My wife's VW Lupo is about to have its 4 year service. The VW garage - Lindvale tells me the advice is to change the cam belt - at some cost! The car is used around town and only done 11000 miles. Is the condition of the cam belt dependent on age or mileage? I'm all in favour of maintaining a car properly but a new cam belt at this mileage?
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Do a search for a VW cambelt...there was quite an uproar recently about this. At least your garage seems correctly informed.
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Which engine does your Lupo have? Assuming its a petrol 4 cylinder then its a belt. Change ASAP - but suggest shop around for price. If its a diesel 3, its chain-cam. Guess its the former.....
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Its a 1.4 4 cylinder petrol
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No it isn't, 1.4 TDi 3 cylinder is belt driven cam.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/?id=52
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Is the condition of the cam belt dependent on age or mileage?
Both. The belts are made from rubber (amongst other things) and rubber can perish with age. More so on a car that doesn't get a lot of use.
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DD
Are you saying that the cam belt will be in a worst condition in a car that has done 11,000 miles in four years than one that has done 40,000 miles in four years.
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Getting your cambelt changed is like an insurance policy - it seems expensive and pointless until something goes BANG!
It is a personal choice. My choice is to replace at or before the manufacturers required interval. I have never had one fail on me.
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It probably wouldn't break at such a low mileage in all honesty, but manufacturers state belts should be changed at a certain time period/mileage...which ever comes first. In your case Welshy, its the time period that has come first.
Repeated stop/starts etc take their toll on a cambelt, but you don't have to use a VW garage (probably best if you don't going by some of the threads on here). Find a good independant, maybe even a VW specialist who will probably do a better job at half the cost. If you say exactly where you are, someone maybe be able to recommend a good garage! (PS, I'm in South Wales so know one or two good garages)
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