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Am I Being Ripped Off.

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Had a text from the garage where I bought my car from saying I need to change my cam belt because the car is 5 years old. It has only done 21k. When I phoned them they said it should be changed every 5 years. To do the job they want £489-00. I rang a local garage and they said they could do it but they have not got the special tool that is needed for a skoda. He said to buy this tool it would cost about 2k. Is this a rip off or not?

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In my experience all quotes from main dealers are rip offs. Ring round a few more.

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I’d start to think about it after 60,000 miles.

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The dealer told me it is because the rubber deteriorates after 5 years. I have had cars for over 60 years and never had a cam belt go, and some of them have been much older than 5 years.

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33 minutes ago, Jim Hardie said:

I’d start to think about it after 60,000 miles.

Don’t always go on miles as rubber degrades over time hence manufactures state x amount of miles or years which ever comes first 

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1 hour ago, Kidorry said:

Had a text from the garage where I bought my car from saying I need to change my cam belt because the car is 5 years old. It has only done 21k. When I phoned them they said it should be changed every 5 years. To do the job they want £489-00. I rang a local garage and they said they could do it but they have not got the special tool that is needed for a skoda. He said to buy this tool it would cost about 2k. Is this a rip off or not?

My mantra is 'if it ain't broke don't fix it.'

I know that may be wrong, but until I get some indication of a fault I leave well alone. (And I use the same local garage where I know I can trust them.) If they can't fix it, (which is rare,) they put me on to someone who can.

Edited by Anna B

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I think you can leave it a bit longer. I think at 8 years old I would start to worry that the original belt might be starting to age, even if it is likely to go on for a number of years after that point, there come a point where a failure is starting to get more likely. 

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5 years is commonly the manufacturers specified service interval, so they're not pulling your arm.  £500 is about right for the job, some places will do it abit cheaper if you shop around.

 

It's upto you if you get it done or not, but just be aware of a couple of things;

 

1. If that belt lets go the engine is done for, the repair bill will be massive.

2. When you come to sell the car any prospective buyer is going to want to see you've looked after it and serviced it correctly.  Ignoring the cam belt change isn't going to impress them.

 

Check your cars manual first though, it should list the service interval for these things.  Some newer cars can go much longer on a cambelt.

Edited by geared
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32 minutes ago, Anna B said:

My mantra is 'if it ain't broke don't fix it.'

I know that may be wrong, but until I get some indication of a fault I leave well alone. (And I use the same local garage where I know I can trust them.) If they can't fix it, (which is rare,) they put me on to someone who can.

I’d have to argue with you there ( not literally) the cost of changing a timing belt is a fraction  of cost if it does break in service unless the engine is a freewheeling type but they tend  to be older car engines.   Most are now interference type engines  and most belts give zero indication that they are about  to go 

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The dealer told me it is because the rubber deteriorates after 5 years. I have had cars for over 60 years and never had a cam belt go, and some of them have been much older than 5 years.

 

I think after all your inputs I will have it done but I will shop around a bit first. Thank you everyone.

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A breaking cambelt can completely destroy the engine. You really don't want this to happen while you're driving. Some cars have/had cam chains rather than belts which don't deteriorate like belts do, which might explain at least some of the "never did me any harm" comments.

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What model of Skoda do you have?

 

Just had the cam belt replaced on my 2017 Skoda Yeti. With the Yeti they do need replacing after 5 yrs, even if low mileage.

 

If your Skoda also has the water pump driven by the belt then it makes sense to have that changed too, it's only a £100 part, but if it fails it's big job stripping the engine to get to it, so makes sense to replace it when the cam belt is being done. I paid £650 at Skoda Rainsworth Sheffield for belt & water pump. I rang some independent garages and they were a similar price, so I let Skoda do it.

 

Edited by WarPig
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