supermurph

Hello peeps!
Am looking to join the world of SKODA, this is my first posting! I am looking at buying a 01 1.8T Octavia Elegance with 80k miles on the clock. It has full Skoda history up to 70k miles but according to the service history hasnt had the cambelt changed yet.

I was wondering if the cambelt hasnt been changed within 4yrs or 60k miles is this a reason not to buy the car? Or is it a case of very lucky hasnt gone but needs to be replaced immediately?

The garage selling the car are an independent and are willing to do a service (free) and change the cambelt but looking to split the cambelt cost and charge me an extra £150 on top of the price of the car. I am thinking that they should do this anyway if they want to sell the car!

Is the cambelt a job that should be done at skoda dealer or is it straightforward job for any garage to do? Am not that mechanically minded but would it be easy to check that it has been changed? Also is there specific stuff that needs to happen at an 80k service?

Any other advice you can give about buying the car would be appreciated!
Cheers!

Goochie

Ask them to change the water pump too - well worth the small extra cost when changing the cambelt on a vehicle of this age. The pumps have a plastic impellor on the end which in a few cases has beroken up and leads to engine overheating.

Sadly there is no easy way to tell if it has been changed.

Try using the search function on these forums and you should find all the info you need.

Finally - Welcome to Briskoda.

fatty5000

To be honest the £150 they want to charge you aint bad if you get it done yourself your looking at £300 - £400

I'd go dutch with them plus if theres any problems you can always go back to them

HTH

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shar1296

My local specialist just charged me £370 for belt and pump (metal) which is pretty good, if you are confident the garage are gonna do what they say you may have a deal.........

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Craigs Car - 2001 Octavia VRS, 50K, ECU Remap, Bluetooth, Love it ! What next ??

farcrygamer

welcome to briskoda!

i don't know your area?

if you're within southeast/ Berkshire, i know the place at reading that would do complete job including water pump for around 250 pounds with one year warranty

place is called autotechnik in hurst berkshire. i also know another great independent garage in stratford called mj tech. the second is is a top notch in my opinion.

if any of those can help you just ask for contact details and i'll post them. i dont have their business cards with me at this moment, but i'll easily find them at home.

cheers

igor