I have an '01 Golf TDI with 302,000km on it....never going back to gas engines! Its due for its 3rd timing belt change. Do I really need to do this? The last 2 times I changed it, here was hardly any wear on it at all. I plan on keeping the car another 100,000km. Your thoughts are apreciated.
'01 GOLF TDI: Timing Belt...do I really need to change it?
Oct 18, 2007
3 Replies
Mpffffff.... no, you REALLY do not need to do any maintenance. Just change the engine when it fails.
You pays you money, you takes you chances.
Actually, I think you are trolling as it is not yet April.
Peter Wieck Wyncote, PA
NO... but keep about $2500 when it does break. Most don't usually show any signs of wear. It's the material when degrades over time from heat, ozone, etc. I was told in the big cities which have a lot of pollution(ozone) rubber stuff like belts, hoses, etc degrade much faster.
You really, really, really need to do it if you plan on keeping the car another 10,000 km, never mind 100k. The sound of a timing belt break on a diesel is the sound of the engine wishing you well on its way to, at best, the surgery; and at worst, the boneyard. You cannot skimp on maintenance on diesels, period.
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