# Cambelt Change 2.0tfsi Would you trust to an indie



## davek9

Hi, after a bit of advice. I have a 2006/7 2.0 TFSI just over 5 years old, 37k miles.

It's due a cambelt change based on age and wondered if you would trust an indie to undertake it or is it an Audi main dealer only job. I was thinking i could supply the parts incl water pump and save myself some a fair bit of cash. Are any other parts recommended apart from the belt and pump, i was thinking of the kit from Euro car parts.

So would you, advice happily received

Thanks in advance

David


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## Hoggy

Hi David, Extra bits are hydraulic tensioner, tensioner, roller & engine mount bolts.
All but the bolts are in the EuroCarPart kit.
The only prob supplying your own parts is, if something goes wrong & belt fails, the garage may blame the parts rather than that they installed something incorrectly.If the garage supplies all part & fits them, they can't blame any one else.
Its something I would never skimp on to get it a bit cheaper.

Edit, just realised its a Mk2, parts info may not be correct.
Hoggy.


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## RobHardy

How about an independant Audi specialist, instead of main dealer? Then you save on dealer labour rates, get the expertees and a decent stamp in your book.


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## davek9

Thanks for the replies.

i thought i'd fire off a message to Eurocarparts to get the list of included parts. With our discount the parts look like £65 - £70. They look like they are branded Continental. (i thought they made tyres :wink: )
The garage i was going to use is one i've used for years and has always looked after my cars including my departed Boxster (yeah i know :wink: ) so i think i trust them.

Just nervous


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## Philplop

If it's an independent that you have used and trusted in the past then I see no reason not to.

If you had a Seat Leon or a Golf would you take it there? Same engine. Nothing to worry about.


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## conneem

I went with a well respected VAG specialising indie for my cambelt change. I now feel more confident with their work than an average dealer and they tend to treat your car much better too.

It is also advisable to change the tensioner and idler pulleys and the water pump when doing the cambelt, just really because once you have access it is easy to do them.


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## TT-driver

Mine is a 2.0 TFSI build in September 2006, BWA engine. Last service it had (at an official Audi dealership) was September last year at 41k miles. I asked them specifically what about the cambelt? Due or not due? Their simple answer: not due. It's good for 112.500 miles and no age indication at the moment.

On a French forum I found an age limit of 12 years. The 12 year old cambelt in my MX-5 still looks pretty good too (30k miles)

Audi did put in a special sprocket that eases the load on the cambelt, for a longer and happier life. I'd recommend checking with official Audi dealers first regarding the replacement of this belt. Continue using it may even be better than having an Indie who is not familiar with the internals of this engine fooling around with it.


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## davek9

TT-driver said:


> Mine is a 2.0 TFSI build in September 2006, BWA engine. Last service it had (at an official Audi dealership) was September last year at 41k miles. I asked them specifically what about the cambelt? Due or not due? Their simple answer: not due. It's good for 112.500 miles and no age indication at the moment.
> 
> On a French forum I found an age limit of 12 years. The 12 year old cambelt in my MX-5 still looks pretty good too (30k miles)
> 
> Audi did put in a special sprocket that eases the load on the cambelt, for a longer and happier life. I'd recommend checking with official Audi dealers first regarding the replacement of this belt. Continue using it may even be better than having an Indie who is not familiar with the internals of this engine fooling around with it.


The dealer quoted mine on time, hence the 5 years. You hear so many varations on when to change it. There are also so many scare stories of the consequences and i don't want to take a chance. I will ring another dealer tomorrow to confirm though.

Thanks

David


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## TT-driver

Welcome. Do ensure you tell your dealer the engine type in your car. At first I was quoted the 5 years too, but then that appeared to be for the AXX engine, not the BWA.


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## rob.b

davek9 said:


> Thanks for the replies.
> 
> i thought i'd fire off a message to Eurocarparts to get the list of included parts. With our discount the parts look like £65 - £70. They look like they are branded Continental. (i thought they made tyres :wink: )
> The garage i was going to use is one i've used for years and has always looked after my cars including my departed Boxster (yeah i know :wink: ) so i think i trust them.
> 
> Just nervous


You trusted the Indy with your Porsche, but your worried about an Audi !!!

In the service schedule, states TDI's every 133,000 miles, 2.0 TFSI every 114,000 miles, no mention of time for either.


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## Lyons

I thought the book said 115k miles with no mention of a time alternative?


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## davek9

Have checcked with a ccouple of dealers both same story,

Official line is 5 years or 75k miles whatever comes first, so parts now ordered from Euro car parts and indie to fit,

Thanks for all your help

David


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## CWJ

It's definitely 5 years. I phoned about 6 different dealerships and they all had the same answer.

Not worth risking IMHO....


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## rob.b

CWJ said:


> It's definitely 5 years. I phoned about 6 different dealerships and they all had the same answer.
> 
> Not worth risking IMHO....


There is definately no time mentioned in the service schedule, just the mileage I've indicated.


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## Exocet

Its interesting because I have just checked my service schedule on my TFSI 2.0 (Its done 30k and is 5 years old) and its states change toothed belt at 115,000 miles with no mention of a time limit. Is this 5 year thing possibly just good for business for Audi UK? From my experience with Audi uk, I'd be more tempted to trust the advice from Germany.

On the sticker at the front of the booklet it sates my engine is a BWA. Could someone explain what this is?

Many thanks


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## Nyxx

Exocet said:


> Its interesting because I have just checked my service schedule on my TFSI 2.0 (Its done 30k and is 5 years old) and its states change toothed belt at 115,000 miles with no mention of a time limit. Is this 5 year thing possibly just good for business for Audi UK? From my experience with Audi uk, I'd be more tempted to trust the advice from Germany.
> 
> On the sticker at the front of the booklet it sates my engine is a BWA. Could someone explain what this is?
> 
> Many thanks


If you ring any Audi or VW dealer they will tell you that info in the book(just like mine reads)is out of date and its now 75k 5 years.
Get it done imo.


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## Essexaviator

Just to add to the debate I have been told by the TT shop and Honest John who writes in Saturday telegraph that the period for the 2009 Tsfi is now 4 years or 60k
Regards
Steve


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## CWM3

Seems that Audi UK have a different take to Honest John then

http://www.audi.co.uk/owners-area/maint ... nance.html

If it carries on like this we will be having belt changes more frequently than oil changes


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## Essexaviator

CWM3 said:


> Seems that Audi UK have a different take to Honest John then
> 
> http://www.audi.co.uk/owners-area/maint ... nance.html


I was told they have reviewed the term. Perhaps the website has not been changed. I Had an A3 that had a water pump failure after 6 years.

The tt shop seem to know their business too and state 4 years. That's seeing and checking my car!

The argument no doubt will continue "............


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## CWM3

I posted in response to another thread about this recently, and specifically asked who had a belt fail on the 2.0T engine and at what miles.............the silence was deafening. :?

So I guess my 2008 should have destroyed itself by the TT shops standards then


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## Mark 2

If you would have asked me this question a few years ago I would havce said Audi Dealer every time. However aftermy disghusting previous experiences with a certain Audi Dealer I would not hessitate to go to an Independent garage that you trust. I have requested that a certain person works on my car at this dealer as i do not trust the other mechanics. Shame but thats reality.


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## TT-driver

CWM3 said:


> I posted in response to another thread about this recently, and specifically asked who had a belt fail on the 2.0T engine and at what miles.............the silence was deafening. :?


That's because the owners hit by a failed belt are still on their way, walking home... :mrgreen: Kidding.

On a serious note: 2 weeks ago I was at the dealership and the mechanic showed me on his computer exactly what Audi thinks is necessary with regards to maintenance. On the timing belt it still said 180.000km (112.5k miles) and no 'expiration date'.

Then I asked my mechanic: any signs of them snapping early? No he said. Not even on Golfs GTIs that have been clocked. Usually the water pump starts leaking before the belt gives up.... or one of the rollers wears out...


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## CWM3

TT-driver said:


> CWM3 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I posted in response to another thread about this recently, and specifically asked who had a belt fail on the 2.0T engine and at what miles.............the silence was deafening. :?
> 
> 
> 
> That's because the owners hit by a failed belt are still on their way, walking home... :mrgreen: Kidding.
> 
> On a serious note: 2 weeks ago I was at the dealership and the mechanic showed me on his computer exactly what Audi thinks is necessary with regards to maintenance. On the timing belt it still said 180.000km (112.5k miles) and no 'expiration date'.
> 
> Then I asked my mechanic: any signs of them snapping early? No he said. Not even on Golfs GTIs that have been clocked. Usually the water pump starts leaking before the belt gives up.... or one of the rollers wears out...
Click to expand...

Now this is what I like, when a rule/law/recommendation are made, I need to understand the reasoning behind it, in particular where we have the current situation on cambelts, VAG have huge amounts of data on this engine, and at no point can I find evidence of belt failures on any kind of scale, for VAG UK to have differing change regimes for the same engine in different marques muddies the water further. 
Its easy to send out flyers to customers with the fear factor on, it's just playing with people's wallets, and until I can be shown genuine evidence of failure after 5 years or 75k, then I can only see this as a cynical way to generate service revenue. Of course if they know on average the true life of the items, it's a very easy safety net to put out this recommendation.
I am friends with an owner of a VAG specialist, and he confirms that he does not see snapped belts on these engines, and due to the construction of the Kevlar fibres in the belt, it would be very unlikely to snap, the more likely issue is the ribbed teeth breaking away, and even that's as rare as rocking horse doo dah.

So again owners, who has had a VAG belt fail in one of these engines and at what age/mileage?

Surely someone out there has an horror story to tell?


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## davek9

Your Car, your choice, my car my choice, i'm one of those who would rather pay for a cambelt than wait for a catastophic failue resulting in a major rebuild. :?

Dont see a problem it's personal choice really :?


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## CWM3

davek9 said:


> Your Car, your choice, my car my choice, i'm one of those who would rather pay for a cambelt than wait for a catastophic failue resulting in a major rebuild. :?
> 
> Dont see a problem it's personal choice really :?


Never said it was a problem, or even personal choice, just prefer to ask questions rather than be a herd animal


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## davek9

Glad thats sorted then


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## CWM3

[smiley=cheers.gif]


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## Andy Mundo

davek9 said:


> Have checcked with a ccouple of dealers both same story,
> 
> Official line is 5 years or 75k miles whatever comes first, so parts now ordered from Euro car parts and indie to fit,
> 
> Thanks for all your help
> 
> David


Yep, posed the Service Manager at Sheffield Audi the same question - why you say this and the handbook say that..

Response:

Hi Andrew,

Please see the information provided by Audi UK with reference to cambelt change intervals.

"The mileage replacement recommended by Audi AG is not always relevant to the road conditions experienced by Audi customers in the UK.
The stop start journeys on imperfect road surfaces and traffic congestion that many customers experience everyday in the UK could put additional wear on the vehicle compared to the optimum engine running conditions experienced in other parts of Europe.
ELSA and the vehicles Service record book in most cases recommend a cambelt change at mileage covered and not time elapsed. This creates Customer enquiries especially from those whose vehicles cover low mileages.
Audi UK recommend that the cambelt on all 2004 model year on vehicles is replaced at 75,000 miles or 5 years, whichever comes first."


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## CWM3

Andy Mundo said:


> Yep, posed the Service Manager at Sheffield Audi the same question - why you say this and the handbook say that..
> 
> Response:
> 
> Hi Andrew,
> 
> Please see the information provided by Audi UK with reference to cambelt change intervals.
> 
> "The mileage replacement recommended by Audi AG is not always relevant to the road conditions experienced by Audi customers in the UK.
> The stop start journeys on imperfect road surfaces and traffic congestion that many customers experience everyday in the UK could put additional wear on the vehicle compared to the optimum engine running conditions experienced in other parts of Europe.
> ELSA and the vehicles Service record book in most cases recommend a cambelt change at mileage covered and not time elapsed. This creates Customer enquiries especially from those whose vehicles cover low mileages.
> Audi UK recommend that the cambelt on all 2004 model year on vehicles is replaced at 75,000 miles or 5 years, whichever comes first."


As agreed in posts above, if it keeps the owner happy, then its the way to go, just get it done.

But I have to say after reading the above, at least Audi UK have a sense of humour to go with their wallet fleecing advice....what a complete load of BS, imperfect road surfaces and traffic congestion affect the cam belt in the UK more than in the pot holed, congested roads of Belguim as an example......just shows the contempt VAG treat their UK customer base with. I suppose we should think ourselves lucky, for some reason the same engine in a Skoda suffers UK climatic and enviromental degradation faster (4 years) than a German made Audi, even though no doubt the engine is pulled off the same production line.

I think I smell a rat here


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## Mack The Knife

I do get the sense of a whiff of something.


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## audikarlos

Yup, it seems the belts don't break...give some money to charity instead. Odorous indeed.


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## Essexaviator

Just read an interesting article in October 2012 edition of MG Owners club magazine ( I recently sold my 2004 MGZT 260 with mustang 4.6 V8 engine that I owned alongside my TT).

The article was entitled "When to change modern MG cambelts". This covered the cars built from 2001 to 2007 so includes our cars time period. MG brought down the interval from 96000 and 8 years to 60000 and five years and for diesels 84000 or seven years. Several models have now been advised of a change 60000 or four years which matches closely our 75000 or four years. The article cites cases and photos of belts breaking and the subsequently damage. So to say belts don't break is not true.

I know we are talking different manufacturers but many spares cover a range of vehicles. A member of my family had an A3 1.8T mk one (which the TT is based around) and the belt went after four years and it needed a new engine @ £4000 plus so there are cases of breakages albeit may be small.

It comes to down to how much risk you are prepared to take and the likelihood of a break happening.

The jury is out on this one. So anyone with knowledge of break please post. It may even be a suitable question for a forum vote?

Regards and hoping your belt stays together

Steve


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## Nyxx

Why take the risk? 
Just to say I got XXX miles out of mine or just wait till it goes. 
Sorry I just don't see why you would not get it done and have piece of mine, my BMW belt went and so came a 2k bill. Once you have one go you don't go there again. You don't want to go there once.

You say "just prefer to ask questions rather than be a herd animal"I dont think you will find many MK II TT with a blown engine because they do get changed when "needed" so if changing them is the "herd animal" and your not then just keep going till it goes bang and then we will all have a bench mark.
Does not sound like a good idea to me but then you call me a "herd animal" on this and my Son with just 36k miles has had his done because it just turned 5 years old, another "herd animal" or is prevention better than cure?


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## CWM3

Nyxx, just chill mate on the herd animal bit, I think you made your point with the first reference to it, I stated if someone wants to get it done, then do it. No issues, your car , your money.

I just prefer to question, rather than just accept, thats the only difference.

I like many are left confused by the constant contradictory information being published by VAG. Simple as that.

AUDI UK have been pushing the 5 years/70K info for quite a while now, whereas my 12MY (printed in 2011) TTS owners service book still states 114K and no age limit.................something aint right :?


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## Nyxx

Sorry I was not meaning to have a go at you more that it's seems crazy to not play it safe.

Also I agree that if its 75K 5 years why have Audi not changed it in the manual.


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## CWM3

Nyxx said:


> Sorry I was not meaning to have a go at you more that it's seems crazy to not play it safe.
> 
> Also I agree that if its 75K 5 years why have Audi not changed it in the manual.


Was not taken that way Nyxx. 

Agreed to much confusion from the manufacturer


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## Essexaviator

Just had my polo GT serviced. Asked workshop manager and parts manager both said vw belts change period is now four years irrespective of mileage mileage is excessive.


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## Essexaviator

Saw this on Wikipedia class action in states re cambelt

Lawsuits
There are two United States class action lawsuits affecting specific model years of the first generation TT.
On 22 June 2007, Pearson, Simon, Soter, Warshaw & Penny, LLP and the Law Office of Robert L. Starr filed a class action lawsuit against Volkswagen Group of America, alleging that the timing belts for model year 1999-2003 Audi and Volkswagen vehicles equipped with a 1.8-litre turbocharged engine fail prematurely.[12] The vehicles included are the Audi TT, Audi A4 and Volkswagen Passat. The complaint alleges that the timing belts fail prior to the service interval, as stated in the owner's manual. The parties have reached a class-wide settlement, and preliminary approval of the settlement was granted by the court on 19 May 2008. Claim forms, class notice, and other documentation will be mailed on or about 1 August 2008. Details regarding the terms of the settlement will be in the notice sent to owners of the class vehicles.[13]


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## Essexaviator

Just had my belt done at 4.5 years 24k miles as i have been told 4years or 60k or 5 years or 75k. O played it safe down the middle.

Audi were adamant and have looked up all their systems that time and mileage is now 75k/5years.

Hope this helps
Steve


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## Templar

I have been contacted by my local dealership advising that my car is about to come of 5 years of age and that it is advised that the cambelt is changed. Car has done less than 16 k miles. Was quoted £500 - water pump but all other bits. Contacted a local VAG indie who quoted £360 with water pump ect.
I let Audi know of this and re quoted as per indie items £380. So not bad really. Near indie price plus Audi parts and stamp.

Just to put my point forward, it's good practice to change the cambelt on a reasonable time scale irrespective of mileage.


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## Tofflammy

Def change the timing chain tensioner, mine failed at 61k and the chain jumped a tooth with sensors goiung off all over the place (well what audi dealer told me anyway).


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## Hadaak

Posted a thread yesterday. TT is 128000 km and 8 years old. Still running fine... :lol:
BWA Engine. Stronic. 2L TFSI 200HP.


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## Roller Skate

Hadaak said:


> Posted a thread yesterday. TT is 128000 km and 8 years old. Still running fine... :lol:
> BWA Engine. Stronic. 2L TFSI 200HP.


That's not the best advice to go by.


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## Hadaak

just found this: http://www.volkspage.net/technik/ssp/ssp/SSP_334_d3.pdf


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## Barr_end

My TTS had been left by every previous owner and was on 75k at 8 years old when I picked it up.
First thing I sorted was getting the cambelt done, you could physically see the rubber of the belt had started to perish, slightly.
As said here by many why risk it, it may not be broken right then and there but what if it did fail, why chance that.
I think 4 years maybe a little excessive, however if you let the car sit without use for a long time, just like tyres the belt will perish, that's probably why a year figure is quote for ass covering. 
75-100k and 5-6 years seems like compromised suggestion to me.


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## scarface_uk

Interesting thread this as I was thinking about doing mine.

Mine is a 2011 with 48.5k mileage, but have already had the water pump changed earlier in year due to a leak.

Probably get it done next year.


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## ashfinlayson

Are you sure they didn't replace your belt at the same time? If the belt comes off to replace the pump (which should be replaced at 5 years anyway) and isn't an expensive part - the whole cambelt kit is only £100, it seems ludicrous to put the old belt back on as it's the labour on the job that costs the money.


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