Posted: 8/11/2009 3:11:30 PM EDT
| I have a 95 Geo Prizm - same as Toyota Corolla. The timing belt was changed at 73K miles in 2001. The car sat in a garage a lot now has 95K miles. Should the belt be replaced because of age? It only has a little over 20K miles on it but is 8 years old. Its a $350 or so job for a shop - I don't really want to do myself and don't want to spend the cash if I don't need to. |
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It'd probably be a good idea to replace it, it gets pretty hot here, and the belt is rubber so it will deteriorate. I think toyota suggests every 60 or 90k or five years.
I'm a Toyota certified mechanic in Phoenix, I'll do the job for half of what you have listed ($175.00), and that includes the belt. Drive belts would be extra, but I get a discount on parts, so they'd be factory Toyota parts, and cheaper than if you picked 'em up on your own. I could have done in the afternoon, if you dropped it off in the morning. |
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depends ive had timing belts break at 159k
ANd one on a 99 accord with 140K before breakage, just did it to do it, mechanic said the belt looked like it was replaced,told him nope,previous owner did not change it. They are now recommend to go at ( honda ) 105K,before 1st change.. I think the honda brand belt is better honestly.. |
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I've seen belts go 160k +, and brake pads that have lasted 80k miles, but why would you want to risk it? If it breaks, you're screwed. Tow bill, maybe some bent valves, and then you're completely at the shops mercy.
You'll never get me to agree about anything on a Honda being better than a Toyota, I hate Hondas with a passion! |
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If it were my car, I'd replace it. Rubber breaks down over time, and the timing belt is the last belt you want to break on a car like a Corolla with an interference engine.
ETA - I'm a Mitsubishi guy, but for comparison's sake, I had a customer with an '06 Eclipse with about 110K miles on it, never replaced the timing belt. It stripped a half dozen or so teeth off the belt at the crank and jumped time. By the time the dust settled, their final bill was something like $2400, parts, labor, machine work, etc. A timing belt service would have been about $350. Pay now, or pay later. |
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Quoted:
If it were my car, I'd replace it. Rubber breaks down over time, and the timing belt is the last belt you want to break on a car like a Corolla with an interference engine. ETA - I'm a Mitsubishi guy, but for comparison's sake, I had a customer with an '06 Eclipse with about 110K miles on it, never replaced the timing belt. It stripped a half dozen or so teeth off the belt at the crank and jumped time. By the time the dust settled, their final bill was something like $2400, parts, labor, machine work, etc. A timing belt service would have been about $350. Pay now, or pay later. This is what I'm talking about. Pay me now, or pay me later. You decide how much and when you wanna pay it. I did a little time as a Mitsu tech, made a lot of money doing it, too. 
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