# VW Jetta timing chain **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** jetta, volkswagen, timing-belts\ **Created:** [January 2, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-timing-chain/41708 "2010-01-02T20:04:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ChasEch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@ChasEch](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChasEch)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-timing-chain/41708/1 "2010-01-02T20:04:41Z")
03 Jetta diesel needs timing chain replaced. Dealership wants $950, national chain muffler shop will do it for $780. Chain has the tools required for the VW but hasn’t actually done a timing chain on VW, just a BMW. Is this a repair that should be done by someone who has done it time again; i.e. the dealership, or is it straightforward enough that I can save some money? ---
**Author:** ![mshugna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@mshugna](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mshugna)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-timing-chain/41708/2 "2010-01-02T20:32:08Z")
would you go to a surgeon for heart surgery that never performed the operation before? ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-timing-chain/41708/3 "2010-01-02T21:43:23Z")
We have a thresd running from a guy who snapped a head bolt off and he claims inexperience was the reason he did not know that his twisting of the head bolt was so over torqued causing it to break off. Are you sure you Jetta has a chain? I seem to remember the older VW diesels had a belt. What is the failure with your timing CHAIN? ---
**Author:** ![ChasEch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@ChasEch](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChasEch)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-timing-chain/41708/4 "2010-01-02T23:10:30Z")
That’s essentially my question is this heart surgery or is it something more basic? I’m being told it’s more basic, that cost is just getting to it. Like anyone would like to save cash, but yeah, if it’s heart surgery I’d pay more. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-timing-chain/41708/5 "2010-01-03T00:23:41Z")
Unless they have a VAG-COM or it’s recently updated younger brother, they don’t have all the tools. Even if they have it, it would appear they do lack the experience to handle anything out of the normal when it comes up, which is likely. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-timing-chain/41708/6 "2010-01-03T02:55:23Z")
I would look for a third option, an independent shop that specializes in vw’s or at least German cars to get a price. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 5:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-timing-chain/41708/7 "2010-01-03T05:10:15Z")
I checked and your Jetta Diesel uses a timing belt not a timing chain. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 3:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-timing-chain/41708/8 "2010-01-03T15:35:31Z")
Yea, I should have noticed that.