Polo Timing Belt Replacement

John.G

Was quoted €500 to replace above for a 1.0L 65Bhp Jan 2019 model, schedule is 5yrs/210,000kms. Quote is from Skoda main dealer in Cork, seems quite low even though water pump I think isn't driven off this belt?

colm_mcm

Skoda price usually includes new coolant, belt, tensioner and a water pump.

Pricing would normally be between €530-580 depending on where in the county you’d do it, so I’d clarify what exactly is being done.

John.G

Will do, will ring the main VW dealer later.

John.G

VW main dealer informed that they replace the belt, the tensioner and the water pump for €569, informed me that the T.belt is on the drivers side of the engine and the water pump is on the passenger side (which I can see), Still a bit skeptical as to why they would want to replace the pump which the T.belt apparently doesn't drive so in the event of (water pump) bearing failure it wont cause the T.belt to slip or even break.

As a asside, the timing belts, or at least the older ones, were very long lasting, I had a Formel E Golf for over 20 years from new and because it was a non interference engine I didn't change the belt until the water pump started leaking after ~ 12 years and 160,000 miles, there was no tensioner on these engines, the water pump was eccentrically mounted and you adjusted this to give the correct belt tension.

User1998

I believe those timing belts have no time limit in the UK and are just changed according to mileage, I think VW Ireland added the 5 year time limit?

What mileage are you at currently?

John.G

22,582KMS!!. I believe that up to 2019, the time limit was 4 years and is now 5, I would think most manufacturers have a time limit?.

User1998

Not really, timing belt intervals are getting much longer now. I think the timing belt on your car is considered a ‘lifetime timing belt’ in the UK.

You should research that a bit more tho before putting off doing it.

For example I found this on a UK forum:

John.G

One main dealer here say 15 years/300K Kms for the petrol engines so effectively a lifetime belt

User1998

I remember reading it was 210k miles in the UK so that would make sense

John.G

Only slight reservation I would have is that the water pump on the other side is driven off the camshaft so ultimately the pump is driven from the timing belt and if pump bearing failure then could lead to timing belt failure, unlikely but possible.