How can i tell if timing belt needs to be changed??

apeking

I bought a car off a side street garage last august and he fully serviced it before i got it.

Went and got my car serviced again last week at a VW garage and he asked had my timing belt bee changed cause it wasnt in my service manual as being changed. Thje thing is that the last service wasnt put into the book at all. I rang the garage i bought it from and he said he couldnt remeb if it had been changed.

There is no sticker on the car saying it has been changed but just wondering is there any other way yo tell?? The vw dealer just said if its not in the service history i shoulld get it changed cause its due. What u all think??

Btw its a 98 VW golf with 45k miles.

crosstownk

98 Golf is every 60000 miles. VW don't give a specific interval - they recommend that it is checked every service. IMO at 8 years old I'd be inclined to change it anyway.
Check for numbers written in Tipp-Ex or similar under the bonnet - some mechanics use this method.

Hotwheels

If they say change it, Do, if it snaps you'll be left with a big bill...I'm sure one of the folks here will know somewhere local that will do it for a reasonable cost...

Silvera

I'd agree - if there is any doubt over when/if a timing belt has been changed - CHANGE IT ASAP !

If a T-belt breaks you will most likely be looking at a seriously large repair bill!


My '03 Astra is due a new T-Belt Kit at 40k, but I'm going to change it this week (currently has 35.5k) rather than risk waiting any longer.

Silvera
(Ex-Panel Beater).

kaizersoze

apeking wrote:

Btw its a 98 VW golf with 45k miles.

Sorry. I don't mean to question your car or yourself but that seems very low for an 8 year car. I'd change that belt asap just in case it's not accurate.

apeking

Thanks for replies ppl,

It looks like i should fork out tor a new one so if tere s no way to tell,there is no tipp-ex or any sticker suggestiong when it was done or if it has been done. Think i'll boo it in soon.

Talking about the low milaeage of the car, it bothered me when i was viewing it and the first taught that came to my head was that it was clocked as they say.

What changed my view was that on the nct cert which was done in 2004 it only had 33,000 miles and it has full service history every year,even some years it didnt do 10,000 miles it still got serviced exactly a year later in a reputible VW dealer.

So i just trust that it is good! (btw alot of my mates say its dodgyy too cause they cant belive it either)

Anyway how much am i looking at for the belt change??

Thanks again

crosstownk

There are so many low mileage cars about. If your satisfied that the mileage is genuine then just be happy :-)

techno

I had the timing belt changed on my car with a local mechanic who works for himself. Cost for timing belt and small service was about €550. Had the same job done the year before with a main dealer and the cost was double that! ps. If your car was owned by someone in a city it's quite possible that the miles are genuine! There aren't enough hours in the day to put large milage up with the traffic situation.
Techno

MrSinn

Take a look at the belt,check it for cracks,loose threads,generally looks worn

crosstownk

When in doubt - whip it out. There are other item to replace along with a t/belt. Water pump & tensioner. If you don't change these it may be the same as not replacing the belt. What has to be replaced depends on the engine type.

Lex Luthor

I wouldn't go by the NCT cert either for your mileage.

I have known people to clock up 25-30k in between NCT's, only to take the car in to get a "haircut" by about 20k miles before the NCT so it looks like it only did a few thousand in the previous 2yrs. Then again, it's quite possible the car only has done 45k miles.

You say he was a side street garage...hmmm. Well if he can't remember he changed it, he didn't. It probably just got an oil change if you were lucky.

I'd go ahead and get it changed because even with service history, I'm not sure VW would cover the costs of the repair if it snapped as the car is well outside warranty.

AMurphy

Lex Luthor wrote:

I wouldn't go by the NCT cert either for your mileage.

I have known people to clock up 25-30k in between NCT's, only to take the car in to get a "haircut" by about 20k miles before the NCT ...

I'd go ahead and get it changed because even with service history, I'm not sure VW would cover the costs of the repair if it snapped as the car is well outside warranty.

Don't understand what you mean by a "haircut" wrt NCT recorded mileage.

That aside, 45K is pretty low mileage for an 8yo, how worn are hte seats and pedals?, but given it is in there 8 years, it's no harm to change it. One less thing to worry about. Should not be overly expensive.

SouperComputer

Mother has a 98 corsa with 32K on the clock. Seriously. Some cars just are'nt used that much. TBH I am wary of cars with low mileage, not really because of clocking, but because of the amount of time they may have spent either lying up or doing short runs & being revved like crazy at low temps.

Anyway, I got her to get the belt changed anyway as it had been in there since '98. They are made of rubber so in a way they are perishible. On most cars, failure means terminal, expensive and possibly irrepairable damage to the engine.

Verdict: Get the belt changed, but shop around for a good price. Consider it a form of insurance,

Lex Luthor

AMurphy wrote:

Don't understand what you mean by a "haircut" wrt NCT recorded mileage.

That aside, 45K is pretty low mileage for an 8yo, how worn are hte seats and pedals?, but given it is in there 8 years, it's no harm to change it. One less thing to worry about. Should not be overly expensive.

eg. Car goes for NCT...mileage is recorded at 30k.
Next 2yrs it does 30k. Car now reads 60k.
NCT is due. Owner takes 20K off the clock. Car now reads 40k.
NCT is done and mileage is recorded @ 40k.

AMurphy

Lex Luthor wrote:

eg. Car goes for NCT...mileage is recorded at 30k.
Next 2yrs it does 30k. Car now reads 60k.
NCT is due. Owner takes 20K off the clock. Car now reads 40k.
NCT is done and mileage is recorded @ 40k.

Oh, you just mean winding the clock back or otherwise interfering with it to decrease or not increase at least.

Though you meant some sort of "bribe perhaps" directly to the NCT man with the appropriate number provided in the envelope.

OTOH, my bro exchanged the dash in his car for a junk yard one, which read 20K more, not that it makes a difference when you reach 200K anyway.

Low mileage is possible. A friend of mine relates the story of his Father or Father in Law's car. 7 years and 35k on the clock. My truck only does about 2~3K per year now. which means it will take another 10 years to reach 200K.
Unless.... lets not go there.

Either way, it's easy tell a tired car, irrespective of the mileage.

cargrouch

crosstownk wrote:

When in doubt - whip it out. There are other item to replace along with a t/belt. Water pump & tensioner. If you don't change these it may be the same as not replacing the belt. What has to be replaced depends on the engine type.

I second this! If you change these you can drive for another 3 years without the worry of any major problems. Anything else that goes wrong can only be minor problems. (Provided oil is changed!) No figures written in tippex means no change!

Having bought a car with the cam belt replaced but not the tensioner, and suffered the consequences, even if you are selling it on in a year the next owner will be glad to see this work logged.