YACT: Yet Another Car Thread

[jmolayal]

I have a 2003 Hyundai Tiburon. I was supposed to change the belt at 60k miles, but here at 95k miles I haven't had any issues. The SO wants to change the belt now, so I've been looking around..

I've gotten two estimates. One from the dealer at 450 or so, and one from Meineke at 510. This seems high to me? Is it not?

Meineke says they need to change the water pump when they change the belt.. The say they take the pump off in order to change the belt, and it never goes back on the same...

Help me ATOT... Am I getting ripped off? Does this require special tools? Should I look for a mom and pop?

The fate of my daily driver lies in your hands....

- Jaison

 

[iamwiz82]

I'd replace the water pump while I was doing it just because it's better than having the pump die in 10,000 miles and you will have to tear it all apart again.

I have no idea about Hyundai engines, but $500 doesn't sound awful.

 

[Aikouka]

Yeah, that sounds fairly normal.

 

[ViviTheMage]

that's nothing!

my 1.8t jetta was 1200$ at the dealership...granted they do the serpentine, water pump, timing belt, etc when they do it...its a long procedure, most of the costs were towards labor.

 

[jmolayal]

Another question.. What happens if I don't change the belt.. and keep driving till it breaks? Will it harm the engine?

 

[radioouman]

$500 sounds about right. I'd have the dealer do it, personally.

 

[amdskip]

It could bend your pushrods IIRC but it depends on the motor design.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: jmolayal
Another question.. What happens if I don't change the belt.. and keep driving till it breaks? Will it harm the engine?

I believe your engine is interference, so very very bad things will happen.

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: jmolayal
Another question.. What happens if I don't change the belt.. and keep driving till it breaks? Will it harm the engine?

Yes it means things fire at the wrong time and can damage or destroy your engine.

 

[Kirby]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
that's nothing!

my 1.8t jetta was 1200$ at the dealership...granted they do the serpentine, water pump, timing belt, etc when they do it...its a long procedure, most of the costs were towards labor.

Thats about what mine was. I was on a date and my water pump impellor decided to die on me. I went ahead and got my belt changed while I was there, and I think it was about $900 - $1000.

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: jmolayal
Another question.. What happens if I don't change the belt.. and keep driving till it breaks? Will it harm the engine?

As some other users have discussed, your engine is most likely an "interference engine." Now, the reason it gets this name is because the pistons and valves take up the same space just at different times (for a basic description). The timing belt is what keeps things... in time with eachother. If this beaks, your valves will stick wherever they were last at (I'm not sure if *they'll spin a bit from the momentum, but maybe?) and the pistons and valves will collide.

This is not a good thing .

EDIT: They as in the cam(s).

 

[Vic]

Get the timing belt changed. It's an interference engine. Timing belt failure will cause severe engine damage.

Roughly $500 is about the right price. Get the water pump changed at the same time. And FFS do NOT let Meineke touch your car!

 

[jmolayal]

Thanks for the input guys. Definitely gonna get this fixed before it turns into a real issue...

I know Meineke is probably a bad choice, but they WERE the only ones to suggest replacement of the water pump at the same time. The Dealer never mentioned this. How do we feel about Meineke overall? Any recommendations on a better place to take the car?

- Jaison

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: jmolayal
Another question.. What happens if I don't change the belt.. and keep driving till it breaks? Will it harm the engine?

Yes it means things fire at the wrong time and can damage or destroy your engine.

The timing belt doesn't control the firing of a damn thing. It controls the valves.

ZV

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: jmolayal
Thanks for the input guys. Definitely gonna get this fixed before it turns into a real issue...

I know Meineke is probably a bad choice, but they WERE the only ones to suggest replacement of the water pump at the same time. The Dealer never mentioned this. How do we feel about Meineke overall? Any recommendations on a better place to take the car?

- Jaison

ask the dealer if the water pump is included in the timing belt service. at least for hondas, the dealer counts the water pump and a large number of little wear parts as part of the "timing belt" service by default.

but listen, take it anywhere but meineke. the mere word makes me shudder. any chain auto maintenance place is bad news. find an independent shop that specializes in your make of car. those guys have something to lose if they screw up or you find out they screwed you. the 18-year-old high school dropout at meineke has nothing to lose by fvcking you. even if he got fired, he'd just get another job at Jiffy Lube.