My son's VW Golf needs a Drive Belt replaced, is it covered by the manufacturer's warranty.

It's a 15 plate done just over 20,000 miles.

Has it got full service history and or any modifications?

Drive belt? to the best of my knowledge cars don't have drive belts since they have drive shafts, do you mean cam belt, aux belt, fan belt?

I would argue the toss with the garage that sold the car. A cam belt is the most important part of the engine and should have a life of at least 50k, probably more unless there has been some contamination of the belt.

There should be no valid reason to change the belt at 20k.

even older cars originally estimate 36000+miles

This is the belt...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Continental-Contitech-V-Ribbed-Drive-Belt-6PK1025-AUDI-A3-VW-GOLF-VII-2-0TDI-/181404104345

They want about £100 to fit it, car has full service history, no modifications.

It was in for a service and I was told this belt needed replacing car is booked in with vw dealer and I'm hoping It'll be covered by the warranty.

Aaash, It's one of those things that "need" replacing (not) and warranty doesn't cover it (it does).

In my experience the belt is fine and the dealer is milking it.

Report to VW head office in UK and Germany.

how do they know that the belt needs replacing???

The service they do doesn't involve anything more than sucking a bit of the old oil out and putting fresh one in along with a new filter if you're lucky (most times just a wipe of the old one).

To access the belt they'll have to take two covers off which they won't do.

Did they also say that you need new wiper blades, light bulbs and tyres?

Hi King,

The car was bought from Arnold Clark, that's who serviced it, my son noticed a repeating noise from the engine and mentioned this before the service.

Arnold Clark said the belt needed replaced and it would cost just over £100, but they suggested I go to a VW main dealer and get it changed under warranty.

The car is booked in to a VW main dealer on the 27th so they can check it out.

As the car has been serviced accordingly to schedule (unless Arnold Clark just stamped the book and washed the car), VW should fix any problem with the cambelt.

VW should fix any problem with the cambelt.

Except that it is not the cambelt! It is a multiribbed auxiliary drive belt, commonly called a 'serpentine belt' (see post #6)

In my experience the belt is fine and the dealer is milking it.

If you cannot recognize the difference between a cambelt and an aux drive belt, one could question your experience.

We do not know why a replacement was recommended, it could be that one of the ribs has been damaged, by a flying stone for example, which could account for the 'repeating noise' in post #8.

Or it could be contaminated by oil or other fluid. We do not know so should not cast judgement on the servicing agent until the facts are known.

I am aware of the bad opinion that some regular posters have of Arnold Clark, but lets hold fire until the vehicle has been examined by the VW dealer.

Excuse my superficiality in not reading every comma of the thread.

I wrongly deduced that op was referring to a cambelt.

I withdraw from this discussion before I get stoned to death in the village square.

To the op: Auxiliary belts are very easy to change and inspect.

Get a second opinion from any mechanic who would inspect the belt and show you its conditions.

If VW charges you for diagnostic and they find no fault, make sure you bill the "experts" at [...] Arnold Clarks.

VW should fix any problem with the cambelt.

 

Except that it is not the cambelt! It is a multiribbed auxiliary drive belt, commonly called a 'serpentine belt' (see post #6)

 

In my experience the belt is fine and the dealer is milking it.

 

If you cannot recognize the difference between a cambelt and an aux drive belt, one could question your experience.

 

We do not know why a replacement was recommended, it could be that one of the ribs has been damaged, by a flying stone for example, which could account for the 'repeating noise' in post #8.

 

Or it could be contaminated by oil or other fluid. We do not know so should not cast judgement on the servicing agent until the facts are known.

 

I am aware of the bad opinion that some regular posters have of Arnold Clark, but lets hold fire until the vehicle has been examined by the VW dealer.

OMG, a sensible answer on a thread about Drive Belts. I must be dreaming.

If a part fails because of a manufacturing defect within the warranty period then its generally covered. If it does not, it isn't.

H

But on the flip side.

http://www.am-online.com/news/dealer-news/2017/02/20/arnold-clark-dealership-wins-volkswagen-top-award

AC win VW award.

H

The award was won by one particular dealer, not AC as a whole organisation.

I wouldn't let them even wash my VW, let alone service it...

As you are probably aware AS has won several awards. Most of these were where sharkie was nominated by publishing organisations----he was one of their largest customers.

In this area, they no longer hold the Volvo & Honda franchises !!!!!

I've said it before but it's worth another mention, manufacturers rarely terminate dealers. More often than not dealers give up franchises due to unrealistic sales targets. I suspect this was the case with Volvo and Honda.

H

Now chaps ..less of the handbags at dawn..keep this civil.

Andy

I've said it before but it's worth another mention, manufacturers rarely terminate dealers. More often than not dealers give up franchises due to unrealistic sales targets. I suspect this was the case with Volvo and Honda.

 

H

I think you are partially right. At that time, Volvo did not have a range that would sell well in this area. They built a brand new showroom which today stands boarded up. Honda however is a different story in that Honda has always sold well in this area because of their reliability reputation. So why did they lose the franchise ?????

Off topic posts unapproved...I did warn you.

Andy

I have a quote from Arnold Clark : Advise Aux Belt Noisy, Advise Renewal.

Labour Hours: 0.8

Labour Rate: £85.00

Labour Cost: £68.00

Part Number 6PK1025

Part Price £23.41

Total £91.40

Total Inc Vat £109.69

Is it better showing this to the VW main dealer when handing the car in tomorrow.

Dropped the car off yesterday morning at 9.15, got a phone call at 3pm from a VW technician saying they could not hear any noise or find anything wrong with the car and could they keep it overnight and see if they could find anything starting it from cold in the morning.

They phoned at 9.15 this morning, saying the timing belt tensioner needed replacing as this fault could cause serious damage to the engine.

They would have to order the part so would need to keep the car overnight again, they will phone me tomorrow to let me know what the score is.

Got the car back today, problem sorted, no charge.

I haven't seen it yet but my son says it's sounding and running a lot better, they even gave it a hoover and wash.

Bit of a pain not having the use of it for 3 days but just glad there was not any more damage done.