Our 02 Plate Octy vRS has finally decided it needs a service. This will be its second ever service as its on variable servicing. Rang round a few dealers and got a variety of prices along with a number of different answers on when the cambelt is due:

Jacksons Basingstoke: 4 year or 40,000 mile service

Westover Skoda and other places a bit more hampshire/dorset way came in at £285 all in on a TDI some of the places you mention came in over £100 more, so if you are willing to take a little bit of a drive.

The cam belt really really don't leave it until 120k, I would suggest that 60-80k or 4/5 years is about hte right time to get it done for piece of mind.

If in doubt then change it as it will cost you a few hundred to get it, the water pump and tensioner changed now, and a few thousand should it ever fail.

The replacement interval specified in the Skoda Octavia Service Schedule (05.01 edition) is 180,000 km for the 1.8T engine. However, the perceived wisdom seems to be to change it at around half that mileage. As my 4X4 has done less that 20K in 4 years, I am going to have to think about having it changed on tim,e rather than mileage to take age deterioration into account. I will probably opt to get it done in 2 years time when the next variable service becomes due.

My octy is up for a service, 65,000 miles and i have been phoning around places and i have been quoted from £240 to £130 for a 10,000 mile service

when i asked do i need my cambelt changing i have been told it should have been done at 40,000 and needs doing urgently and i have been told its due at 80,000.

I think skoda dealerships needs to get their acts together and sort out exactly what they are doing and telling people. As i am just as confused as yourself!

Some were 40000, later changed to 60000 and then to 80000m. The 40000 mile ones should have all been done by now so a good rule of thumb is 60000 miles.

Owners could also get their acts together and read the manuals and service books.

Almost all Audi 1.8T owners I know go for a change at about 60 to 65k miles.

And it saves on longer term costs to get water pump and related parts (tensioner, etc) done at the same time as the belt, as most of the labour is time spent to gain access (bumper and radiator off, etc I think).