Mk5 GTI Cambelt change interval

[Nib5y]

After a little advice, just recently bought an 05 Golf GTI with the FSI engine, it has 9 years of receipts from inchcape with lots of work carried out. My question is do i need to replace cambelt and water pump and pulley/tensioner now. It was previously done in August 2020 with receipt to prove and I called a local independent VW specialist and they suggested that VW have changed the recommended interval to 120,000 miles with no age and suggested to get it done in another 2 years or 80,000 miles, so 7 years old. car has done 27,000 miles since last change. any advice would be greatly appreciated on whether to change now or give it a couple of years. Car is bog standard with no modifications and has been very well looked after, it has had cam chain done in November 2023 and cam follower last year. Let me know what you think?

[GVK]

If it's bothering you get it done, it will always be in the back of your mind. 

[Octoparrot]

Personally I'd be happy to leave it for a couple of years.

[mjmallia]

VW/Audi lowered their recommendation many years ago when I worked at the HQ UK due to premature breakages and not all cars running genuine kit.  I get my cambelt changed every 4 to 5 years or 60k miles religously........I just do not do many miles (3k a year) so it is done on age for me.

I also did my cam chain, tensioner and cam phaser(often overlooked but gets worn and grooved out reducing oil pressure) about a year ago ..........and while your in there I did the carbon clean on inlet valves and serviced the injectors.  All peace of mind but runs a lot smoother now after all that carbon crap was removed and the cam phaser timing is perfect now (there are posts on here somewhere)

I also upgraded the coolant plumbing to the later design (posts on here) to improve coolant flow and warm up, but to mainly remove the inline stats that always fail.....hense VW's redesign on later GTI's (mine is a 2005) where they are deleted but the pipework is also different

[Nib5y]

Thanks for all the advice so far, if I replace now does anyone have an opinion on what make of kit to go for? I value the advice as I want took after her well!

[Octoparrot]

I'd try to go for INA or Continental. Not all kits include the water pump.

[ZoliWorks]

I mixed INA for main belt and tensioner and HEPU for waterpump and accessory belt. It was done 2 years ago, 50k km ago so i'm re doing it probably next week.

[Nib5y]

Thank you very much for the advice, still in two minds as the local VW specialist was saying 7 years/80,000 miles, ill price everything up and make the decision.

[MKVASMR]

My INA waterpump started leaking after 20k km and around 1 year. So next time going with OEM.

[mjmallia]

I always get OEM  for the cam belt kits I used over the years......I use TPS who supply the main dealers.

The belts used to be made by Continental not sure about the pumps and pulleys etc.