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I've had my 2001 Polo GTi for about 6months, and unfortunately the cambelt snapped on the M1 last week! The car is currently with a local garage, and they've taken the head off and sent it to a local engineering firm to get it checked out for damage.

I won't know anymore details than that unfortunately, but I think these are interference engines arent they, so going to be some if not all the valves bent, possible damage to valve guides as well.

Anyone been unlucky enough to have one of these go on them? If the quote for the repair is really high, anyone know how much a new engine is likely to cost?

Great little car, but after already spending £700+ on a new clutch, wheel-bearings and some bits for MOT I'm a bit gutted about the belt going!

What!! £700 for a clutch and few bits!!!!!!!!!!!!

ticki wrote:What!! £700 for a clutch and few bits!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think the new clutch and clutch cable was about £300, £300 odd for 3 new wheel bearings fitted (would have been £100 if the right one got changed first off!!) and needed about £100 of work forthe MOT.

Pretty gutting about the belt snapping, and I'm not looking forward to getting the quote for repairs on Monday - I'm guessing it'll be in the region of £400-600

unlucky man.

whats the mileage on the car?

ticki wrote:unlucky man.

whats the mileage on the car?

Done 96k, and 'apparently' had a new belt at 77k...

At least if the repair cost isnt too drastic, and I decide to go ahead, then I'll know its got a new belt on! Learnt my lesson on this one tho - next time I buy an old-ish car I'm getting the belt changed first thing!

indeed my friend. Unless the cambelt is recorded on the VW database, then get it replaced regardless.

Cambelt on the GTi should get changed every 40k.

I had mine replaced as soon as i bought mine (55k) regardless of the fact that the previous owner claimed it had been done.

so that makes that 2 cambelts changes for me in the last 3 years.

I hope you get it all sorted. good luck

That sucks man but we have all been there, im in the 2 thousand pound mark with repairing my car due to it obviosly not bein looked after wen i got her!

The gearbox and pedal box all been done and al that?

Trottagti wrote:That sucks man but we have all been there, im in the 2 thousand pound mark with repairing my car due to it obviosly not bein looked after wen i got her!

The gearbox and pedal box all been done and al that?

I'm near enough near the £1k mark already fixing mine.. But as you say obviously due to people not looking after their cars, dumb wits

Anywho, my cambelt was on the verge of snapping when I got mine - Previous owner had claimed it had been done 10k miles ago, so did the garage, idiots. You do learn your lesson, just hope it hasn't caused much damage.

Just had the bad news from the garage. All the valves bent - all the valve guides damaged, and the belt hadnt actually snapped - a tensioner had broken off the side of the engine. Total for repair quoted at £850

Managed to get them to agree to do it for £750 - pretty gutted to say the least.

Old cars - never again!!

How much do the GTi engines go for on ebay?? Won't be far off £750 will it???

That's gutting news.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VW-POLO-GTI-1-6-E ... 7C294%3A50

Give them a call and see if you can get the price down abit. I don't know if its the same engine code as urz but u probably can swap the bits u need from this one to urz.

why buy another engine? he may aswell have this one rebuilt? afterall he will be getting new cambelt etc etc????

I would agree with him...

Get the engine rebuild with all new bits and pieces and then you KNOW that it should be good for another 40K!

If you buy someone elses engine you are going to have to spend money replacing the cambelt on it and also run the risk of it being buggered...

I personally would rebuild the engine you have..... if it was me, I would do it myself and have a bit of a "fiddle" whilst I was at it

I've just gone ahead with the repairs at £750 - lot of cash, but to be honest considering the work its not really a bad price.

New reconditioned head, new gaskets inc head gasket, new cambelt kit, new head bolts, coolant, oil and filter (basically a complete top-end rebuild). As mentioned a new engine is a bit of an unknown.

At least it *should* run well once this has been done, and the garage are getting it all done by tomorrow which is a bonus

I'm going to have a stack of receipts when I come to sell this one anyway I suppose!

Id get it rebuilt mate then u deffo have a years free motoring if anything goes wrong ur coverd, just make sure everything else is up to date! Was the box ok and pedal box??