Not the best start to a job!

[Mottie]

The mileage is low but the car is 7 years old now so I thought best to play it safe

The Skoda has a VW engine. Does Skoda recommend changing the belt and associated parts every 4 years the same as VW/Audi do? Our 2008 Diesel Golf has has three belt changes in its life (120,000 miles now) so is on its 4th belt and water pump and is due again now but I’m not bothering anymore as due to Khan, we won’t have it come August next year and it will go quicker than that if I see a suitable replacement. Our A3 petrol is due a belt kit too at 5 years in March - it’s only on 50k at the moment but I will be changing that as it’s got stop/start and my theory is that there is more chance of the belt snapping with all those start-ups!

 

[Burnerman]

Around 2010 it was 40k miles and / or 4 years.......typically this engine, and other CR diesels, its now 110k or 5 years. A bit of a lottery in other words!
I did a SEAT Leon 1.6 CR at 115k recently - I was expecting the belt to be in shreds but apart from being a bit floppy everything seemed in good order.
This motor of mine just sits around, but it never does short journeys or frequent start ups.
John

 

[Avocet]

Wife's Kodiaq uses the 2 litre (150 horse) VAG diesel and the cam belt interval is 5 years / 60,000 miles. Car hasn't even done 40k yet, but we hit the 5 years in October, so got the cam belt and water pump done.