Is there any way to know when your timing belt will go?
 

Please bear with me as I don't know much about mechanics :) We have a 2001 TDI Jetta-standard. At around 40 000 miles (60 000 km) we had the timing belt replaced. At that point the vw dealer told us it was cracked and had to be replaced (even though they normally last almost double that amount of time). So fast forward to now...we have 90 000 miles (145 000 km) and we're wondering whether it needs to be replaced again. Last June the dealer told us it looked good and should last a while however we've recently found a mechanic that we like but he says that there's "no way to tell" whether a timing belt is going to go. So is there any way to tell whether you need a new timing belt? I trust our mechanic but I can't understand why he's telling me that there's no way to tell if we need a new one. Any advice or thoughts? Car is running fine but we are taking a trip from Canada to California and I don't want to be stuck anywhere. Also if the timing belt goes does it destroy your enngine? What's the worse that can happen? Thanks so much for any advice...it is much appreciated! We spent over $5000 last year alone on repairs so another $1200 for a timing belt right now is just not something I want to do :)

RE: Is there any way to know when your timing belt will go?
 

If you paid $1200 for a timing belt you got hosed. the belt
only cost about $ 70.00, the rest is labor. Most of the time
a belt replace runs $400.00 unless you got a lot of stuff to
remove to get to the belt.
Your (mechanic ? ) Technician is correct, no way to tell
if the belt needs replacing. The factory says they will go
80,000 or 100,000 miles, that's bunk, they will go that long
if your a little old lady and creap along. If you want insurance on the engine, replace the belt every 40,000 to
50,000 miles, that's cheep insurance, because if it breaks
( the little teeth come off the belt, not broken half into)
it will destroy the engine and then it will cost.

RE: Is there any way to know when your timing belt will go?
 

hey, dont mean to contradict smoking dog, but the listed maintenance interval for the timing belt set by the dealer is enough to protect you from pootching your valves and pistons. on the tdi's it may be a little more expensive to do the job because they also have to time the injection pump, it's not hard to do but its an extra task, and therefore they charge you for it.