60,000 k service, ouch!

[petenkaz]

Hi all
Got a quote for my 60,000 k service for my Kombi Beach, looks as though it will be $1,900 as it involves timing belt change. This was from one of the Brisbane VW dealerships. Does anyone have any ideas on alternatives? Normally I get charged $400 just for an oil change by these guys so there must be someone out there who can do the job well, but cheaper!

[barrenjoey owl]

Contact Jimmy Mac, Forum Sponsor 0423 965 341

[4wheels]

What timing belt? Kombi beach = T5 5cyl 96Kw (or are there others? Always good to specify in your post). Gear driven cam like my 128 I thought. My 60K service at Burwin's (Feb 2010) was $867, including Haldex service for 4Motion. I'd suggest you find some-one who at least knows what engine you've got.

Brian R.

[Transporter]

From the specs sheets there are Kombi Beach with 75kW 4 cyl. engines

[Sunny43.5]

Yes I can recommend JMac he has helped me with advice and has serviced my T5 2.0 lt , van he did major service and timing belt and water pump a hell of lot less than VW wanted . As a side line I rang a dealer here in Brissie told them I needed a service done on our other T5 128 TDI model and was told that the timing belt would need to be done cost around $1400 , but what blew me away was I got Jimmy around to quote on same job only to be told that our T5 doesn,t have a timing belt it has a gear driven cam . I just wonder when the dealer was going to tell me the same thing or maybe I would pay the price without asking , nice profit for them if I had let them do it . Also makes me wonder about 3 years ago the water pump started leaking , VW charged $1350 or there abouts for water pump and minor service , when I asked the cost they explained that the engine would have to be removed to do the water pump ?????? .Now I should have been supicious as they rang me later that same day and said it was finished now I never had any way of knowing did they remove the engine or use a short cut and do the pump without removing the engine but still charged the same . Its no wonder people loose faith with service departments . I also read on the Brick Yard today someone in England who did his water pump without special tools or experience and did not remove the engine and it only took him a few hours to do Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm makes you wonder . Howard

[BrianJ]

I thought there was only 5cyl 96kw beaches brought to Australia which have no timing belt, I have one myself and get it service at German Autos Geebung on Brisbane northside now that it is out of warranty.

Brian

[petenkaz]

Thanks all, you're right Brian, the Beach was only in the 5cyl 96kw to my knowledge. I would have thought the Brisbane VW dealer (won't name) would have known, but hardly suprised. I get crap service from them anyway so feel no loyalty to them, just like the thought of having the same dealership for my service history. Seems like I need to ring around a bit. I will check with both recommended to see what they think.

[Transporter]

I would expect when you ring them for the quote and especially being a regular customer, they would bring your van's specs on the computer screen and qualified personnel should give you reasonably accurate quote.

[jfoldbar]

dont want to scare you, but that aint half what youll pay when you get to 200,000klms

[petenkaz]

Thanks all, as it is a salary sacrifice I need to do 25,000 k's a year so i'm racking up services about a year before they should really be due, should be out of the arrangement by the end of next year, that means that 200,000 k's hopefully will be a very distant thing!
With regards to the qualified personnel, I hear you, however these are the same goose(s) that each time they service my car they don't even bother to put something over the carpet. Light grey and greasy bootmarks don't mix well! Also don't know if it is just another dealer upsell.
I will ring around to check it out as there seems to be a mixed response as to whether it is necessary, if so I will see who I get to do the work.
Also need at least new front tyres, i'm sure the dealers will be wanting a piece of that action too!

[petenkaz]

Hey all, guess what? they got it wrong. My beach doesn't have a timing belt so it will be $890 for oil and filters. So I will be ringing Jimmy Mac and a few others shortly just to compare. Not too concerned about who put the stamp in my books any more, just that it's there when it should be.

[Sunny43.5]

Hey Petenkaz it makes you wonder how many people go to the VW dealers without checking facts first , I know I made that mistake when our water pump started leaking they told me it would require removing the engine as it was fitted internally , if you read earlier in this thread I said that they rang me 3 pm that same day to say it was finished ???? whole engine removed new water pump and refit in less than 6hrs including lunch morning tea etc Idon,t think so and a $1300 bill to boot . In this day and age a good quality mechanic like Jmac with a laptop can do any thing VW can do for less and no bull**** either . The same Vw dealer also told me that I would need the timing belt done at 60,000 ks doh!!! what timing belt ?? as Jmac told me the 128 T5 2004-5 does not even have a timing belt its gear driven !! Howard

[petenkaz]

Sadly I think the majority of us just blindly accept what they tell us, well at least the mechanically challenged like myself (I'm sure they rotated and balanced my tyre caps last time). I rang Jmac yesterday, nice guy but busy. Just got to get off my butt and send him my VIN so he can figure out the cost for me and then find a time.

[Tewbacca]

I was travelling in my van last year and got up to the Gold Coast where it needed a 75000k service. On returning to the VW Specialist to collect it, I was told my 128kw van needed a timing belt done urgently. Told not to drive it back to Tasmania and if I did, I would be foolish. As I was leaving to return to Hobart that very day I decided to risk it and drive home. On returning to Hobart I drove around for a couple of months holding my breath that the timing belt wouldn't break. I really couldn't afford the 1200 dollars the Gold Coast guys said it would cost, hence my reluctance to get it done on my return. Imagine my surprise when I finally went to the local VW agents here in Hobart to get a quote from them to be told straight away, that I dont have a timing belt. I can only imagine now that the Gold Coast mob were trying to take advantage of an interstate traveller and wanting to make a quick buck.

[Transporter]

I was travelling in my van last year and got up to the Gold Coast where it needed a 75000k service. On returning to the VW Specialist to collect it, I was told my 128kw van needed a timing belt done urgently. Told not to drive it back to Tasmania and if I did, I would be foolish. As I was leaving to return to Hobart that very day I decided to risk it and drive home. On returning to Hobart I drove around for a couple of months holding my breath that the timing belt wouldn't break. I really couldn't afford the 1200 dollars the Gold Coast guys said it would cost, hence my reluctance to get it done on my return. Imagine my surprise when I finally went to the local VW agents here in Hobart to get a quote from them to be told straight away, that I dont have a timing belt. I can only imagine now that the Gold Coast mob were trying to take advantage of an interstate traveller and wanting to make a quick buck.

...or the mechanic didn't know much about your van.