The Audi stealership is telling me that the timing be;t must be replace at 105000 miles.
We have spoken with a few other Audi A4 2.0T owners with well over 100000 miles.
and they have not replaced the timing belts. They have 136000 - 183000 miles on their cars with no issues.
Is changing the timing belt a must do? OR is it just a money maker for the stealership.

 

nothing is ever a must do. however, when that belt breaks, you're looking at a new engine. it all comes down to whether you want to risk it or not. 100k miles is a stretch, i'd stick to about 80k miles just in case.

 

Different manufacturers recommend different mileage intervals. I'd check your owner's manual (if available) for exact mileage suggestions.

I try to do my car's timing belt/water pump every 50-60k. It's not worth the risk, as it can be very pricey to rebuild your engine or have a new one put in because of negligence.

The timing belt went out on our current VW Beetle, unexpectantly at 53k. This left me stranded just outside Searchlight, NV at 2am. Luckily the car was still under warranty and the dealership covered the engine replacement.

Hope this helps...

 

i'd do it out of peace of mind.

 

Granted it was a sales person telling me this, but I specifically asked if the new Audi's (I was coming from a 96 A4) still had to have their timing belts replaced at 80k. He said they moved to a chain and it no longer had to be replaced (I forgot what he said was the recommended mileage, but it was over 100k I thought). Sorry, just hearsay.

 

Yes, get it changed. 100K is pretty standard, different manufacturers recommend different intervals, but they around the 100K mark. Ounce of prevention....

Oh, and the chain versions break too. Google 2003 Ford Explorer and see what I mean (not that I am not comparing a Ford and Audi quality). I only mention because we had a 2003 Explorer that became a gigantic paper wieght.

 

Oh yeah chain can certainly break, they'll also stretch over extended periods of time. I come from the Jeep world where the majority of engines are chain driven and is almost unhead of to need to change the timing chain. Then again they're mostly non-interference engines so if it breaks it isn't nearly as big of a deal.

 

What is the expected cost to replace the timing belt on an A4 2.0T

 

Your best bet is to just call around to a few reputable shops, or your dealer if you prefer that route. Timing belt replacement involves some extensive labor. Past experiences for me when replacing timing belt has roughly been around $550-700 with parts and labor. I also, always, have my water pump replaced when they do this, since they'll have easy access to it, in most cases (included in my estimate).