Posted: 2/28/2007 8:23:44 PM EDT
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And you guys know it is not for me. My (liberal its Americas fault) Sister bought a NIW Honda a couple years ago. It just went in for "Service" and it had the timing belt replaced. (im going to say from the google pics its an accord)  I wont say my traditional, "But I thought it was supposed to run forever and cost nothing" routine and get to me question. She Did she a) get get ripped by the stealership. b) actually get it right. c) just get ripped by her stealership?? tia! |
She got ripped. Not that it isn't necessary but that a proper belt change can be done for under $200. Yes, they need to be done. But not at the $600 they charge. |
How many miles does the car have on it? Hondas typically are due for replacing the timing belt and water pump around 90k-100k miles. ETA: Of course having any major maintenance done at any dealership will result in you being ripped off cost wise. |
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Yes, a timing belt replacement is routine maintenance. Honda usually specifies 105,000 mile depending upon model, engine. Hondas have "Interference" type engines that can sustain damage in the event of a timing belt failure. ETA:
Wrong. |
| Hondas will run forever, as long as you do the service work!!! If you treat it like crap it will turn into crap just like any other machine. T-belt comes up somewhere betwen 60 and 90K. Its a lot better to do it, if it breaks it'll bend the valves and cost a lot more. BTW- I've been working on Hondas for about 17 years. |
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My mechanic changed my timing belt, ALL of the drive belts, the water pump and put in a new fuel filter for under $500. Oh yeah, this was done at 100k. I kinda pushed it. Thank the Lord the T-belt didn't blow up causing mucho damage, but the belt didn't look that bad. |
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Honda usually have their scheduled "minor" maintenance and scheduled "major" - the timing belt is part of a major service that usually occurs around 90K or so, and they do usually cost quite a lot. Usually, about $700, IIRC, so maybe it was a little steep, but it's one of the FEW very expensive maintenance cycles on a Honda, and they are few and far between. Most Honda owners only pay it once in the lifetime of their car. |
I guess from the unifeid "yes", it is indeed honda routine maintenance. And she did indeed have to get it done. I cant wait for the next "Imports are superior to Domestic because" threads...  Thanks for the info. At least I know she didnt get ripped because 1) She is a female and 2) She married a urban metrosexual who knows zero about cars. Routine maintenance... |
Why laugh? Volvo is also very anal about customers performing the scheduled maintenance, and that is one of the reasons that the Volvo 240 series was an incredibly reliable car. If you took care of it, you could easily drive 300K or more. But that "routine maintenance" may involve replacing a part that you KNOW will not last 300K miles, like a water pump, instead of waiting for it to break. Of course, now that Volvo is owned by Ford, their quality has abolutely gone to hell - and I will never own another Volvo (and I was a very loyal Volvo owner). It's not meant as a "dig" against U.S. automakers, but I do believe Ford is destroying Volvo. |
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yes, timing belt changes are recommended, as others have said, at 90k-100k miles. no way in hell should it cost more than 300-400. mine costs just over 200. the nice thing about hondas is that they're non-interference so if the belt goes while you're driving it's not going to fuck your engine up. |
I don't think his sister is going to do the job herself. And that would be for some autozone parts too. |
If it involves a slight chance of breaking a nail, I can promise you she wont even think about doing it. And her husband....  I still remember him trying to fix the toilet roll dispenser. |
You realize it is not only imports that have the timing belt replaced as scheduled maintenance right? Almost every manufacturer recommends replacing many things including spark plugs, timing belt and all other belts, water pump, etc right around 100K miles. |
+1 on the blue part. She overpaid, but it's money well spent if it keeps the valves from Kabooming. |
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I had an Accord--I paid about $550 to have the timing belt changed right after I bought it (114,000 miles)--at a trusted private mechanic shop. A few months later the seal on the balancer shaft popped out and soaked the new belt with oil. $400 replaced it again and added a retainer ($8) to the oil seal. (Cheaper the second time as the water pump didn't need to be replaced.) It NEEDS to be done--usually only once in the life of the vehicle. |
A timing belt job for $200 ? This is 90% of the reason I'm getting out of the auto repair business after 20+ years . I typed up a long and detailed explanation how and why a typical 4 cyl Honda timing belt job should cost at least twice that , then deleted it but ya know what I don't care any more . From here on out I'm satisfied in two things . One is that it's no longer my job to explain why you don't really want a $200 timing belt job . Two , My vehicle will always run 
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Amen. I'm not a professional mechanic, but if somebody's willing to do that job for a mere $200, he's selling himself cheap. Timing belts are pretty labor intensive on most vehicles, and if you asked me to do it for $200 (parts and labor), I'd tell you to fuck off. There are easier ways to make more money. EDIT: And for that price, he's not including a water pump. Not replacing it at 110,000 miles while you're already in there is fucking retarded. |
Hondas use interference cylinder heads.....ie: if that rubber band breaks...the pistons will trash the valves.....I gar-un-tee it.  |
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Hondas and Toyotas have both been documented to have been driving over 1 MILLION miles, with only the regular scheduled maintenace. I would count that as a VERY reliable vehicle. ALL vehicles need regular maintenance anyway. Here is one guy who drove his Toyota pick up to 1 MILLION miles: Race to Retirement |