Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them

Expensive VW service WTF !!

frank rabbets

Well-Known Member
Guru
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Messages
5,509
I thought the mood was that cars were being designed for cheaper and less frequent services. Obviously not because I've had the following quote for my little economical 1.4l petrol golf. It's a 4 year service and the car has done 19,000 miles.

£329. Oil change, plugs + filters.
£64. Brake fluid change.
£499. Cambelt change (£449 without water pump).
£79. Air con service.

That's £971 !!

Well I've done everything apart from Cam belt change with VW parts and the cost was £90.

I'm just about to do the Cam belt change but last time I did this on an unfamiliar engine the sprockets spun around like Katherine wheels when I slid the belt off.

It's the 4 cylinder 1.4 Tsi 122 engine if by chance someone has a link.

The local VW service dealer insists the engine has a chain cam drive. Well it must have both because I've seen the belt. !!.
 
VW must need the money, poor things!
 
Just done a bit of googling and it looks like the TSi 122 has a belt and there's a TSi 170 version that has a chain. Why did they quote you for a belt change if it has a chain? Maybe the local dealer is getting the two mixed up. Can't see it having both!

As fares changing a belt goes I've also has the pulleys move due to valve spring tension when the belt is removed. No big deal really, just realign them with the new belt.

 
Frank if it is a belt you could slit the belt in half all the way round the belt remove the outer half to keep the timing true like Fuzz Townsend does on his garage show then slip on the new belt and then cut the old belt off and then push the new belt fully on all without having to buy special tools and main dealer prices hope this helps
 
Thanks JB that's a good idea

TP I was joking about having both belt and chain. VW's senior mechanic had a look at my engine to see whether it has belt or chain and he said "chain". I also asked where the water pump was and he pointed to a little housing over the gearbox on the other side of the engine which he suspected was driven by "an internal belt not serviceable". Well both stories are total bullshit. There is and external belt which also drives the water pump in the traditional manner.
 
I can look it up on autodata later if you like, just need 3 letter engine code and year. Sometimes on newer engines there are no woodruff keys to the pulleys (ford zetec), or there are alignment bolts to move on the cams (VW diesels), or there may be no match marks, so be careful taking the belt off with no locking pins in! I have been caught out a couple of times.
Often you can use drill bits as pins.
 
Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them
https://blog.caranddriver.com/we-sa...gens-next-global-four-cylinder-engine-series/

TP I think the spinning wheel were caused by the variable valve timing springs. It was some type of Renault engine. Fortunately my Brother knew how to resolve the situation over the telephone but it involved turning the crank in to a position whereby the pistons were out of the way, turning cams to correct position, then making and installing a crank stopper through the side of the block, turning the crank to locked position and sliding the belt on.

According the above link the belt should last the life of the car. What to do?
 
TBH don't think I would change the belt at under 20k
 
£971 Breakdown

£11 for parts made in China

£10 for the UK mechanic

£470 for German paperwork to go with the parts

£480 EU admin fee

Its the only way to save the planet dont cha know :icon-rolleyes:
 
Well I've just phoned them to query and guess what? They have just had an "update" it's 5 years or 140,000 miles whichever comes first.
 
https://blog.caranddriver.com/we-sa...gens-next-global-four-cylinder-engine-series/

TP I think the spinning wheel were caused by the variable valve timing springs. It was some type of Renault engine. Fortunately my Brother knew how to resolve the situation over the telephone but it involved turning the crank in to a position whereby the pistons were out of the way, turning cams to correct position, then making and installing a crank stopper through the side of the block, turning the crank to locked position and sliding the belt on.

According the above link the belt should last the life of the car. What to do?

I changed a belt years ago on a Suzuki SJ engine and the cam pulley spun backwards when the belt was removed. Just turned the pulley forward to line up the timing marks when fitting the new belt and all was good. Quite a simple engine though with no VVT etc to worry about.

They mention the life of the VW engine of "at least 100k miles". Great. An 80 series is just going through puberty at that mileage.
 
Richard. Thanks for the offer. Engine details are as follows.

6 Jan 2014. 1.4 petrol TSi 122 ps. CXSA.

Thanks.
 
Unfortunately, my copy of autodata doesn't list any technical data for the Golf mk7. It looks like the mk6 Golf 1.4 tsi has a cam chain though, but the engine has been redesigned to use a belt for the Mk7. So no luck on the autodata, sorry!

Found this bit about the servicing, seems they charge the same price for any cam belt on any vw engine, seems a funny way to operate!

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/...ng?&mkwid=sJtkDfzK7_pcrid_201233201658_pkw_vw service cost_pmt_e_pdv_c_slid_DEpVJqKc_pgrid_39061886370_ptaid_aud-384726207817:kwd-311111891911_&tc=sem-
 
Last edited:
https://blog.caranddriver.com/we-sa...gens-next-global-four-cylinder-engine-series/

TP I think the spinning wheel were caused by the variable valve timing springs. It was some type of Renault engine. Fortunately my Brother knew how to resolve the situation over the telephone but it involved turning the crank in to a position whereby the pistons were out of the way, turning cams to correct position, then making and installing a crank stopper through the side of the block, turning the crank to locked position and sliding the belt on.

According the above link the belt should last the life of the car. What to do?
what to do? sell the god forsaken thing and spend the money on diesel for the 80..
 
To be fair it's one of the best cars I've had. Eerily silent tickover at the lights and I have to check the rev counter. Unstallable engine and instant response from the turbo. Very low down pulling power like a V8. Front anti collision radar putting the brakes on before you get to the accident. Parking sensor display. No rattles whatsoever.

£45 for the workshop manual will mean the most expensive CD I've ever bought.
 
Back
Top