Time for New Car?

[xaeniac]

Ok I got a 2001 Focus ZX3 w/ 123,000 miles. I need to change the timing belt on it since that has never been done as of yet and don't want to be stranded and have to pay for a tow. Changing the timing belt and water pump will cost me in the ball park of ~$500-$600. The car has been a great car and still runs well. Should I run the car until the timing belt breaks (which imo is a bit late to start looking for a car)? Should I pay for the timing belt fix and roll it until it blows up? Should I sell it for hardly anything and buy a car now? I dont like pouring money into an older vehicle, but may be better than buying a new car. Whats your take on it?

 

[SearchMaster]

Are you having other issues with the car? Can you find another more reliable car for less than the cost of the repair ($500)?

If you're just sick of the car and it breaks down twice a month, then get a new one. But if this standard maintenance item is the only issue with it, pay the money and get it done. You stated that the car is great and runs well, I can't imagine why this is more than a nanosecond of discussion.

 

[LTC8K6]

Timing belt and water pump, I'd think.

 

[xaeniac]

Yeah guess you are all right. Just don't like someone tinkering with the engine when the engine has never been tinkered with besides spark plugs. Plus I don't have a mechanic, so don't have much trust in them./

 

[jlee]

There are a few good mechanics around. Do you have any 'car guy' friends? They could probably point you in the right direction.

 

[DietDrThunder]

Have the timing belt changed and keep on driving it. I let my wife convince me to sell my '93 Buick last January because she kept telling me that it eventually is going to break down and leave me stranded. Now I see the guy who bought it driving it on my side of town all the time (I know it is my old car because of the bubbling window tint on the back window). I should have kept it and let my daughter drive it in 4 years. I've thought about buying it back but I noticed that the new owner is a heavy smoker and to me it is now not as desirable.

 

[PricklyPete]

Definitely get it fixed and keep it. If it is not braking down regularly...keep it and just keep the maintenance up. While the timing belt/water pump does require a lot of labor...it is not a "difficult" job. Any reasonably seasoned mechanic will have no issue doing the job.

 

[StageLeft]

Fix it.

 

[NutBucket]

A timing belt replacement is a stupid reason to get rid of a car unless it is in horrible condition otherwise.

Unless you feel like helping the automaker's bottom line, take it to a shop.

 

[HarryLui]

Yeah guess you are all right. Just don't like someone tinkering with the engine when the engine has never been tinkered with besides spark plugs. Plus I don't have a mechanic, so don't have much trust in them./

Tinker with?

How about the regular maintenance? Coolant change? ATF change? Air filter? Oil + filter change?

 

[xaeniac]

Tinker with?

How about the regular maintenance? Coolant change? ATF change? Air filter? Oil + filter change?

What I meant is that major mechanical work being done to this vehicle and not normal things I can do my self.

 

[NutBucket]

This isn't a rebuild. Its not major mechanical repair. Its regular maintenance. Hell, you can do this yourself if you have the time. For a first timer block out a weekend and you'll have it done.

 

[StageLeft]

This isn't a rebuild. Its not major mechanical repair. Its regular maintenance. Hell, you can do this yourself if you have the time. For a first timer block out a weekend and you'll have it done.

That's probably true, but as somebody who does my own stuff, too, I'm not sure I'd ever bother learning how to do a belt. It's just something that happens to need attention so infrequently that the inevitable substantial learning curve first time around is probably more hassle than it's worth.

 

[NutBucket]

Eh, no real learning curve. All the work is in removing stuff to gain access to the belt. After that just keep all the pulleys aligned and you're done.

 

[HarryLui]

Needs to change the tensioner, idler, and waterpump (if applicable) as well. Check the condition of the cam and crank seals, replace if they are leaking.

 

[angry hampster]

Get a service manual and appropriate tools along with the necessary new parts. Do it yourself for ~$500, gain knowledge and tools.

 

[mizzou]

i have a 95 saturn that is worth $0.00, but I keep on fixing things out of routine maintanence (tires, sensors, etc) because I can't purchase a car this reliable for just the cost of parts.

Granted if I had serious engine failure, it's obvious the car needs to go.

 

[Bignate603]

That's probably true, but as somebody who does my own stuff, too, I'm not sure I'd ever bother learning how to do a belt. It's just something that happens to need attention so infrequently that the inevitable substantial learning curve first time around is probably more hassle than it's worth.

It's not technically hard, it's just an absolutely annoying thing to do on some cars. I helped a friend change one on his focus and it was just a pain in the butt. There's quite a few things in the way. $500 to have somebody just do it is well worth the frustration.

As for if it's worth it, for $500 you get a car that you know is cheap to run, reliable, and meets your needs. There's no way you'll find that anywhere else.

If you don't have a mechanic you feel you can trust I highly recommend that you ask around. I tried a few mechanics and found one that's great. His hourly cost is a bit higher but he gets things done fast, done right, and he'll be honest about what needs to be fixed. Your friends, family, or coworkers can probably point you towards a good shop.

 

[DietDrThunder]

Ok I got a 2001 Focus ZX3 w/ 123,000 miles. I need to change the timing belt on it since that has never been done as of yet and don't want to be stranded and have to pay for a tow. Changing the timing belt and water pump will cost me in the ball park of ~$500-$600. The car has been a great car and still runs well. Should I run the car until the timing belt breaks (which imo is a bit late to start looking for a car)? Should I pay for the timing belt fix and roll it until it blows up? Should I sell it for hardly anything and buy a car now? I dont like pouring money into an older vehicle, but may be better than buying a new car. Whats your take on it?

Valves open further in an interference engine (engines with timing belts) and project further into the combustion chamber than in a 'free-running' engine (engines with timing chains). This allows outside air at atmospheric pressure to flow faster into the combustion chamber through the larger valve opening. The engine can therefore inhale more air, be a little smaller, and still create as much power. If the rubber timing belt breaks by not being replaced soon enough, some of the valves will stick in their open position and will collide with the top of the pistons, thereby breaking or irreversibly damaging one or the other or both. To make matters worse, it is not possible to measure the wear on such a rubber belt so that it could be replaced when there is some indication of imminent failure. Failure in these belts is catastrophic and without warning. Not replacing the timing belt at factory specified intervals is really playing a bad poker hand. Unless you replace the timing belt at the recommended interval, you are playing with a time bomb waiting to explode a giant hole in your wallet, either by the expense of the repair (which will cost you a lot more than the $500 to replace the belt) or by making your vehicle worthless for resale or trade-in.

 

[DainBramaged]

Definitely get it fixed and keep it. If it is not braking down regularly...keep it and just keep the maintenance up. While the timing belt/water pump does require a lot of labor...it is not a "difficult" job. Any reasonably seasoned mechanic will have no issue doing the job.

This

 

[StageLeft]

It's not technically hard, it's just an absolutely annoying thing to do on some cars. I helped a friend change one on his focus and it was just a pain in the butt. There's quite a few things in the way. $500 to have somebody just do it is well worth the frustration.

That's what I was thinking. Certain jobs like brakes are an easy win but this just seems a straight pain in the ass.

 

[ichy]

Do the repair. I have a similar car (2000 Focus, around 125k miles) and I had the timing belt done last year. I have no illusions that this car will make it to 200k miles or anything like that, but a few hundred bucks for routine maintenance is still more economical than getting a new car.

 

[BlackTigers]

Where are you located?

I can change a Zetec timing belt in 2.5 hours, I can give you a hand if you need it and if you're local.

And FWIW, the Zetec is NOT interference, I promise. Every shop manual on the planet will tell you it is, but it isn't, trust me.

I bought a "broken" zx2 a few months ago, spent $100 and fixed the timing belt that "bent valves" and the car ran like new. Unless you're running cams on it, then there will be no piston/valve contact.

 

[duragezic]

Get it fixed. That isn't a large amount of money to spend on that kind of car. My first car was that age and that miles. Of course, as time went on, more money needed to be spent on repairs, but overall it was good for many more years and miles.

I just had a thread a few weeks ago asking the same thing. Now that car is nearing 200k miles, 17 years old, and looking at $600 in repairs. Now that's time look for a new one!