Just rang up to get a service at my local skoda garage for my 04 Fabia VRS which has done 30,000 miles and they told me (without looking at the car) it would need a new cambelt and that the cost would total around 550 quid to service.

A- this seems a bit pricey

B- this seems way to early to change the cambelt.

What experiences has anyone else had?

A - Compare other garages prices. That's about the going ate for a cambelt change at a Skoda garage, but other garages can do it for £150-£200 less.

B - Nope, every 4 years or 60,000 miles. Mine's a 04' plate too, it's due next month :S

I was charged £450 for a big service with belt change.

IIRC I was quoted £300 for the belt done alone. That was at a Kia garage thats a Skoda Specialist.

I thought it was 80,000 or 100,000 for cam belt on the VRS as I've not had mine done yet and I'm near 70,000 miles and been serviced all through Skoda. I'm almost certain its 80,000 or more in my service book.

It used to be 80k / 4 years, but is now 60k / 4 years. IIRC, the 'published' reason is to rationalise service intervals across the different engines, but it's likely that a swathe of 'premature' failures and the resultant claims have caused a change of policy. You pays your money and takes your choice where servicing is concerned once the car's out of warranty!

I thought it was 80,000 or 100,000 for cam belt on the VRS as I've not had mine done yet and I'm near 70,000 miles and been serviced all through Skoda. I'm almost certain its 80,000 or more in my service book.

Nope, they revised all the mileage numbers down, just had mine done at 60k, dealers informed me as to the correct change time.

I'd get it done if I were you.

My 2004 Fabia vRS says 80k in the book but that was bafore they changed them all.

Ben

4th birthday means a cambelt change unfortunately. Ring round other places though, even different Skoda garages charge different prices and a decent independant specialist is just as good (if not better) for quite a bit less.

I did a bit of research recently for mine and found a huge difference in prices.

Good independent garages seem to charge around £300 for cambelt including parts. If you want to feel sorry for me ;-) We have a 2000 SDI and 2004 TDI and both were done in the last few months. Both at same local garage and no problems.

HTH support you in shopping about.

V

Just had my 40k service and asked the service manager if the cambelt was due on 60k. He said no.

I asked what mileage and he said that there was no given mileage but he reccomended that it be done on 80k :confused:

~I am sure last time I spoke him he said it was due on 60k or 4 years. Must have been telling me porkies 1 of the times.

Just had my 40k service and asked the service manager if the cambelt was due on 60k. He said no.

I asked what mileage and he said that there was no given mileage but he reccomended that it be done on 80k :confused:

~I am sure last time I spoke him he said it was due on 60k or 4 years. Must have been telling me porkies 1 of the times.

Don't listen to him, it's 4 years or 60k to be on the safe side.

Ben

Just had a quote for our 4 yr service @ 37,000 miles and its £296 service and brake fluid with an additional £309.05 for the cambelt that they confirm is due after a policy change last year.

Cheers

ACSC

Just been quoted £230 for the BIG service and £250 for the belt change from my Main Skoda Dealer:thumbup:

Capitol quoted me £250 for a cambelt

You pays your money and takes your choice where servicing is concerned once the car's out of warranty!

I don't mean to sound pedantic, but thanks to our European leaders in Brussels, car manufacturers are no longer able to stipulate that your warranty is invalidated unless you use their own dealers.

Tried and tested in a court of law! Hoo-ray!

But most people would want to see dealer stamps in a car still under warranty.

Thus rendering that pointless

But most people would want to see dealer stamps in a car still under warranty.

Thus rendering that pointless

or a well known specialist eg jabba or awesome:D

What mileage/age has anyone left changing the cam belt on their vrs till? i think at 30,000 miles even if the car is 4 years old changing it sounds ridiculous, I think i'm going to opt to have the big 4 year service as recommended but leave the cambelt until next year by which time i may just have made the mileage up to 40,000 or may have part-ex'd the car in for a new one so then the garage can have the joy of changing the belt.

But to be honest, most people on the street don't know who the f*ck these companies are.

I would buy a car with Jabba or Aweomse SH, but your average Joe would want only Skoda. I wouldn't buy a car with normal garage service history, either.

What mileage/age has anyone left changing the cam belt on their vrs till? i think at 30,000 miles even if the car is 4 years old changing it sounds ridiculous, I think i'm going to opt to have the big 4 year service as recommended but leave the cambelt until next year by which time i may just have made the mileage up to 40,000 or may have part-ex'd the car in for a new one so then the garage can have the joy of changing the belt.

I changed a 40k belt the other day that was four years old on a Polo and it id substantial cracks all around it on the smooth edge of the belt. Time effects them as much as mileage.

this is true

this is true

This is very true, my belt after 47k and 3 years was showing signs of aging :eek: Its the state of the water pump that shocked me tho

But most people would want to see dealer stamps in a car still under warranty. /quote]

By all means feel free to pay the rip-off dealer charges, as opposed to a specialist non-franchised dealer.

It's a free country after all.

But most people would want to see dealer stamps in a car still under warranty. /quote]

By all means feel free to pay the rip-off dealer charges' date=' as opposed to a specialist non-franchised dealer.[/b']

It's a free country after all.

he wasn't actually saying he would pay dealer pricing,if you actually read the posts you would avoid looking like a tw4t;)

A service is only as good as the technicians that do it. People are conditioned into thinking that dealer servicing is the ultimate standard - it must be!, because it costs more than the others, and things that cost more are better.

The problem with dealers is that they have to load their workshops quite heavily to make them pay, the manufacturers want their cars to appear relatively inexpensive to service, and the technicians want to earn their bonus. What this means is that if the brakes can be looked at without removing the wheels - they will, they won't care if the wheel is seized onto the hub so it cannot be removed at the side of the road.

I have seen the results of dealer services - wheels seized to hubs, pattern air filter fitted, wiper blades attached upside down, wrong part number oil filters fitted, plastic oil filter housings bent.

When comparing quotes, you want to compare like for like, are the £250 quotes just for the belt? and the more expensive ones for a belt kit, water pump and coolant change?

Specialist every day for me and car is still in warranty. I would prefer to make a 4 hour round trip to Jabba knowing that I get friendly people, experts, and free WiFi!