When should the timing belt and water pump be replaced on my 2005 A4T. I have 82,000 miles. What is a reasonable price for the job? I live in South Denver. Finservman

 

I have heard prices ranging from $1200 to about $1800. The job should be done at around 60k mile intervals.

 

60k? My 2008 2.0 A4 is every 115k miles. I just had it done and it ran $900 with a new water pump.

 

It isn't every 115k, it's every 60-65k. Knowledge gained over the years shows that the hydraulic tensioners get weak. If they fail, bye bye cylinder head. To the OP, do it now.

 

What am I missing? My owners manual says 115k.

 

Owners manual was written before any car but a few development mules had seen any road time. They can write what they want but thousands of owners putting tens of millions of miles on these cars find out in the real world what intervals are legitimate for servicing. Can some cars go 200k miles on the original setup? Sure. Will others blow at 20k miles? Bet your ***. Do the majority go 65k or more per timing system? Yes. That's why it's a safe interval. The repair cost isn't worth trying to go much beyond 65k. With all the timing jobs I've done, belts are almost always perfectly fine, and the tensioners are almost always 90% extended or more by the time they hit 60k service miles. I'm not willing to change my engine in an effort to put off a service I'm gonna have to do anyhow. Collective wisdom is 60-65k miles. Your results may vary. Your car, your choice, but I don't like to tempt fate.

 

I can see and understand your point. I do not agree with it. After over 20 years experience in the auto service industry I have never once recommended a customer change their timing belt at just past halfway to the recommended point. Would imagine that they would accuse me of trying to rip them off if I did. I did change mine at right around 105K. I would not recommend pushing it all the way to 115k.

 

1.8t no later than 75k or you will be paying for machine shop work.... 2.0t, 95k is a nice number.

 

This.

DIY that ****.