Service Audi now or later?

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gebbel

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My 2005 A4 is due it's scheduled service now at 101,000 km, and the timing belt is due to be changed at 120,000 km. Rather than give them the car twice in a relatively short space of time (I drive 600- 700km/ week), I was thinking it would be handy to get the 2 jobs done together at, say, 115,000 km. This way I only have to give them the car once, and it may also save some cash. On the other hand, I want to be too reckless. The car is driving perfectly and I check the oil level every week. Is it a bad idea to wait 14,000 km to have it serviced?
Thanks
 
Why not buy the correct spec VW oil, oil filter and sump-plug / washer and have a local mechanic do it to the correct schedule, then turn it over to the main dealer for the big work?

As its probably out of warranty anyway, once you get a receipt for the oil change and parts, they can't argue with you.

If its a diesel engine its not a good idea to push it past the specified service interval.
 
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gebbel said:
....the timing belt is due to be changed at 120,000 km. ....
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120km for a second timing belt? Have you got a second opinion on this? I have an Audi 14, albeit a lot older, but my timing belt was changed at 80km & 160km.
 
I assume it's on the longlife servicing? I wouldn't push an oil service out as far as you are proposing, especially not on a diesel. I think an interim service as suggested is a good idea. If it was me though, I'd just get them both done now TBH.

Recently VAG have been backtracking on the suitability of longlife servicing unless the vehicle is used in "perfect" conditions. The quoted timing belt change intervals (my 2.0 petrol says 115k miles!) are also far too ambitious, current sensible advice is no more that 60k miles/5 years. It's not the belts, apparently, it's the tensioners etc. Make sure they do the waterpump too.

SSE
 
sse said:
...

Recently VAG have been backtracking on the suitability of longlife servicing unless the vehicle is used in "perfect" conditions. The quoted timing belt change intervals (my 2.0 petrol says 115k miles!) are also far too ambitious, current sensible advice is no more that 60k miles/5 years. It's not the belts, apparently, it's the tensioners etc. Make sure they do the waterpump too. ...
Click to expand...
Yep. Purportedly introduced to keep maintenance costs down for lease companies / fleet operators, on newer models, VAG are back-tracking on some maintenance "cost-saving measures" introduced in the past, for example,

- Long-life oils and servicing replaced by fixed-interval services
- Toothed cam-belts being replaced by timing chains
- Plastic-impeller water-pumps replacted by metal-impeller ones
- Consolidation of multi-spec oils across the various petrol / diesel engine ranges with the newer and easier to understand 504 / 507 specs.

Personally, I wouldn't let a timing belt in a VAG engine go beyond 4 years without without a change, irrespective of mileage, and then change it and the roller, tensioner, water-pump, coolant, auxiliary belt and any engine-mounts or bolts removed in the process.
 
My garage said that they change timing belts at 100,000kmsBut recomend earlier I got it done at 92k
If the belt failed it would cost a lot more then the cost of a new belt.
Mine cost €570 including a service.
I would do it now.
Incidentely I get my A4 (2004) model serviced every 9000 miles and I have never had any problems.
First brake pads replaced at 56,000 miles great car changing next year to one of the new A4's
 
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