage will come back and say the belt was faulty or else tampered with. And if they say it was messed with, I will tell them the last time the bonnet was up was when they did an oil change at 11k, and the brake fluid the following month.

Will know more today at 5pm. Fingers crossed.

By the way, on the subject of tires - the original ones I had on the car (Dunlop sport sp2000 205/55/16) were almost worn at 11k. I changed them out a year ago for Conti sport contacts and have done 10k on them in about 14 months. According to the service report my fronts are down to 6mm and the rears 6.5mm. Is this decent wear ?

All depends on the type of driving you do....

I got 20k miles from the fronts & 38k miles from the rears of my first Octy RS (Michelin Pilot HX). I sold the car with 54k miles and the replacement tyres (Michelin Pilot Primacy) were still in good nick.

I have Dunlops on my 04 Octy RS now, and they are wearing quicker and do not have the same grip levels as the Michelins. Most of my miles are on long straight runs, and very little town driving. I find driving round town eats tyres, so if you do a lot of city runs, then yours are doing ok.

By the way, both my Octy's ran/ run on 16's too.

Yep...mostly 6-7 miles a go tops. So I reckon I'm getting decent wear.

An hour and a half to go before I find out what the story is with the timing belt !

Well collected Rs yesterday evening. They discovered no damage, except minor cracks on the belt, and it was running out of alignment due to it being loose. Not sure why as the pretensioners are automatic. So rather then take a chance they replaced the lot including the water pump. Also got plugs done. Only charged for 3 hours labour, though it took 5 hours, and the lot cost me 470 euro including plugs. The garage will be putting in a warranty claim for the parts so I could end up getting half of it back. Overall not happy having to land out cash for something that should have lasted up to 120k km, but better safe then sorry. At least I wont need to go near the garage for another 12months now.

Its, in theory, 120k miles not Ks :eek:

If it is covered under warranty, then SKoda will have to pay for the labour too. Tis my understanding, as all my warranty claims have not touched my pocket.....yet...

If it is covered under warranty, then SKoda will have to pay for the labour too. Tis my understanding, as all my warranty claims have not touched my pocket.....yet...

Wait till you "Exceed your Goodwill Limit"

The car is 3 years old in Sept, so if I get warranty it will be a goodwill gesture. According to the dealer goodwill extends to 75k km or 3 years and usually on non-serviceable parts, (the timing belt would not normally be included), plus Skoda warranrty and not the dealer decide if you don't pay for labour or the part of both. I rang Skoda service Ireland who said each case is weighed up on its own merits. Considering the belt gave trouble at 20k miles, I hope they cover at least the cost of the parts.

One thing is for sure, the car is in absolutely perfect nick. You cold practically put a 05 plate on it. Don't see any reason to sell it with only 20k miles after 3 years. Actually thinking about getting the full sports exhaust,cat,downpipe installed. I wonder does that play havoc with emmissions when it comes NCT/MOT time ?