Had a call from Audi to say that as my car is now 5 years old, the cambelt is due for replacement. They have quoted for cambelt and water pump all in at £495.

A local garage to me quoted £297 but did not specify if that was including water pump. I am waiting for another quote from a local garage that specialises in VAG vehicles and they will be quoting on both.

Any experience generally regarding typical costs outside of main dealer work? LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

I have additional work done at independents and service work done by the dealers to keep the service book up to date. I wouldn't use a main dealer for a cambelt. There are a couple of good independents in Derby who specialise in VAG group cars-that would be my choice. Any decent mechanic could do a cambelt change in his sleep though. You are looking at £120+/hour main dealer and £60ish for a good independent. Is yours an A3 or A4? I had an A4 cabriolet-the front end has to come off for the cambelt change hence the high price.

Hows your Lab coming on? Mine is still causing havoc!!

It’s an A3 TFSI. Our Lab is good thanks. He’s big enough to get on the sofa now which means we have to fend him off  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

We use an independent Skoda dealer for our VW Tdi cambelt changes. Around the £330 mark including water pump. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

I must be too cheap. Did a belt kit plus water pump and antifreeze on a Touran last month and charged £270 all in. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

The plot thickens. The other garage can’t do the work and another I tried said that they think that engine is a timing chain rather than a belt! In which case the chain would need servicing. You’d think Audi main dealer would have known before calling me to say the belt needed doing but I await a call back from this garage who are doing some digging...

P.S, a Google search seems to lean in favour of a timing chain... LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

I ran my Td5 Disco (chain driven) to 165000 miles. I have no doubt it has another 100K of life left in it. Why do all manufacturers not use chains?  Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

@the doctor

Have you been to Coleman's garage opposite MacArthur Glen?

They will give you a good honest quote and are very good with the spanners

Yes Rog, that was the garage that quoted £297  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Could be either depending on engine type/size. The chains do stretch though and only last around 50K.

http://autoreplacementcosts.com/audi-a3-belt-chain-list/ Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

They don’t use chains because they’re heavy and noisy.

Spoke to a chap I have known for many years today who has just had a large service done in Leeds on his 13 plate diesel A3.

Mot, Service, cam belt and brakes bled. Bill of around £1,300. Apparently a rear spring was changed on a extended warranty - lucky him. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

BossBob wrote:

They don’t use chains because they’re heavy and noisy.

Steve D wrote:

Could be either depending on engine type/size. The chains do stretch though and only last around 50K.

http://autoreplacementcosts.com/audi-a3-belt-chain-list/

Bloody cheap rubber chains no doubt

Right, the garage I was waiting on got back to me to say that my car (1.2 TFSI) has a belt rather than a chain but it took him time to establish this because some models do have chains.

Their quote was £570 Audi are cheaper! I’ll be making a booking with Colemans at £297. Great reputation there and I’ve been before with other cars. I’ll get it done before we go to the Lake District in July just for peace of mind prior to a trek up there. LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey