Hi guys

I have now enjoyed my Citigo since 2013 and at my recent service I was advised to change the cambelt.

My question is this, as it has still only done 19,000 miles and has mostly been garaged, just how urgent is this cambelt replacement?

 

Thanks

There are usually two criteria for a timing belt change, age and mileage. With only 19k you're no where the latter.

 

My 2013 Citigo with 61k was recently serviced at the dealer and they didn't mention changing the belt.

 

Pete

I've known cars to do over 100,000 miles without a cambelt change (although this may be silly!).

 

Whether the Citigo/Mii/Up cars are vastly different I don't know,but I would say it's an unessesary expense for your car at the moment.

 

I stand to be corrected by someone more knowledgeable.

Can o worms. Depends who you ask.. I've had a dealer tell me no time limit just mileage.. had an independent say every 4 years or 100+k?! But also vice versa so go figure..

i believe the interval for the vw up is something like 70k miles or 5 years, whichever comes first. Being a 2013 model, it's coming up to 5 years old, so it should be coming up to the interval. However i imagine it would be fine to drive it to the mileage interval.

240 000 km says Škoda. No time limits. I wouldn't wait so long though. 

My son had a 2004 Fiesta. Ford advised a cambelt change at 100,000 miles. The expense was more than the car was worth but he kept driving it.

 

The gearbox packed in at 125,000 miles so he scrapped it.

My Citigo will be 5 years old on May 3rd and it's done less than 4,500 miles.  It cost me over £12k when new in 2013 and is in immaculate condition plus it's always been kept in a garage too.  I believe it's now worth about £4,500 in a trade-in.  I can't really believe that VAG could have designed an engine that needs a new cambelt after only 5 years.  According to the website of official Skoda dealers, Jardine Motors Group trading as Lancaster, a replacement cambelt (no water pump mentioned) costs £499.  It's not even shown on the official Skoda UK website where it states "Excludes Citigo" with no mention of an actual Citigo cambelt replacement cost.    I'd also have to pay £159 for an Interim Service plus £52 for a Brake Fluid change plus the cost of an MOT around May 3rd.  This little lot would come to nearly £765 for a car that's now worth sweeties!!  I'm disgusted to say the least.

 

A couple of days ago, I even received a large official Skoda postcard (both sides shown below) invitation from a local Skoda dealer to "Book your cambelt replacement now."   It must be a very good money spinner for them because most of the £499 charge is obviously for labour and I fear that we're all being ripped off.  I wonder what "We thought we'd remind you to book in for one of our ŠKODA- trained technicians to have a look" actually means?  I can't imagine that the cambelt can actually be "looked at" or inspected, to verify whether it needs to be changed or not?

 

I don't know if I'm allowed to add links to other forums or not but there's an interesting discussion on this very subject on the VW up! forum here:- The dreaded cam belt debate! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 6 April, 20188 yr by JimmyR

Try an independent garage, should come out cheaper for sure!

£296 for our Citigo if we wanted it.

 

https://www.clickmechanic.com/price-estimates/skoda/citigo/timing-belt-or-chain-replacement

Water pump is on other end of the engine. Looks like there is another toothed belt for it too.

Mine supposedly needs a new cambelt. Tempted to do it myself to save some pennies

If it's driven 240 000km, then yes. 

150,000 miles is a long time before doing it,  maybe after 15 years or more with a UpMiiCitigo!

Some might never have it done before being scrapped or the engine being scrap.

 

location location location and environment and usage matters, and not suggestions or advice from others than know none of those things about your vehicle.

I had my wife's Citigo SEP 12, cambelt replaced January this year. It only has 11,500 miles but I've always been around 5 years to play safe.

 

Do not get caught with the we'll do both the cambelt and change the water pump for xxx £'s. The water pump is on the opposite side of the engine and is not part of the cambelt drive like other engines and it has its own small belt 

 

My local garage did it for around £240.00.

 

I know it's only a little engine but for that sort of money it ain't worth chancing it IMO.