Cambelt changes - How many has your motor had?

[Frenzy]

I will have owned my GTI 4 years in July. When i bought it from VW i got them to change the cambelt and water pump as part of the asking price as under the 4 years / 40k miles recommendation it needed doing due to age (not mileage she only had around 25k on the clock).

Since then I think i've put less than 12k miles on the clock  which is nowhere near the 'prescribed' change of 40k miles but obviously the 4 years will have elapsed.

So do i need to change it or not? Does a cambelt rot with age or use? 

[Tfsi_Mike]

74k miles, had 2 belt changes. Countless oil & filter & cam follower changes. (Do oil/filter every 5k or after a Trackday). 2 fuel filters.  Around 4/5 brake fluid flushes.

Plan on doing the cam chain & tensioner soon as that's not been done.

[Matthewsimone]

Mine has been done once in summer 2012 on my 57 plate Gti at 50k miles, car now on 70k so will do again in Summer of 2016 or 110k miles whichever comes first as the interval is actually 60k or 4 years not 40k 

[Tfsi_Mike]

Id never personally leave mine till 60k but I can be quite anal in that respect.  Especially with mine been tuned.

[Sug]

Mine was changed at 41k and will get another when it reaches 80k

[dazza]

Mine was done in April 2011. So by the looks of it i will be doing another DIY soon.

[StuF]

Mine has had 3 belt/water pump changes - the last one back in Oct 14
Although now about to clock 170k on an 08 plate

[raven8472]

People dwell on milleage but forget should also take into account age of the belt. 60k miles or 4 years ( which ever comes first). Get the water pump changed at the same time.

[PT82]

Mine has had one belt change. Had it done as soon as I bought it in August 2014 at 32k, now on 37k.

Although now about to clock 170k

 

[dazza]

Mine was done at 60k but going by the age 05 they should have done it before 2011. Unless they changed the interval from 6 to 4 years.

[Frenzy]

So should i change the belt this summer when it becomes 4 years since the last change even though i've done very little mileage on it (12k) or do you think i could get another year out of it without too much risk?

[Degudodger]

Given the damage a snapped or slipped cambelt can cause and the cost to fix personally i would change it with in the manufacturer recommendation. Pay the money, unless you like to live life dangerously 

[rich83]

2... needs one back of of the year.

[Degudodger]

My 2011 GTD @ 52k miles is due its first change Oct 2016 but i'm thinking about getting it done later this year purely because i'd rather not take the chance 

[numec]

Mine was changed in 2010 (25k miles) and 2nd in nov 2014 (48k miles).
Preventive maintenance = peace of mind.
Car is 56reg.