Cambelt Replacement

[calicasas]

I changed the belt and pump on my T5.1 transporter last year at 4 years old, I was over the mileage though at approx 55000.
Cost was 300+vat so if you've been quoted 500+ you're being overcharged.

Sent from my Galaxy S6

Yep, was quoted £516 for belt and pump. They seem to charge more for a Cali than for a Transporter... I feel liked I'm being ripped off...

 

[Meoncoast]

was quoted £516 for belt and pump. They seem to charge more for a Cali than for a Transporter... I feel liked I'm being ripped off...

As far as I can see VW fixed price for belt and pump is £430 (+vat) = £516 on t5 so no Cali hike.
SMG was active & helpful on the forum until their service manager left. Very rare for any post from them now. I get a far better service in my view from my local dealership + I would not now driven the hour to get to them.

 

[calicasas]

As far as I can see VW fixed price for belt and pump is £430 (+vat) = £516 on t5 so no Cali hike.
SMG was active & helpful on the forum until their service manager left. Very rare for any post from them now. I get a far better service in my view from my local dealership so I would not now griven the hour to get to them.

Only mentioned because Freeley said in an earlier thread that he had been quoted pump and belt £300+vat for T 5.1 Transporter..

 

[ArunAlec]

As far as I can see VW fixed price for belt and pump is £430 (+vat) = £516 on t5 so no Cali hike.
SMG was active & helpful on the forum until their service manager left. Very rare for any post from them now. I get a far better service in my view from my local dealership so I would not now griven the hour to get to them.

Would I be correct to assume you use Breeze at Totton?

 

[Meoncoast]

Would I be correct to assume you use Breeze at Totton?

Yes - I am happy with the service I have had from them always helpful and build a good rapport with them when I had a major issue withthe bed being stuck down.

 

[Martin]

Are you sure you called SMG Cowfold?

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[DavidofHook]

Ok, called SMG today and was quoted £516 for cambelt and water pump this includes discount! Some 20% off labour and 10% off parts I think they said.
The point is there was absolutely no discount for being part of this forum.
When I asked about forum member discount, they said they didn't know as quote "they never read the forum".
I Got exactly the same quote form Colbournes in Guildford today.... Bet they don't read the forum either.
Considering my options including possibly getting this work done in Spain this summer as I have been quoted €390 (inc. vat) (approx £330) from VW commercial dealership... Mmm......
Oh, final note to SMG: I'm not a happy customer....

Hello Calics, sorry to hear of your experience. What i didn't mention is that when I spoke to SMG about the cam belt I also asked for a quote for an annual service, which they gave me. When I went to my local dealer he checked the computer and said that as I was on a 2 year service regimeI didn't need a service, Immediately say ing me £130( + VAT too I think) Disappointing that SMG didn't point this out.
Strange that they say they don't read the Forum when their letters to me have CaliVIP after my name on the envelope.
Regarding Spain we used to camp over there for 3 and 4 months at a time and I had a dent removed from my car and resprayed, a lovely job and very cheap. I also had some warranty work done on my old T4 again very good. Also my Galaxy serviced in France where were very careful that they did it properly

 

[calicasas]

Hello Calics, sorry to hear of your experience. What i didn't mention is that when I spoke to SMG about the cam belt I also asked for a quote for an annual service, which they gave me. When I went to my local dealer he checked the computer and said that as I was on a 2 year service regimeI didn't need a service, Immediately say ing me £130( + VAT too I think) Disappointing that SMG didn't point this out.
Strange that they say they don't read the Forum when their letters to me have CaliVIP after my name on the envelope.
Regarding Spain we used to camp over there for 3 and 4 months at a time and I had a dent removed from my car and resprayed, a lovely job and very cheap. I also had some warranty work done on my old T4 again very good. Also my Galaxy serviced in France where were very careful that they did it properly

Hi David, thank you for clarifying - didn't want it to sound like a rant, just wanted to be treated a little more fairly, like most of us do I guess.
We are over in Spain for one month this summer, so we should have time to arrange the cambelt change then...

 

[calicasas]

Are you sure you called SMG Cowfold?

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If you are asking me? Yes, it was SMG Cowfold, I have my Cali booked in for an MOT, so thought I would ask about a cambelt change. The service was better before when the previous SMG service manager was more actively involved in the forum... That's not to say that SMG Cowfold are bad, but just very average, and belonging to this forum doesn't give you any discount and if it does it's no different to any other VW dealership (just my experience).
I have been to them with two other problems (out of warranty) in the past and they were not really interested. I since resolved them myself. It's in the small details where very good service counts - listen this is just my experience, may not have been the same for others...

 

[AlanC]

There are certain things that the VW dealers all charge the same for, presumably dictated by VWUK. One of these is the Cambelt change and another common one is a service. It is unlikely that you would get any further discount on the listed fixed price items, however anything else the dealer does off their own bat, may well be discountable, such as accessories, tyres or none fixed price work.

I was lucky with my cambelt change as there was a VWUK discount offer available in December across all of the dealers, but a lack of water pumps. So having booked in December, Breeze Totton honoured the deal and the job was finally done in February at the December price, when water pumps became available again.

Alan

 

[Freeley]

Only mentioned because Freeley said in an earlier thread that he had been quoted pump and belt £300+vat for T 5.1 Transporter..

That was from my independent. VW flyer was 360+vat I think. Not sure where the 430+vat comes from?

Sent from my Galaxy S6

 

[TigerSki]

We had our cambelt and water pump changed with SMG Cowfold two weeks ago (our van is 4.5 years old, 14000 miles). We had 10% discount being a VIP member and paid £419. SMG Cowfold collected from our van from London and returned it the next day. We had very good service from them, very polite and helpful.

 

[Meoncoast]

Not sure where the 430+vat comes from?

VW website fixed price service

 

[calicasas]

We had our cambelt and water pump changed with SMG Cowfold two weeks ago (our van is 4.5 years old, 14000 miles). We had 10% discount being a VIP member and paid £419. SMG Cowfold collected from our van from London and returned it the next day. We had very good service from them, very polite and helpful.

Wow, there seems to be a difference in prices! Is the £419 inc. VAT? So I only called a week or so after you and was quoted £100 more... (Inc vat price..). If I were to get this done in the UK, I would wait for a deal to come around - I would say that I don't get any of these offers on flyers etc.. Despite the fact I take my Cali for MOTs and servicing to SMG. Certainly never get offered to pick up vehicle, maybe they think they will get my business as I live only 15 mins drive away..

 

[Martin]

Shop around, when I had mine replaced I phoned four dealers and all gave a different price, from memory I saved around £140 and only had to drive an extra 30 miles so was worth it.


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[calicasas]

Shop around, when I had mine replaced I phoned four dealers and all gave a different price, from memory I saved around £140 and only had to drive an extra 30 miles so was worth it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Sound advice. I have only checked with two dealers so far...

 

[viking]

If you are asking me? Yes, it was SMG Cowfold, I have my Cali booked in for an MOT, so thought I would ask about a cambelt change. The service was better before when the previous SMG service manager was more actively involved in the forum... That's not to say that SMG Cowfold are bad, but just very average, and belonging to this forum doesn't give you any discount and if it does it's no different to any other VW dealership (just my experience).
I have been to them with two other problems (out of warranty) in the past and they were not really interested. I since resolved them myself. It's in the small details where very good service counts - listen this is just my experience, may not have been the same for others...

Considering SMG Cowfold is the VWCalifornia Club Forum's Official Sponsor and are at the header of every page of this forum, they seem to be getting a considerable amount of bad press here of late. Something wrong somewhere ?

 

[Bill]

Cali handbook is unhelpful as it only specifies a mileage and not a time limit. VW UK dealers appear to be advising 4 years which in many cases will be before the mileage limit is reached (often well before it is reached). Is this an income generating ploy or do they have evidence to support their recommendation? I've decided not to take the risk and have changed the belt and water pump at 4 years and 48,000 miles even though the mileage limit is well below the handbook recommendation. However this means replacing the belt twice rather than once within the recommended mileage limit - expensive. But not as expensive as a damaged engine!

 

[T6 CFO]

I just had mine done on my Touran prior to giving it to one of my lads. They have a fixed price and my normal mechanic was quite happy to let them do it. Was £459 with water pump I think.


Mike

 

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

Sheffield dealership just advised me 4 years or 120k km. I'm going to get mine done just before the summer tour, as it will line up nicely with the 2nd service, at approximately 46k miles and 4 years.

 

[Paul Lavery]

Ok, called SMG today and was quoted £516 for cambelt and water pump this includes discount! Some 20% off labour and 10% off parts I think they said.
The point is there was absolutely no discount for being part of this forum.
When I asked about forum member discount, they said they didn't know as quote "they never read the forum".
I Got exactly the same quote form Colbournes in Guildford today.... Bet they don't read the forum either.
Considering my options including possibly getting this work done in Spain this summer as I have been quoted €390 (inc. vat) (approx £330) from VW commercial dealership... Mmm......
Oh, final note to SMG: I'm not a happy customer....

Be careful with Guildford Van Centre, I booked mine in for its 2nd Longlife service (48K) when i booked it in was told they would text me with a fixed price, got a text confirming booking & quote of £570 inc for service !! I got onto their website & they were quoting £370 inc !! As you can imagine i was none too happy, spoke to them on the phone & after a wait of about 10 mins was told how sorry they were for over quoting !! & a month later I'm still waiting for them to arrange repairing the 2 small dents that appeared in my drivers door whilst in their care !! I'll be looking for alternatives for my cambelt when its due later this year.

 

[patnolan]

The cambelt replacement schedule Is a joke. I booked a Longlife service and MOT at SMG and was told that the cambelt is due to be changed because it's 4 years old (2012 Beach 25k mileage)
I'm nowhere near the handbook recommended mileage and can't figure out who is right.
Citygate VW says it's not due till 5 years old. Phoned VW head office and they said they would phone back and confirm but I haven't heard from them yet.
Does anyone know when the belts are replaced by VW in Germany?

 

[Kmann]

I just googled an article from the Danish Automobile Association (FDM). In 2011 they wrote that the Danish importer of VW changed the country specific recommendation in 2008 from 4 to 5 years. But in 2011 they removed the recommendation on all cars. The reason they made a rule in the first place, was they had some cam belt to snap early, because of wear and tear, as a result of the nordic climate. Maybe that is the case in the UK as well?

Anyway, now the recommend owners to follow the service stated in the service books. Tada! The servicebook (mine at least), does not say anything about interval. So back to square one.

Search thru the Danish foras does not give a clear answer. Anything between 4-5 year and 90-150.000 km.

VW is going to fix my roof, they ruined it while preparing the car after i bought it (different story). But I am going to VW tomorrow anyway, so I will ask for price and their recommendations.

 

[Paul Lavery]

Got quoted £510 inc VAT for water pump & belt from Martins in Basing, I tried an independent in Guildford & they wanted £560 inc ??

 

[Kmann]

Just came back form VW in Hillerød (Denmark), and they confirmed that the 2.0 TDI engine must have the cam belt changed at 210.000 km (!). And there are NO time limitations.

That is if you drive under normal conditions, and follow VW Service Recommendations. It is NOT necessary to replace before – it will be a waste of money. They sometimes meet customers, that was told to change earlier – especially from unauthorized mechanics.

But be aware to change earlier (160.000 km) if the car works under extreme, i.e. dusty, conditions like stated in the service book. Besides every engine has its own recommendations. So you might have another limit if you drive another engine. My Touran 1.9 TDI was 120.000 km as i recall.

By the way, the total here for cam belt and pump replacement, was around £ 1.000, 25% VAT included. And I was also told, that if you get service done in a foreign country, you might lose your right for WV Mobility Service in your local country.