Timing belt change on 2014 Passat TDI with 88,000 KM?

[Junie88]

Service tech at Local VW dealership advised on timing belt replacement as car is now 7+ yrs old and has almost 90,000 km on it.
Cost will be over $1.5K
Wife lost her job during Covid and money is tight right now
Can we put off for 6 mths and another 10,000 km?
Or do we change it now?
Thoughts?

Thank you!

 

[Windex]

Challenge with an overdue timing belt is that if it breaks, you will pay the cost of the belt change, plus an additional $2000 or so for a cylinder head replace/rebuild.

at 7 years old you are on borrowed time.

There are a number of non-dealer shops in the GTA who will change that belt properly for far less than you are being quoted.

Perjad at precision tuning (and his team) in Vaughan are stand-up and will likely give you a quote far less than $1500.

 

[Junie88]

Service tech at Local VW dealership advised on timing belt replacement as car is now 7+ yrs old and has almost 90,000 km on it.
Cost will be over $1.5K
Wife lost her job during Covid and money is tight right now
Can we put off for 6 mths and another 10,000 km?
Or do we change it now?
Thoughts?

Thank you!

Challenge with an overdue timing belt is that if it breaks, you will pay the cost of the belt change, plus an additional $2000 or so for a cylinder head replace/rebuild.

at 7 years old you are on borrowed time.

There are a number of non-dealer shops in the GTA who will change that belt properly for far less than you are being quoted.

Perjad at precision tuning (and his team) in Vaughan are stand-up and will likely give you a quote far less than $1500.

I will call them shortly. Thank you very much for your response.

 

[Lightflyer1]

I would say you can wait if you aren't having any issues such as water pump leaking or chirping or any other sounds from the belt area. Your choice though. The mantra has always been when in doubt, change it out (completely). But the newer cars can go a long way and yours isn't hardly there yet. Absent any other issues it should make it in your timeframe.

 

[ticaf]

Hold on...
Relax, timing belt interval is 210000km (130k miles). You will be fine waiting a few more years.

 

[Junie88]

Hold on...
Relax, timing belt interval is 210000km (130k miles). You will be fine waiting a few more years.

I asked the VW service advisor the exact same question….low mileage on the car so why the timing belt change?
He said even though the low kms it is due to the age of the car…..7+ yrs and the timing belt deteriorates over time….makes sense but is he being truthful or just wants my $$?

 

[Lightflyer1]

A little of both it seems. They do deteriorate but the belts have outlasted the other components usually. The belt usually isn't the problem it is the other components that usually call for the change. If they are okay the belt will more than likely hold. But do get it changed when you can. You also want a complete TB job when the time comes. The belt and everything it touches and any one time use bolts/items.

 

[turbobrick240]

They just want your money. Additionally, dealerships are notorious for doing poor work on timing belt jobs. Ask them to show you some official VW documentation regarding time interval for the timing belt. Hint- there isn't any. You could put it off for several more years without worry, imo.

 

[TurboABA]

I'd like to raise the BS flag on this time deterioration crap.... it's not like the car's been sitting in some field for 30 years....
Drive it for another 100k or do it after 60 more if you're buying the crap they are selling you.

 

[Windex]

Contrarian opinion here.

As a licensed tech (Ontario), I've changed more timing belts than I can count, and fixed the carnage resulting from broken belts a number of times.

I have seen belts break far more often due to time than mileage. Belts are better constructed these days compared to when I was wrenching full time.

7 years, millions of revolutions, and countless heat/cool cycles later, are any of the "it's a scam" folks in this thread going to cover the cost of your cylinder head and extra labour if the belt breaks?

 

[jetta 97]

Hold on...
Relax, timing belt interval is 210000km (130k miles). You will be fine waiting a few more years.

I'd like to raise the BS flag on this time deterioration crap.... it's not like the car's been sitting in some field for 30 years....
Drive it for another 100k or do it after 60 more if you're buying the crap they are selling you.

Are you going to pay for damage when t/belt brakes on this car?????

Every timing belt has time and miles ,All manufacturing recommend no more then 6 years regardless of miles . There is a member from Canada it happened to him at 95000 kilometers, and belt was 6 years old .

 

[TurboABA]

Are you going to pay for damage when t/belt brakes on this car?????

I'm sorry... I didn't realize he had brakes on his t/belt.... I'm not familiar with that setup, so it probably does need replacement!

Regardless, he asked for "thoughts"....... I have mine, you have yours!
If I was him, down to one income and struggling, I'd probably risk it and keep driving until things got better.

@ticaf wanna go splits?

 

[turbobrick240]

Might as well overhaul the entire engine while you're at it. Think of all the heat cycles and millions of explosions and such. Just kidding, save yourself some money and follow VW's prescribed interval.

 

[jetta 97]

I'm sorry... I didn't realize he had brakes on his t/belt.... I'm not familiar with that setup, so it probably does need replacement!

Regardless, he asked for "thoughts"....... I have mine, you have yours!
If I was him, down to one income and struggling, I'd probably risk it and keep driving until things got better.

@ticaf wanna go splits?

Here we go:

BEW guys, 80k means 80k! (Or 5 Years)

80k! Not 81k. 82k, OR 84k on your timing belts (where I am now) or you end up with stripped teeth, like me! I just ordered and took delivery of all my replacement TB stuff and cam stuff and tonight she lost power and died on the way home. I was scheduled to replace all the stuff next week. I...

forums.tdiclub.com