I have a 2001 Audi A8 Quatro, with 106,000 miles. Should the timing belt be replaced? What should it cost me to have a mechanic do so?
look in your owners manual. that will tell you the interval for your timing belt replacement. should be around 1000 bucks tops, including waterpump, and tensioner and pulley replacement. just do them all at the same time, or it will cost you around 600 bucks, twice when they go too.
you bet it should be replaced. You are driving on borrowed time and lucky it has not slipped or broken. What it will cost is not so much compared to what it might cost if you let it break before you have it fixed. A timing belt in time is worth nine. um or something like that.
the main cost is taking the side of the engine apart. you could probably get someone to just replace the belt for 500 or so. but while youre in there, it makes sense to replace the waterpump, the tensioner and the idler pulley for the timing belt. it doesn’t make sense to not replace all the associated parts while your in there. the main cost is the dissembly and reassembly of the engine.
oh yeah, if you do find someone who will do just the belt for you, i would strongly be skeptical of their intentions and professionalism for not doing the whole job, vs a part, hacked job.
Get it done. Your overdue by time and mileage, and this is an interference engine, meaning a belt break will wreck the engine. Get quotes. Prices vary in different areas of the country, but the $1000 cappy mentioned is a good ballpark.
Thank you all. You have been very helpful.
I must have missed the part where someone said this was the original belt.
Maybe it was changed at 80,000 miles 2 years ago.
I don’t think anyone said it was the original belt, but just assuming it is. You kight be right.
no one said it was the original belt. what was asked was: ‘should i replace it, and how much might it cost?’
instead of mincing words, maybe we should all be thankful that an ordinary auto owner is even concerned/thinking about such a boring topic as timing belt maintenance!
When was the last time you heard of an average car owner even aware of this type of concern?
I think it is great that someone shows even a modicum of interest in showing concern with such an important topic.