Beano

Hi Gareth, Sorry, Audi want £950 for the timing belt and tensioner only. The indi wants just over £1k for the above and the water pump. I’m crying because it’s a lot of dosh either way. Leigh.

Audi is now quoting me just shy of £950 for the job. I want to cry 😭 How can it possibly be so much!

Hello Magnet, Thank you for taking the time to reply. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking to have this work done ‘on the cheap’ but I don’t want my pants pulled down either. My A3 gets everything it needs, no expense spared 😁 In 25 years of driving, I’ve never owned a car that has needed a cam belt change, so I have no idea how much I should be paying. From my limited reading online, £750 seems about the right number, using genuine parts. I wish I had known the 1.5 TFSI CoD had a timing BELT and that it would need changing less than 18 months after buying it, I may have thought twice about buying the car. Lesson learned - don’t buy a 4 year old Audi with the original timing belt 🤦‍♂️

How much should I be paying for the above at a franchise dealer/Audi specialist? I’ve been quoted just over £1k by an independent specialist, which seems high.

Some of the buttons on the RHS of the MFSW have suddenly stopped working. Also, the backlight is not working at night. I’m being told this could be the clock spring, but would this not affect the rest of the buttons, horn, etc? The car was valeted recently and I’m thinking the wheel was exposed to moisture, etc. Anyone have any experience with this on the 8V?