Cost of cambelt change

[Gru]

Hi all

I've owned a 2018 Octavia 1.5tsi DSG estate for nearly a year now and it's a great car. 

 

It is due it's 4th year service and I've decided to go with the Skoda £32 per month all-in 2-year service plan as it seems good value.

 

As I was chatting to the service guy, I enquired about the cambelt. He said this is changed at year 5, but what was shocking is the price quoted was Just shy of £1000..! 

 

I was expecting about half that cost, so is this just inflated main dealer labour costs or is it genuinely that complicated?

 

Any advice gratefully appreciated 

[Ootohere]

A ridiculous price.  Like the service plan considering what it involves.  But warranty and road side assistance maybe make it value for money. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Warrior193]

Hi Gru, welcome to the forum. I think you should get a quote from a few other places!  I had my cam and auxiliary belt changed during a service in November 2021 - cost was £436.66 for parts and labour. This was at a large independent. The cambelt kit (including tensioner) was £98.42. 

[Gru]

Thanks Warrior193, that is really helpful and I will shop around when the time comes.

 

[Gru]

Thanks roottoot, the all-in plan covers 2 years of MOT, extended service (incl spark plugs), warranty and breakdown cover.

 

I checked some prices with local independent specialists and they were quoting £220 plus additional £120 for.tge plugs and £45 for MOT. So the all-in plan seems good value in comparison 

[Ootohere]

Spark plugs every 4 years or 40,000 miles if done.  Usual fixed price £120 which is crazy.  No DQ200 DSG to service. £215 not necessary to spend or have done.  Brake fluid at 3 years then each 2 £65 a time.  Pollen filter each 2 years. £35 rip off price . Over priced air filter maybe at 6 years / 60,000 miles. These were a rip off £45. They might need changed more often and bought at a sensible price.   If you believe Skoda Serviced desk staff AC due even on a 2 year old car and each 2 years.   If stuff actually is being serviced and replaced as per Schedule or Guidelines or even recommendations then good 

Edited 15 July, 2022 by roottoot

[Vahids]

Last year I changed my car (1.4 TSI) cambelt for £500 at Bristol Heritage ŠKODA.

[Gru]

That's interesting because Heritage Skoda in Bristol is who I called, and the service guy said the 1.5tsi was different and it was allocated 6½ hours of labour time for a cambelt and then parts.

[MarkyG82]

I didn't think the 1.5 was that much different to the 1.4. What are people using as the interval? Mrs G's arona will need doing but it's only on a little over 20k so trying to find the most economical answer. My GTE will need doing too but that's a different subject.

[gav_is_con]

There is a menu price on cambelt and it’s way cheaper than a 2lt diesel with water pump at £600 at Skoda. Call a few more dealers and ask with your registration. 

[threadbear]

Paid £600 for a cambelt and water pump last September and noticed the other day on Skoda website that the menu price is now £749! 

[PetrolDave]

15 hours ago, Vahids said:

Last year I changed my car (1.4 TSI) cambelt for £500 at Bristol Heritage ŠKODA.

Marshall Skoda in Barnstaple charged me just shy of £600 for a cambelt change and intermediate service on a 1.4TSI in 2020.

 

On the Octavia 3 the 1.4TSI is basically the same engine as the 1.5TSI but the 1.5 has the addition of ACT.

Edited 16 July, 2022 by PetrolDave

[Gru]

Thanks all for the responses, it's much appreciated. 

 

It seems that prices have gone up and I will deffo have to shop around next year before I get it changed. 

[rumburake]

It's Jan 2023 now and the Cambelt Change is £950 if you check on Skoda's website for service! Looking on a random independent website, it not much cheaper at £700.

My engine is 1.5 TSi ACT, 150PS, I also have DSG if that matters at all.

 

When I got the car in 2021, I asked for a scheduled maintenance list... the Cambelt Change was listed at every 5 years, no mileage, RRP £1150... I thought surely it was a typo and ignored it.

I had a Diesel Octavia, 2.0TDi PD, 140PS, that was around £350-£500 to replace with water pump altogether, at Skoda!

 

So my car is turning 5 soon, I wonder what to do, if I should skip the cambelt, try an independent, try to find a Skoda dealer that would do it cheaper?... I mean £1000 why so expensive? what makes this model special compared to others?

[Ootohere]

People can forget about comparing a 1.4 or a 1.5 TSI with the cost of doing a 1.5TSI ACT. 

Even with a 1.0TSI by some main dealers or others.

 

So the issue is also not only more work, but them not knowing how much extra to charge. Pick a price, any price.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/507544-cam-belt-for-15-tsi-in-east-kent

 

Plenty have a shock coming if going by Skoda / VW Guidance, recommendations or even their published schedule.

Edited 24 January, 2023 by toot

[rumburake]

Thanks @toot spot on!

Looks like all these new ACT engines just tuned 5 years old and no one knows how to change the cambelts on them 🤦‍♂️

Maybe I should delay the Cambelt Change, I only have about 25k miles in total anyway... Maybe by next year all dealers will know what they're doing!

 

[Ootohere]

So true. 

Edited 23 January, 2023 by toot

[classic]

44 minutes ago, rumburake said:

Thanks @toot spot on!

Looks like all these new ACT engines just tuned 5 years old and no one knows how to change the cambelts on them 🤦‍♂️

Maybe I should delay the Cambelt Change, I only have about 25k miles in total anyway... Maybe by next year all dealers will know what they're doing!

 

The dreaded cam belt debate goes in circles unfortunately. At 25 k miles, I don’t think I would be rushing to get it done (see several previous threads to not give you a definitive answer…..).

For what it’s worth price wise my local VW specialist charges £529 inc vat for the 1.5 tsi timing belt.
https://lvsag.co.uk/services/service-repair/

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4232836423435450&set=pcb.4232844713434621

Edited 23 January, 2023 by classic

[Ootohere]

Much cheapness then if it is for a 1.5 TSI ACT. 

[classic]

Either way, £1000 is too much.

[Phoenixboy]

I own an 2019, 1.5t dsg. I'll be taking mine to a trusted independent garage to have my cam belt replaced when the time comes. I've owned my car for 6 months now & took a years extended warranty out on it when I bought it, but at least it'll be out of warranty when the time comes to change the cam belt kit, so I can use my own garage of choice. I've also dropped my oil changes to yearly, instead of the extended service intervals it was on, prior to me buying it. 

[rumburake]

This appears to be the tool for tuning the angles on both ACT and non-ACT engines: https://vw.snapon.com/FileServerRoot/CatManFiles/FilesPublished/EQS/VWTools/Brochures/VAS611007_User_Manual_VAS611007_US.pdf

There are some differences in connecting to the engine (section 4.2.1 and 4.2.2).

But a glance at the service manuals for the two engines wasn't that different, and the angles had a tolerance of +/- 1.5 degrees in both cases.

 

Then I looked up my old Diesel Mk2, the price shown by Skoda for cambelt was £970 or £1100 with water pump. I swear I changed it at least twice for less than £500!

 

Then... I looked up a random Golf with the 1.5 TSi EVO engine - and booking from VW was showing £670 for the cambelt.

 

Sorry if any of this is rubbish, I'm not a mechanic. But please have a look and comment!

[Ootohere]

Here, more prices, including a member getting told eventually £1,300. That is the OP.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/510175-karoq-cam-belt-change-start-saving-now

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/510188-question-re-cambelt-vw-t-roc

 

[rumburake]

I've been on the phone with a Skoda dealer, I have scheduled service and MOT coming up anyway.

 

I asked about the Cambelt, first they said it's coming up at 5 years/no mileage, but then, when I asked for a quote, they checked with the service came back that the Cambelt doesn't need to be changed on schedule, they said "it's for life"!

I'm not sure in this case why some say 5 years and some say don't change. How would you know if it's about to snap?! I mean, nothing lasts forever, or does it?

 

For what is worth, my engine code is DADA and I have a 7-speed DSG (gearbox also without oil change on schedule!).

 

[varooom]

15 minutes ago, rumburake said:

I asked about the Cambelt, first they said it's coming up at 5 years/no mileage, but then, when I asked for a quote, they checked with the service came back that the Cambelt doesn't need to be changed on schedule, they said "it's for life"!

The debate will always rage on, for a "dust rich Country" there is only a distance requirement of 120,000km, for UK this means it doesn't need changing.  Skoda UK will tell you do it at 5 years to cover themselves, but if you prefer to play it safe, do it at 120,000km or inspect it.