Audi A4 2.0TDI Cambelt and water pump cost

motorguy

snilloct1957 wrote: »

I recently had the cambelt and water pump changed on my Renault Scenic 1.6l, 16v petrol engine, which is less complicated than an Audi, and my friendly independent mechanic turned the job down. I ended up taking it to a French engine specialist that charged £380. It is not a job for an amateur and I wouldn't attempt it, and I've been around car engines for 40 years. Put it in the hands of a competent garage.

Those Renault engines are a bit funny in that they require special tools and theres the added complication of a dephaser pulley.

You did the right thing by taking it to a French car engine specialist.

With cambelt changes generally, i'd be getting it done by a good indy. Even the simplest of changes have their own little nuances that only a decent mechanic will know to look for.

motorguy

fred246 wrote: »

I win. I've saved the most.

Fred, there are many many thoughts come to mind when i read your posts. "Winner" is not one of them.

motorguy

fred246 wrote: »

ryanm8655 has saved a fortune over main dealer prices. He has found an individual who he trusts to do the job. He has verified the mechanics experience. How do you become a main dealer? You have a garage. You pay a car manufacturer a lot of money. You put their signs up and that entitles you to charge a lot more money for the same service. It doesn't make them a better garage. Main dealers don't do a better job. They just charge more.

You seem to be jumping about a lot here fred, so you can "win" an argument on the internet.

When i'd use the main dealer :-

• For servicing and repairs when the car is under warranty and probably up to +1 year after that (to ensure any goodwill gesture is at its max if there is any post warranty failures). I would use them if i was extending the warranty with the manufacturer also.

When i wouldnt use the main dealer :-

• For wear and tear maintenance under warranty (tyres, brake pads, etc)
• Once the car is outside of warranty as described above. I'd be looking for a good indy to do servicing, cambelts, maintenance, etc.

Things i will do myself :-

• Change the wiper blades
• Change bulbs
• Top up the fluids
• Check and adjust tyre pressures

I wouldnt take a car outside of warranty back to a main dealers for a cambelt change. There is no particular benefit to doing so at that point.

I would say the above approach is a well trodden path for most people.

So no, he hasnt "saved a fortune" because noone here recommended he went to the main dealer - he's followed a common sense, pragmatic approach down a typical maintenance path.

motorguy

fred246 wrote: »

It's worth pointing out though that the 'special' tools only cost £20-£30. Parts and tools are really cheap but people have lost confidence in their abilities. Just turn the engine until you can get the locking tools into position. When the camshaft and crankshaft are locked, take off the old belt. Put on a new one and remove the locking tools. Simples. I always get mine spot on electronically but I can't imagine a garage bothering with that. I am not really suggesting people who have never done any work on cars to have a go. It's the "I used to work on cars but now they are too complicated and have computers" people I am thinking of. YouTube videos are a great help. A good YouTube video is superior to a chapter in the Haynes manual.

Stunned at how you can recommend that any person can and should do this themselves.

Its very fortunate you can hide behind an anonymous userid on an internet forum.

mattyprice4004

motorguy wrote: »

Fred, there are many many thoughts come to mind when i read your posts. "Winner" is not one of them.

I have a few words, but I’ll get banned

motorguy

Mercdriver wrote: »

More nonsense from The Freds.

Indeed. They should be called Fred and Freder

Mercdriver

fred246 wrote: »

It's worth pointing out though that the 'special' tools only cost £20-£30. Parts and tools are really cheap but people have lost confidence in their abilities. Just turn the engine until you can get the locking tools into position. When the camshaft and crankshaft are locked, take off the old belt. Put on a new one and remove the locking tools. Simples. I always get mine spot on electronically but I can't imagine a garage bothering with that. I am not really suggesting people who have never done any work on cars to have a go. It's the "I used to work on cars but now they are too complicated and have computers" people I am thinking of. YouTube videos are a great help. A good YouTube video is superior to a chapter in the Haynes manual.

So you would recommend me who is mechanically incompetent to change a cambelt by just following a youtube video?

I'm not stupid, I am educated to postgraduate level. It's just me and mechanics don't mix. You are saying that I could change a cambelt just by watching a youtube video.

There are a number of problems with your assertions, apart from them being nonsensical. How do I as a mechanically inept person (MIP) know the difference between a fantastic mechanic on the web and a competent one and someone who doesn't know their ar5e from their elbow? I wouldn't go by internet recommendations alone, as there is so much hyperbole that it's hard to see through the chaff.

Secondly, what about the camera angles? Even with a go pro, it's hard to get the field of view in a way that your own eyes would.

No

No

No

No

No.

Not just anyone can change something as complex as a cambelt, with the direr consequences of getting wrong simply by watching a youtube video, even if you do find the right one. No, I wouldn't follow your recommendation on what channel as you always speak with such hyperbole, I couldn't rely on your opinion being objective. You seem incapable of anything beyond hyperbole - hyperbole is by definition subjective.

Someone with mechanical skills and experience and an aptitude might be able to do it - we don't even know whether all you say is simply hot air let alone being able to do it yourself. But no, not just anyone can follow a youtube video.

Oh and a video by itself isn't better than a Haynes manual. The two together might be very useful. A Haynes manual isn't subject to good light and camera angles.

Stop encouraging people to mangle their engines unless you are prepared to financially indemnify them.

You are not simply being foolish, you are being downright irresponsible.

snilloct1957

motorguy wrote: »

Those Renault engines are a bit funny in that they require special tools and there's the added complication of a dephaser pulley.

You did the right thing by taking it to a French car engine specialist.

With cambelt changes generally, I'd be getting it done by a good indy. Even the simplest of changes have their own little nuances that only a decent mechanic will know to look for.

Thank you for confirming what I considered a wise decision. I have experience in engine maintenance and have changed the cambelt on a Rover 2600 SDI where access was clear and instructions straight-forward. The Renault engine was a different kettle of fish. I have the Haynes manual for my particular model, a 16v, 1.6l, DOHC engine, and it is a 4 spanner job and involves 74 steps to remove and refit a cambelt. It requires a number of specialist tools and removing an engine mounting block, to raise the engine to get access to the cambelt and water-pump assembly. Hell would have frozen over before I would attempt this, and I've never regretted the decision to admit my short-comings and place it in the hands of a specialist, with a year's warranty to boot.

motorguy

snilloct1957 wrote: »

Thank you for confirming what I considered a wise decision. I have experience in engine maintenance and have changed the cambelt on a Rover 2600 SDI where access was clear and instructions straight-forward. The Renault engine was a different kettle of fish. I have the Haynes manual for my particular model, a 16v, 1.6l, DOHC engine, and it is a 4 spanner job and involves 74 steps to remove and refit a cambelt. It requires a number of specialist tools and removing an engine mounting block, to raise the engine to get access to the cambelt and water-pump assembly. Hell would have frozen over before I would attempt this, and I've never regretted the decision to admit my short-comings and place it in the hands of a specialist, with a year's warranty to boot.

Yes when i was motor trading we came upon these regularly and it was always a matter of finding someone who had the right tools and had the right experience.

ohreally

ohreally wrote: »

VW dealer informed me there was a special offer on at £475 for the belt, pump, guides and tensioner.

Just found my receipt from dealer - £449.99.