Cam belt

[Enforcer]

Hello,

I'm on the verge of buying a Golf MK5 GTI - it's a 56 plate - and I'm hoping you kind folk can answer my question.

I had heard that the cam belts on these cars should be changed every 80k miles or 4 years. However the garage is insisting it is every 120k miles - they showed me a section in the service book which said this.

Can anybody confirm the official recommendation?

Thanks in advance.

[Keithuk]

According to Autodata its replacement every 115,000 miles or 4 years which ever comes first. 

[Upperoilcan]

Just had mine done 4yrs old and on 57000 miles....

My GF has just had her's done aswell,her car is on a 05 plate with 40000 miles.

[winrya]

Hello,

I'm on the verge of buying a Golf MK5 GTI - it's a 56 plate - and I'm hoping you kind folk can answer my question.

I had heard that the cam belts on these cars should be changed every 80k miles or 4 years. However the garage is insisting it is every 120k miles - they showed me a section in the service book which said this.

Can anybody confirm the official recommendation?

Thanks in advance.

Vw have updated it to 4 years or 60k

[Mikester]

Ive just bought one and its on 50k and 4.5 years old, having cambelt done now.

[Enforcer]

Thanks guys.

I think I'll put it through a cambelt/waterpump/service as soon as I get the car to be on the safe side - I'll search out some independent specialist prices!

[nick30]

i had mine done at 25k as it made a horrible noise. its quite common on the tfsi's.

[lowdown]

I emailed VW and they said

"Our Technical Team have confirmed that the recommendation for the Timing Belt replacement is 120,000 miles or every 4 years, whichever comes first.  If the water pump was to fail at a later date the same workscope would have to be carried out as for the
replacement of the belt  and so, it can be cost effective to have the water pump replaced at the same time as the belt."

[Enforcer]

I emailed VW and they said

"Our Technical Team have confirmed that the recommendation for the Timing Belt replacement is 120,000 miles or every 4 years, whichever comes first.  If the water pump was to fail at a later date the same workscope would have to be carried out as for the
replacement of the belt  and so, it can be cost effective to have the water pump replaced at the same time as the belt."

Thanks Lowdown and well done on a getting an official answer - that helps greatly

[Davstylee]

I emailed VW and they said

"Our Technical Team have confirmed that the recommendation for the Timing Belt replacement is 120,000 miles or every 4 years, whichever comes first.  If the water pump was to fail at a later date the same workscope would have to be carried out as for the
replacement of the belt  and so, it can be cost effective to have the water pump replaced at the same time as the belt."

Is it me or does the whole 120,000 miles or 4 years seem a little weird? For most it would mean a change every 4 years, unless you do 30,000 miles a year. Isn't the average millage only 12,000 miles a year? If that is the case then you would have only done 48,000 miles. How can they on one hand say it will last 120,000 miles but then on the other only 4 years? Just seems weird to me.