Hi guys,

My '94 Golf 1.8 CL petrol has just passed 100,000 and having owned it for
the last year, I thought I should get the belts checked.

I phoned my local VW dealer and they said replacement of the belt(s) would
be 225 UKP!

I said I was surprised it was that much, and she said after some
consideration she thought they could probably do it for 195 UKP.

I said I'd probably get in touch in the new year.

I know nothing, but isn't that a lot to ask - or on this engine is it a
particuarly awkard task to do?


Thanks for any advice and happy Christmas.




All the best,
Angus Manwaring. (for e-mail remove ANTISPEM)

I need your memories for the Amiga Games Database: A collection of Amiga
Game reviews by Amiga players http://www.angusm.demon.co.uk/AGDB/AGDB.html

Angus Manwaring wrote:
Hi guys,

My '94 Golf 1.8 CL petrol has just passed 100,000 and having owned it
for the last year, I thought I should get the belts checked.

I phoned my local VW dealer and they said replacement of the belt(s)
would be 225 UKP!

I said I was surprised it was that much, and she said after some
consideration she thought they could probably do it for 195 UKP.

I said I'd probably get in touch in the new year.

I know nothing, but isn't that a lot to ask - or on this engine is it
a particuarly awkard task to do?


Thanks for any advice and happy Christmas.

My wife has a Mk.1V Golf 1.6S amd if I remember correctly the price that the
dealer has on their price list for a cam-belt change is over £300.

I have also often wondered why it was so expensive.

Sam salt

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 10:43:28 +0000 (UTC), "Sam Salt"
wrote:

Angus Manwaring wrote:
Hi guys,

My '94 Golf 1.8 CL petrol has just passed 100,000 and having owned it
for the last year, I thought I should get the belts checked.

I phoned my local VW dealer and they said replacement of the belt(s)
would be 225 UKP!

I said I was surprised it was that much, and she said after some
consideration she thought they could probably do it for 195 UKP.

I said I'd probably get in touch in the new year.

I know nothing, but isn't that a lot to ask - or on this engine is it
a particuarly awkard task to do?


Thanks for any advice and happy Christmas.

My wife has a Mk.1V Golf 1.6S amd if I remember correctly the price that the
dealer has on their price list for a cam-belt change is over £300.

I have also often wondered why it was so expensive.

Belt kits can be around £50 - they're likely to do the auxhillery
belts too, while it's off which may increase the price depending on
how many you've got. The cambelt is very pricey because it's got all
sorts of reinforcements in it as obviously it's very bad if it breaks.
I personally would change it once every 60k miles....

Depending on the car it can be difficult to do - involving taking a
lot of the car to pieces, or loosening tensioners and removing things
like the alternator etc.

On some cars it would easily be 2-3 hours work even for someone with
lots of experience.... so that explains the price...

Regards,
Chris

It shouldn't be that hard a job on that engine. Is there a local non-franchised
dealer locally - try the VW club for recommendations, or look in the phone book
or Yellow Pages. I did our 1.8 GL, which I think had an extra belt due to the
power steering.
Where are you?

--
Dave.
UK VW Type 3 & 4 Club
http://www.hallvw.clara.co.uk/
------
"Angus Manwaring" wrote in message
emon.co.uk...

Hi guys,

My '94 Golf 1.8 CL petrol has just passed 100,000 and having owned it for
the last year, I thought I should get the belts checked.

I phoned my local VW dealer and they said replacement of the belt(s) would
be 225 UKP!

I said I was surprised it was that much, and she said after some
consideration she thought they could probably do it for 195 UKP.

I said I'd probably get in touch in the new year.

I know nothing, but isn't that a lot to ask - or on this engine is it a
particuarly awkard task to do?


Thanks for any advice and happy Christmas.




All the best,
Angus Manwaring. (for e-mail remove ANTISPEM)

I need your memories for the Amiga Games Database: A collection of Amiga
Game reviews by Amiga players http://www.angusm.demon.co.uk/AGDB/AGDB.html

On 22-Dec-05 00:32:33, Dave Hall said
It shouldn't be that hard a job on that engine. Is there a local
non-franchised dealer locally - try the VW club for recommendations, or look
in the phone book or Yellow Pages. I did our 1.8 GL, which I think had an
extra belt due to the power steering. Where are you?

Thanks for the useful comments, guys.


I'm in Wiltshire not far from Bath.






All the best,
Angus Manwaring. (for e-mail remove ANTISPEM)

I need your memories for the Amiga Games Database: A collection of Amiga
Game reviews by Amiga players http://www.angusm.demon.co.uk/AGDB/AGDB.html

There's the odd non-franchised VW place in Bath, but I've not used them - I can
certainly recommend a couple of places in Bristol, one centrally and one not far
from Brislington that I would expect would do the job efficiently for a lot less
than the VW dealer.

--
Dave.
UK VW Type 3 & 4 Club
http://www.hallvw.clara.co.uk/
------
"Angus Manwaring" wrote in message
emon.co.uk...
On 22-Dec-05 00:32:33, Dave Hall said
It shouldn't be that hard a job on that engine. Is there a local
non-franchised dealer locally - try the VW club for recommendations, or look
in the phone book or Yellow Pages. I did our 1.8 GL, which I think had an
extra belt due to the power steering. Where are you?

Thanks for the useful comments, guys.


I'm in Wiltshire not far from Bath.






All the best,
Angus Manwaring. (for e-mail remove ANTISPEM)

I need your memories for the Amiga Games Database: A collection of Amiga
Game reviews by Amiga players http://www.angusm.demon.co.uk/AGDB/AGDB.html

Chris wrote:

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 10:43:28 +0000 (UTC), "Sam Salt"
wrote:


Angus Manwaring wrote:

Hi guys,

My '94 Golf 1.8 CL petrol has just passed 100,000 and having owned it
for the last year, I thought I should get the belts checked.

I phoned my local VW dealer and they said replacement of the belt(s)
would be 225 UKP!

I said I was surprised it was that much, and she said after some
consideration she thought they could probably do it for 195 UKP.

I said I'd probably get in touch in the new year.

I know nothing, but isn't that a lot to ask - or on this engine is it
a particuarly awkard task to do?


Thanks for any advice and happy Christmas.

My wife has a Mk.1V Golf 1.6S amd if I remember correctly the price that the
dealer has on their price list for a cam-belt change is over £300.

I have also often wondered why it was so expensive.


Belt kits can be around £50 - they're likely to do the auxhillery
belts too, while it's off which may increase the price depending on
how many you've got. The cambelt is very pricey because it's got all
sorts of reinforcements in it as obviously it's very bad if it breaks.
I personally would change it once every 60k miles....

Depending on the car it can be difficult to do - involving taking a
lot of the car to pieces, or loosening tensioners and removing things
like the alternator etc.

On some cars it would easily be 2-3 hours work even for someone with
lots of experience.... so that explains the price...

Regards,
Chris

A Goodyear belt is £28
However, to ensure it goes the distance you should replace the tensioner
as well. And while it is apart all the other belts. Check what the
garage are including for the quote first.
I did my own and all the bests and tensioner cost me near £70. It takes
about 2.5 hours.
David

On 25-Dec-05 10:37:15, dca860 said
Chris wrote:


My wife has a Mk.1V Golf 1.6S amd if I remember correctly the price that
the dealer has on their price list for a cam-belt change is over £300.

I have also often wondered why it was so expensive.


Belt kits can be around £50 - they're likely to do the auxhillery
belts too, while it's off which may increase the price depending on
how many you've got. The cambelt is very pricey because it's got all
sorts of reinforcements in it as obviously it's very bad if it breaks.
I personally would change it once every 60k miles....

Depending on the car it can be difficult to do - involving taking a
lot of the car to pieces, or loosening tensioners and removing things
like the alternator etc.

On some cars it would easily be 2-3 hours work even for someone with
lots of experience.... so that explains the price...

Regards,
Chris

A Goodyear belt is £28
However, to ensure it goes the distance you should replace the tensioner
as well. And while it is apart all the other belts. Check what the
garage are including for the quote first.
I did my own and all the bests and tensioner cost me near £70. It takes
about 2.5 hours.

Thanks David - what would I be likely to pay an hour do you suppose, and
if the figures are as you indicated parts = £70 + 2.5 hours what are we
talking about as final figure with vat etc?





All the best,
Angus Manwaring. (for e-mail remove ANTISPEM)

I need your memories for the Amiga Games Database: A collection of Amiga
Game reviews by Amiga players http://www.angusm.demon.co.uk/AGDB/AGDB.html

Dave Hall wrote:
There's the odd non-franchised VW place in Bath, but I've not used
them - I can certainly recommend a couple of places in Bristol, one
centrally and one not far from Brislington that I would expect would
do the job efficiently for a lot less than the VW dealer.

I'd be interested in your Bristol recommendations - could you post please?

Thanks

KotF

Angus Manwaring wrote:

On 25-Dec-05 10:37:15, dca860 said

Chris wrote:


My wife has a Mk.1V Golf 1.6S amd if I remember correctly the price that
the dealer has on their price list for a cam-belt change is over £300.

I have also often wondered why it was so expensive.


Belt kits can be around £50 - they're likely to do the auxhillery
belts too, while it's off which may increase the price depending on
how many you've got. The cambelt is very pricey because it's got all
sorts of reinforcements in it as obviously it's very bad if it breaks.
I personally would change it once every 60k miles....

Depending on the car it can be difficult to do - involving taking a
lot of the car to pieces, or loosening tensioners and removing things
like the alternator etc.

On some cars it would easily be 2-3 hours work even for someone with
lots of experience.... so that explains the price...

Regards,
Chris


A Goodyear belt is £28
However, to ensure it goes the distance you should replace the tensioner
as well. And while it is apart all the other belts. Check what the
garage are including for the quote first.
I did my own and all the bests and tensioner cost me near £70. It takes
about 2.5 hours.


Thanks David - what would I be likely to pay an hour do you suppose, and
if the figures are as you indicated parts = £70 + 2.5 hours what are we
talking about as final figure with vat etc?





All the best,
Angus Manwaring. (for e-mail remove ANTISPEM)

I need your memories for the Amiga Games Database: A collection of Amiga
Game reviews by Amiga players http://www.angusm.demon.co.uk/AGDB/AGDB.html

My VW garage charges about £60 + VAT/hour.
My local reliable garage charges £38+VAT/hour
Unless you live near Woking that won't be much good.
Over to you for the maths but mail order for the parts from
http://www.gsfcarparts.com/ and some confidence using a Haynes manual
makes it quite a cheap job