Cambelt - Use Genuine?

[morgan349]

Getting quotes for cambelt on my octy and quotes obviously vary between using a main Skoda dealer and a specialist.

I've found that for cambelt & waterpump to difference can be up to

[ap0gee1978]

If they're made by the same supplier, I wouldn't worry personally. I've been happy non-OEM supplier parts in the past as well as OEM supplier parts like the cambelt you mention, but I'd never get them for anything with any safety or reliability significance... IIRC, the specialist where I used to get my car done had a big book of approved parts for VAG cars - I've never looked in it, but there's an implication there that the parts are suitable and of comparable quality even if they've not got a VAG logo on...

[TeflonTom]

vw use belts which are manufactured by Gates Auomaster. you can normally buy these from any decent motor factors (same belts but without vw part number on it) at about half the price

[Blanes]

WARNING!

I had a Cambelt fitted at 55K and it went at 76k - not a genuine skoda one - and a costly exercise as the garage (local) were not in businesa anymore so I couldnt sue their arses!

My advice - go to a main dealer where the work will be guaranteed - Just my personal experience and I bet loads of you out there have got non genuine skoda belts that have gone on for miles with no probs

[cheezemonkhai]

I think what you have to be very careful of is that whoever fits it, fits the whole kit including tensioners and not just the belt.

I think this will be where blanes problem comes from as a belt coming off almost certainly means it either snapped or lost tension.

I would say the GSF parts made by the same people as VAGs as a full kit inc tensioners, and a new water pump while you are at it would be fine.

I would probably use a decent local indy.

When I was looking at it for my car JKM were quoting a smidge over

[DGW]

The advantages of having the work done by a Skoda dealer are that all work carried out is warranted against faulty workmanship for a period of 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first, plus all genuine parts used have a 12-month warranty from date of installation or sale.

[KenONeill]

As a general point, IME GSF (when they supply exactly what you ordered) generally supply OEM parts in boxes whch say rather than .

[f1btn]

i'd go genuine cam belt gsf water pump (as they have a metal impeller) thats what we did with the octy! no problems yet!

[dnphillips]

Thats what I am doing, gsf water pump, genuine belt, fitted at local independent.

[Wayne Kerr]

Mines booked in tomorrow.

Skoda Motoline -

[Hoddhead]

I think what you have to be very careful of is that whoever fits it, fits the whole kit including tensioners and not just the belt.

I think this will be where blanes problem comes from as a belt coming off almost certainly means it either snapped or lost tension.

Agree entirely. I got mine done at a local independent..12000 miles later the tensioner gave up..of course they hadn't changed it. To be fair I hadn't known that it needed to be done...if only I'd found Briskoda before then I'd be

[Wayne Kerr]

The advantages of having the work done by a Skoda dealer are that all work carried out is warranted against faulty workmanship for a period of 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first, plus all genuine parts used have a 12-month warranty from date of installation or sale.

DGW has it in a nut-shell.

[Blanes]

[Wayne Kerr]

Life is Crape at times mate, :thumbdwn: This site may well serve others ,,,, if only they look & learn.

[TeflonTom]

but somehow it came loose and came off -

might not have been caused by the belt.... could be that a tensioner wasn't done up tight, or a loose cam/crank sprocket...

it's really annoying tho:O

[ap0gee1978]

DGW has it in a nut-shell.

Yes, but "genuine parts" means the plastic water pump impeller. Having seen the state of one that was removed (in several pieces), as someone posted on here recently, there are benefits of having it done at an independent (but one that knows what they're doing!) who'll fit the non-standard metal impeller...

You pays your money and takes your choice... :rubchin:

[iain]

I know a few years ago on VW engines that there was so little difference in cost on the genuine and non that it was worth buying the puker one for the markings on the cambelt. not sure if it is still the same now

[cheezemonkhai]

You might be able to go to a breakers and get a second hand engine for a lot less money than that.

[Wayne Kerr]

Got my water pump from GSF (

[fartoomanydrugs]

I know a few years ago on VW engines that there was so little difference in cost on the genuine and non that it was worth buying the puker one for the markings on the cambelt. not sure if it is still the same now

No, it most certainly isn't!

[Wayne Kerr]

No, it most certainly isn't!

Had a bad 'trip' then I guess.