I enquired about an Octavia VRs 2.0 TDI I have seen on auto trader, it's covered 80k miles, I called dealership to ask if cam belt had been done and the chap on the phone informed me it had been done twice. 

 

I've never heard anyone do this before. Any ideas why? 

 

Its a one owner since new

What age is it?

 

I think pre-2010 cars need a new cambelt every 4 years regardless of mileage. After this date, it's every 5 years.

 

I'm sure someone will confirm the details as I can't remember the exact info.

Pretty much what langers said.  It's been done on time rather than distance.

57 plate. I always thought they were 80/100k miles or every 10 year. 

 

I didn't think it was so much a bad thing just over cautious. But learn something new everyday it seems!

2 changes fits with a '57 plate

 

Might be worth checking when they were done. Assuming they were on time it's probably due another one next year.

Talk is cheap from someone on a phone at a dealership. 

It is easy for someone to say 'Full Main Dealer Service History' so everything done.   

 

 Best see the invoices with the 2 x changes showing and paid for. 

The Service & Warranty history in Print in the Service Book or printed off the System.  

 

 Things done to Manufacturers Guidelines or Manufacturers schedules and FMDSH are not always the same.

Up to September 2010 every 4 years regardless of whether PD or CR. 

 

From September 2010 every 5 years. 

 

Cannot remember the mileage limits. I have a June 2010 Octy Scout (possibly one of the last PD engine ones) and I had the second cambelt and waterpump replaced earlier this year. 

 

It may be worth checking when the waterpump was replaced as I believe they can be a bit iffy. In fact after the first cambelt and waterpump service in 2014, my replacement waterpump failed less than 24 hours after it was fitted as there was apparently a faulty batch. 

Thanks for the info I will have s good look when I go to view it tomorrow

 

Has anyone suffered much with DPF on these engines?

A 57 plate vRS is a PD170, the worst engine / DPF relationship in Skoda's history. I had one.

 

80,000 miles since 2007 means an average of 7,000 miles per year, low mileage, not great for DPF's especially one mated to a PD170.

 

If the original DPF is actually still there I'd be amazed, if it is and it's still functioning properly it'll be a miracle.

 

Make sure you can view the underside of the car to get a good look at the DPF. Look for it's absence, or weld lines where it's been opened and gutted, both MOT failures if observed.

On 04/12/2018 at 21:12, McG MkII said:

57 plate. I always thought they were 80/100k miles or every 10 year. 

 

 

The french engines are usually 10 years e.g the 2.2 they used in the mondeo/freelander 2 right down to the 1.6 TDCI they use in the focus and horrible things such as the xsara picasso

2 hours ago, silver1011 said:

A 57 plate vRS is a PD170, the worst engine / DPF relationship in Skoda's history. I had one.

 

80,000 miles since 2007 means an average of 7,000 miles per year, low mileage, not great for DPF's especially one mated to a PD170.

 

If the original DPF is actually still there I'd be amazed, if it is and it's still functioning properly it'll be a miracle.

 

Make sure you can view the underside of the car to get a good look at the DPF. Look for it's absence, or weld lines where it's been opened and gutted, both MOT failures if observed.

Wow I didn't realise this was the case. Won't help that milage through the week is about 15 with most of that below 20mph. On a weekend is a different story but damage could already be done. Thanks for the info on that one much appreciated

It's not all doom and gloom, the PD170 is a cracking engine, I' loved mine, but it isn't without it's issues, so I just wanted to make sure you viewed the car with your eyes open.

 

There was a big official VOSA recall on the PD170 across the VAG range several years ago, to replace all four injectors and the wiring loom. All variants of the engine were affected, so that includes the car you're going to view. The vast majority of cars came out of the workshop fine, but there were also a lot that were never the same again. There were a raft of threads on this forum of owners suffering lots of different issues including poor starting, rough running, diesel fuel contamination of the engine / turbo oil and subsequent EGR, DPF, injector and turbo failures. It was a mess.

 

Unfortunately my vRS was one of the unlucky ones (VR57 OCT). Type "PD170 VOSA Recall" into Google for some bedtime reading.

 

Brace yourself...

 

 

 

Check the boot for the recall sticker in the spare wheel well, it should have the recall code '23H9' on it.

 

And check the car from top to bottom. Be wary if the car has been pre-started and warmed up before you arrive. Be sure to try various different RPM's to ensure it doesn't drop into limp home mode, and check the oil level to make sure it isn't well above max.

 

Just one last check. The PD170 was replaced with the CR170 (Common Rail) early in 2008. Just check the car you're off to see isn't a CR and therefore a totally different beast...

 

Jeez, it's still alive. No obvious lasting effects from the dilluted engine oil then.

 

I wonder how long it cranks before starting these days...

 

Its advertised as PD, it never occurred to me as many moons ago I had a fabia vrs with the pd130 and the thing was bullet proof, but this was before the days of DPFs, then recently I had the MK2 fabia 1.4 TDI on an 09 plate again no DPF so assumed they didn't come into force until after 2010. 

 

But after a lot of thought from the info given and the seeming current war on diesel I opted against a viewing in the end. Just too much risk given my commute. I ended up with a fabia 1.2 TSI, quite the opposite end of what I was looking for!