Exactly. Shows it's just a con.

This is interesting and correlates with something mentioned on here about a Skoda Dealership saying the same, see post by andymod:

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/52122-timing-belt-change-interval/page/4/#elControls_5769794_menu

 

Edited 6 July, 20232 yr by Breezy_Pete
Sp

32 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

This is interesting and correlates with something mentioned on here about a Skoda Dealership saying the same, see post by andymod:

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/52122-timing-belt-change-interval/page/4/#elControls_5769794_menu

 

Sorry can't read that as restrictions to Freedom membership. Any chance of doing a quote?

Here.

 

Thanks I bet those paying for a new belt might be a bit miffed.

 

 

1 hour ago, toot said:

Here.

 

 

....... So what does 'Elsapro' say?  (And what is it?)

30 minutes ago, barcudcoch said:

 

....... So what does 'Elsapro' say?  (And what is it?)

A quick Google of Elsapro returns that it is the VW dealers portal.

7 minutes ago, Kenny R said:

A quick Google of Elsapro returns that it is the VW dealers portal.

Thanks @Kenny R.

 

Now if only someone could tell us what Elsapro said......

erWin Skoda will have the info in maintenance manuals for any given Skoda but these will be engine-specific, so not easy to generalise.

You can download info from there for a small fee.

Any way to get a set-in-stone confirmation of the new cambelt interval periods for each TDI and TSI engine?

 

I’m on a Karoq group on FB and someone went through the Skoda live chat to find out what the new interval is for the 1.5 TSI ACT and in the end the rep had to call the Technical team and got an official answer of “15 Years or 180,000 miles”.

 

It would be interesting to see what the new intervals are for the other engines (1.0 TSI, 1.6 TDI and 2.0 TDI) and to finally put this whole mystery to bed.

An 'Official Answer' from whom on the other end of a Chat. 

Talk to a UK Main dealership Workshop / Service Manager and get them to show you the Official documentation they have, or can get at their finger tips.

Those are people who,s job 5 1/2 days a week is about Servicing & Maintenance and repairs of Skoda / VW Group vehicles.  That and Up-selling.

 

210,000 km / 130,000 miles.

 

 

 

Edited 6 July, 20232 yr by toot

I thought Crasher ( local independant VAG specialist ) quoted the official information from erWin earlier , at least for the 1.5 ACT petrol engine, together with his recommendation

Quote

The EA211 Evo 1.5 ACT Self Study Program says the belt is maintenance free, if you put a Evo2 car into the Digital Service system there is no distance or time interval BUT I would say 100k miles or ten years.

 

So looking like it is nearer 210,000km (about 130,000 miles)

 

No specific time interval, but supposed to be inspected at major services for wear which will guide, and estimates seem to be 10-15 years, so let's use about 12 years as prediction

 

Slightly over double the old suggestion of 5 years or 60,000 miles

 

Which suggests realistically only really need to start worrying about the replacement cost at >8 years or >90,000 miles

 

 

 

On 04/07/2023 at 09:15, sid8055 said:

This has clarified things for me and I definitely wont be running off immediately to change my cam belt as I have just hit the 5 year mark. I understand there might be a risk involved with this and hopefully I am not the chosen one to be reporting of a cam belt failure on here

 

If you change your cambelt every 5 years, you are taking a risk that someone will fit a poor quality cambelt, or mess up the engine by doing the job incorrectly.

 

So even the cautious approach isn't risk free.

I’ve had confirmation from Skoda UK that the TDI (the 1.6 at least) has a belt change interval of 140,000 miles with no time limit, only mileage.

@Skyl1n3 That is 9,500 ish miles different from this shows.  (maybe a years mileage of a difference.)

 

Edited 7 July, 20232 yr by toot

Good to see some clear info up to MY20 but my Karoq is MY21.

Is there a difference? Has anybody got any documentation to confirm the correct regime my car?

2018 Octavia 1.5tsi act

Boy o boy, there's helpful and then there's this response from customner services.

 

 

9 minutes ago, Toothache said:

2018 Octavia 1.5tsi act

 

3 hours ago, Toothache said:

2018 Octavia 1.5tsi act

…What? This is getting ridiculous, there was supposed to have been an announcement fired off to all of the VAG dealerships July 1st so there should be a new set interval and now they’ve come back with this? I had already had it pretty much confirmed the 1.5 TSI ACT is 180,000 miles or 15 years.

 

Seems we’re no closer to getting a definitive answer as it seems to be anything plucked from thin air on the day…

Edited 7 July, 20232 yr by Skyl1n3

Daft question but has anything else on the service schedule been changed?  

@DSLI asked about the cambelt only. There was no mention of any other item's service interval.

 

@Skyl1n3I called them specifically on the back of your findings, and just wanted confirmation. I expected to be told X years or X miles, was not expecting "there isn't a recommendation"!

 

For the moment at least I'm not going with a five year or 50k change (at £1000 flipping bucks). So thank you guys on here for your input to this, saved me quite a bit of money for now at least.

 

I contacted them via their main number... https://www.skoda.co.uk/discover/contact-us

 

I'm hoping to hear other people have contacted Skoda and find out what they are told? Skoda's website still says 5years/50k, but I assume it will be changed soonish.

 

Thank you all, and @tootin particular , for all the info on here, saved me a lot of money in these expensive days. Top stuff everyone 

Not sure what it was before but now saying recommended at 5 years.  Not the definite “X” or “as required”.

 

 

I’ll prob wait until 50k miles, which with the miles I do will be at about 10 years.  Cynic in me wonders if it’s coz dealers are struggling for technicians and this is a way of freeing up capacity.

16 minutes ago, Toothache said:

@DSLI asked about the cambelt only. There was no mention of any other item's service interval.

 

@Skyl1n3I called them specifically on the back of your findings, and just wanted confirmation. I expected to be told X years or X miles, was not expecting "there isn't a recommendation"!

 

For the moment at least I'm not going with a five year or 50k change (at £1000 flipping bucks). So thank you guys on here for your input to this, saved me quite a bit of money for now at least.

 

I contacted them via their main number... https://www.skoda.co.uk/discover/contact-us

 

I'm hoping to hear other people have contacted Skoda and find out what they are told? Skoda's website still says 5years/50k, but I assume it will be changed soonish.

 

Thank you all, and @tootin particular , for all the info on here, saved me a lot of money in these expensive days. Top stuff everyone 

Yep officially it's moved to 10 yearly change intervals as from July 2023, what two dealers had informed me, anyway. Obviously if it were to snap after years Skoda would not compensate us within any way, which I was also informed by a Skoda dealer. Unless you had a Skoda extended warranty. So it's basically only a guidance, take from it what you like. 

Personally I won't be changing mine at year 5 (6 months time), as my car has only covered 28k so far from new, but I probably won't wait as long as 10.

It' worth shopping around when the time comes, as I've had one Skoda dealer quote me £579 all in to change it, also had £850, down from £1100, too. 

Edited 10 July, 20232 yr by Phoenixboy

We will hear eventually and head for thinking, feet for dancing.   It is not really all about a snapping cam belt.  We will find out at 8 years plus how the tensioner and bearings are doing.  They last a life time.  On a 1.5 TSI ACT we are yet to know how short that life might be.    VW are always backwards at coming forward.   Ps.  Some might need a replacement GPF before and issues with the timing.   Then there are cars at 5 years old now that could do with the spark plugs changed and certainly the Air filter at least looked at. 

Edited 10 July, 20232 yr by toot