Cam belt change? Audi dealership.

[Brenhden]

My other half has a 12 plate Audi Q3 with a 140bhp TDI engine on about 40k miles. She had a letter through the other day from the dealership telling her it was time for a cambelt change. Surely they can last longer than that? I have the 180bhp version of that engine in my 14 plate Seat Leon and its done nearly 90k on the same cam belt.

Are they trying to fleece her?

[Cone]

Its done on age as well as miles. Find a good approved non audi dealer. Audi quoted me 400 quid for a 80000 mile service on my a4 11 plate. Had it done for 198.

[OnHellas]

Have you read the service schedule?
It could be that it's due to be changed due to time, not mileage.

It's not necessarily someone trying to rip you off, maybe they are a good dealership that are on top of things.

If they didn't tell you and it snapped.............

[92kk k100lt 193214]

Dealer is being proactive and helpful.

5 years is usually the time limit irrespective of mileage. Had lots of cam belt cars and the ex manage to wreck 2 engines due to not changing belts.

What is very important is that main dealer cam changes usually should include change of water pump and belt tensioners. Very few independents replace the water pump at the belt change and this reduces the cost significantly. Not all folk do these but water pump bearings can [will] break up before the next belt is due and to replace the water pump then means also a new belt job as well as the pump. Water pump failure will destroy the engine too as it knocks the belt off so never ignore a leak at the water pump. At 40k miles you might consider leaving the water pump but if it was mine I wouldn't. Have one of those engines here too!!

For first belt I would recommend use main dealer but try to negotiate a good deal for them to do the job at a quiet time. I had a belt fail on a car at 91k miles, was replaced at 5 years/72k by the main dealer. Engine wrecked, camshaft broken in three, head gone, pistons replaced too. All covered by the main dealer without any quibble at all.

[qcnr]

As several have said already, it is age OR mileage, which ever comes first.

[Brenhden]

Thanks all, we've had some pretty shoddy service form them thus far so I was expecting the worst.

Bren

[Cone]

Idf you've had shoddy service, just dont use them, there are plenty of non franchise dealers that will do a better job!

[Tramp]

Common.sence would say just phone another genuine audi dealer and ask what the service interval is for the car?....then ask another ...then tell the first what the others said lol...my wifes ford foucs is 125000 ml intervals and her car is 2013 redg ...done 90k now ..

[big al]

Funnily enough,I'm just doing one now. How weird is that.
This ones done 79thou and his time limit is four years, but his water pump sprung a leak last Friday.
Al

[Richard Simpson]

Common.sence would say just phone another genuine audi dealer and ask what the service interval is for the car?....then ask another ...then tell the first what the others said lol...my wifes ford foucs is 125000 ml intervals and her car is 2013 redg ...done 90k now ..

Whatever you do: don't exceed that limit.

On my petrol 1.6 Focus, when they changed mine at those miles it had gone so far the cams were slightly out of phase.

Some cars give their cam belts a harder time than others. I'd imagine if you had cam driven unit injectors then that would put more of a load on the belt, for instance.

Then there was the Italian habit of driving the power steering off the cam belt. Stop with the steering on full lock and the belt would be wrecked when you restarted. Never buy an Lancia.