Could have been worse though, I guess.......

 

Originally I was intending to sell the Octavia (or trade in maybe) early this year, until I saw just how much cars have increased in price, supposedly due in the main, to a shortage of chips.......... no, not the ones you have salt and vinegar on......... but silicone chips.

 

I was expecting to pay something around £12 to 14 grand but they are priced around £18/19 grand instead.

 

I knew the timing belt was nearing being due mileage wise and also knew it was a bit overdue time wise............... but put it off until I realised just how overdue it was. Checking it's service history it was 14 years old.

I say was as it has been done today, along with the water pump, Oil and filter change and it's MOT.

 

Got an advisory on all of my brake discs being rusty last year but was advised that they would be fine once used regularly, which it has been.

I did put new front discs on though just in case. The Brembo replacements have been excellent.

Unfortunately they informed me that the rears do need replacing this year, along with one of the (aluminium housed / console) suspension bushes.

I'm sure the brakes look in better nick than they did last year, and they work very effectively, but hey ho............. no choice but get them replaced.

 

So, Instead of having a shiny new-ish motor sat on the driveway / or me driving it, it looks like I may have to live with this one for at least a bit longer and try to save up a bit more wedge.

I have had the Octavia for 11 years now. It has been pretty reliable (apart from the brakes seizing a few times) but just a bit noisy particularly being the PD.

 

Not looking forward to the bill tomorrow which I know lies somewhere between £1000 and £1100............. hence the 'Ouch', 

 

I suppose an extra £2 for every week that I have owned it is perhaps not too bad if you look at it that way., and at least it did not blow up on me (blow the engine)

 

It is now having a well earned rest, overnighting in the garage (Lol) hoping that they are doing the rest of the work (brakes, bushing and complete the MOT) tomorrow morning, and they will road test it too.

And I have asked them to save the old belt for me to have a look at. Very interested to see it's condition after 14 years and 70,000 miles of use.

I hope they do save it.

Edited 10 February, 20224 yr by Tilt

5k per uear is pretty low mileage too, so im guessing it wasnt ever really "stressed", but then you have the other argument of "not miles for a diesel" so its hard to know really

 

current used car market is a wreck. over here we have the new car issue, but also - the big B word and the new complications around importing 2nd hand vehicles from the UK. the prices are gone as is the duty and vrt etc so less people are doing it now, so theres less second hand stock available too further pushing up prices. 

i bought my 2013 mk2 octy in 2019. last approx valuation i got for it 6 wks ago online pegs as the same value i paid for it nearly 3yrs ago... great, except that means all the other stuff i couldnt afford then i still cant...

You have a 1.9 BKC engined Octy it will go on for miles. Hardly any depreciation at its age now. So yes you are seeing the £s being spent. The replacement would be losing about 1k a year in normal climates, current car prices aside. Should be a keeper.
My 1.9 2005 BKC on 255k. Best car I have owned for the money at 4 years old to me. Served me well. Rust is the only thing letting it down really had a motorway life in all weathers 

Where are you paying £1100 for timing belt, rear brakes and console bushes!!?? Sounds way too much to me. 

Edited 11 February, 20224 yr by Golf-Fiend

probably replacing the whole control arm with new console bushes? Still £1100 over that timeframe not really an issue.  Bites hard into the wallet at present though with other pressures.

9 hours ago, Golf-Fiend said:

Where are you paying £1100 for timing belt, rear brakes and console bushes!!?? Sounds way too much to me. 

 

Ended up at £998.14..... inc.

6 hours labour plus Timing belt Kit, Alternator belt, Water pump, Oil and Filter with sump bung and washer.

And Rear brake discs and pads and a Lower Arm Bush for / plus the MOT cost.

 

Yes, the brake discs are about 50% MORE than what I paid for my front Brembo pair from ECP just last year. If it wasn't so freakin cold I would have considered doing these myself and the oil and filter change.......... Too cold though.

So a little annoyed re the cost of the brakes especially as they braked very well as they were.

 

They won't allow you to supply your own parts anymore BUT they are a very reputable garage and I do trust them. 

And I would hate to think what a franchise garage would charge me for that work.

 

The Timing belt was actually in pretty good nick for 14 years keeping the car ticking over. It is a DSG which generally keeps the revs quite low most of the time. Anyways done now so it will give me some peace of mind and more time to try and save up a bit more dosh.

 

It has been a good car at £5500 in 2011 with £3000 off for my traded in Transporter it replaced for work use.. And they put a new DMF on it.

It is just a bit noisy for my liking now, but so easy to drive being the DSG. And it should still fetch a bit If I get around to swapping it. Good bodywork and everything works bar the A/C. Even the Sat Nav still works, for what that's worth, Lol.

 

Thanks for the input guys. 

 

 

14 year old timing belt !!! that was well past running on borrowed time !!! Any wonder it hadn't snapped! like tyres they deteriorate with age as well as wearing. I'd go and buy a lottery ticket and see if you've got any luck left? 😊

At 70K miles I reckon you would not have seen any deterioration whatsoever on close inspection.

 

Worth changing for the peace of mind though.