Should the timing belt be changed when the water pump is replaced on a 99 VW Beetle?

-I had the head redone with all misc part replaced, on 5/4/2011, cost around $2200, (thank god I had a warranty!) no more than a month on 05/12/2011 my temp light came on. Had the water pump replaced ....The the car just quit & wouldn't start. So I had a mechanic look at it & He stated that there was NO way the water pump was ever replaced. And then he went on to tell me that 3 valves came unseeded. God I am SOOOO sick of this car!! WTF!!!! Some body help me!If the water pump is driven by the timing belt it always gets replaced when a water pump that is leaking gets replaced. The antifreeze from the leaking water pump ruins a timing belt and any professional mechanic would never reuse the soaked old timing belt, it will only jump time and bend valves.Unfortunatly, it is better that you know what work needs to be done and how to do it. For the record the timing belt needs to be replaced at 100,000 miles and every 60,000 miles there after. Everything that touches the timing belt needs to be replaced when the timing belt is replaced. Normally just the water pump. You should always ask the mechanic for the old parts so that you know they have been replaced. But, it is even better if you can do the work yourself. WTF.
Seems like it might be a good idea to put a new timing belt on there while you're at it. If that thing goes then you will pretty much need a new engine.
Yes.
Nothing wrong with the car. Who you got to do the work...there is a problem there if they do not do the work and scam you out of money.



Yet, you are trusting a different mechanic?



Why did you go to a different mechanic? Why would you ever suspect the last mechanic to screw you ?



Bad water pump would not stop the car from running. Waterpump would not be replaced if that was not the reason for the temperature light coming on. Maybe they changed a temperature sensor. Check your receipt.



Water pumps do not usually fail - they only leak behind the pulley when they start to go..



"Then he went on to tell me that 3 valves came unseated"



Meaning "what, exactly?" I am unfamiliar with that terminology(as it is BS) His remedy would be(how many hundreds$)



It sounds like con # 2 See a third independent mechanic for their assessment. OR,



Go back to the dealer and let the dealer mechanic work on the vehicle. (I assume that is where you got the "warranty work" done at.)



Until you learn how to fix it or find a trustworthy mechanic who knows something (by asking other VW owners where they get their car fixed at).



FYI - the timing belt is replaced every 60,000 miles(100,000KM) regardless of whether the water pump gets replaced or not. I have swapped out 4 timing belts out of the same vehicle without touching the water-pump (it is fine so leave it alone).



It they can sell you a water pump, they will - but the belt can be removed without removing the water-pump.



If antifreeze should ever get on a timing belt, wash it off and dry the belt. There is nothing corrosive in antifreeze (otherwise you would not have rubber hoses connecting the engine to the radiator or rubber hoses to the heater core...- common sense dictates this line of thinking)



If you want to buy a new one, I won't stop you.but that is the reality.



They could have replaced the timing belt when they changed the head, but at that time I guess it was not necessary. It would be on your receipt for the head job.