Tdi timing belt costs with cylinder head removed

Scampbell

New member
Joined
Jul 8, 2018
Location
Blind river ontario
TDI
2011 jetta
Hello TDI members
Looking for input on my situation.
2011 jetta tdi
Located in Ontario Canada
At 186000 kms had #3 glow plug fault, local dealer went to remove it and broke it in head.
(I have extended warranty 200 000 kms)
They removed the head to extract glow plug (covered under warranty) I requested to replace timing belt, tensioner, pulleys and water pump while already in there. (Was hoping costs would be reduced because they obviously had to remove timing belt.)
I was charged just shy of 1500 dollars.

I'm a tradesman of auto, truck and coach and heavy equipment. I know my engines. It was more of a convenience thing for the dealer to do my timing belt while head was off, but 1500 dollars??:mad:
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
I would request the parts breakdown and see what they charged you exactly.
Then go from there.
Can't speak for your car but I know on the mkiv platforms parts are about $350.00 and about 500-700 in labor.
I do all my own work so can only guess on the labor from what others have experienced and based on my time.
 

jettawreck

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
Location
Northern Minnesota-55744
TDI
2001 Jetta and 2003 Jetta
Seems as the only additional parts would be the belt, rollers, waterpump and a few misc items. Labor to replace those items while they were fixing their screwup would/should be rather minimal. Especially with the extra downtime you had while they were performing the head removal/reinstall.
Get the detailed parts/labor invoice itemized and break it down with the service manager what really was the cost of installing anything not related to the head reinstallation in progress already.
Even in CA $$ that's very excessive.
 

Vince Waldon

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Location
Edmonton AB Canada
TDI
2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
Many shops use a standard labour rate book when writing up the bill... no credit for the timing belt change section if "stuff is already apart", just like no extra charges if something's rusted solid and takes longer than usual. Or at least that's how the system is supposed to work. :) :)

A polite call to the shop might clarify how the charges added up... and at that point one could pitch for "you already had it all apart" and see what happens?
 

Fahrvegnugen

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2017
Location
Burlington Vt
TDI
01 golf 1.9 alh gls silver
I priced wholesale parts cost for full timing belt kit on mkiv from dealer and it was around $1500 just for parts. Even if they do a great job, I'd consider it a reason to avoid the dealer, unless you're trying to get rid of money. I asked about rear axle bushings and discovered it costs $600 in labor, so I checked online and saw $50 bushings and a new $450 rear axle.
 

jettawreck

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
Location
Northern Minnesota-55744
TDI
2001 Jetta and 2003 Jetta
I priced wholesale parts cost for full timing belt kit on mkiv from dealer and it was around $1500 just for parts. Even if they do a great job, I'd consider it a reason to avoid the dealer, unless you're trying to get rid of money. I asked about rear axle bushings and discovered it costs $600 in labor, so I checked online and saw $50 bushings and a new $450 rear axle.
Wholesale?? From a dealer?
Full retail maybe.
 
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