My 1998 camry ce (4 cylinder) has about 126K miles on it. I just inquired about the timing belt change at the local toyota dealer and it will cost around $239.95 +tax. I also thought I might get the water pump changed since they are as I am told located in the same area changed - they said a total for that is $502.00 Does that seem excessive? They also recommended me to get the 120K "service package" which includes, the fuel injector flush, transmission, etc, etc. and it costs almost $600. I had the transmission flushed - Should I do any of this? What should I do? My dad can work on cars but he said I should get the timing belt done at toyota.
I also need strut mounts on the front - where should I get these? I would appreciate any help. Please email me snipped-for-privacy@joshyoungblood.com
Dealer is ripping you off..Timing belt charge is ok, but that water pump should only be about $100+ extra. Worth doing. Injector flush done by my dealer includes stuff in the tank AND running a chemical thru the fuel rail while fuel pump shut off $75...Fixed a clogged injector on mine. Trans flush is good, looks like you did it. If you change the water pump, have the coolant flushed out.
Oops forgot your strut question... Toyota has fixed the strut towers finally and they run about $70 each..You may as well change the struts too and then you need to have it aligned....
Timing belt price is good , water pump is a rip off, the 600 flush foget it, to much. Change differential and power steering fliuid to Synthetic, Wires, cap, rotor, plugs. Air filter, Double ck timing after belt is replaced, Flush brake fluid. Flush Radiator and motor cooling system, New radiator cap, maybe new thermotsat, belts , hoses, And dont get Monroe Sensatrac Struts thay get harder the colder it gets. Mine have done this from day one. total crap.
Maintenance on the four cylinder is fairly straightforward. You may be due for spark plugs, too. They should also check the spark plug wires. May not be a bad idea to change the spark plugs, wires, dist. cap and rotor if they are original. Also the valve cover gasket should be checked at this mileage. Always a good idea to keep the fluids clean if you plan of keeping the car. Sounds like the transmission has been done. That's great. Don't forget power steering and brake fluid, too. We just got a mail piece from the local Toyota dealer, I think the timing belt was $129. The part is around $30, and experienced techs can probably do the labor in 30 minutes if nothing else is changed, but the special mentions additional extra parts may be required at substantial additional cost. This would be the water pump, idler and tensioner bearings, crankshaft, oil pump and camshaft oil seals. They should also change the spring for the tensioner bearing. Most people wait until the seals or water pump leaks before changing. Some mechanics just go ahead and change everything while they're there, but you need a firm price quote up front. You definitely need to check pricing at another Toyota dealer if you can find one in a nearby city. Prices can vary considerably. Also, you could see if there are any independent mechanics that specialize in Toyota and have an organized work space. May sound funny, but if you're unfamiliar with the specifics of automotive repair, I think you'll find a better mechanic by going to one where his work space is clean, tools well organized, and everything is done methodically, rather than a shop that's a freakin' mess, generally filthy and disorganized. If you need a timing belt, all you really need is a timing belt and you should be able to find that for under $150 if you shop. If you change the coolant with distilled water and factory red regularly, the water pump can last a long time, but if it did fail, it can ruin the new timing belt, and in any event the timing belt has to be removed to replace it. I like to have everything perfect, so I'd be changing the thermostat and radiator cap at 126k miles also. A topic of much contention, but you might want to change the PCV valve and grommet also. Wouldn't hurt to install a new gas cap, or gas cap gasket also. They should probably install new drive belts (power steering and alternator) when changing the timing belt. But these are somewhat discretionary items, and you need to find a mechanic you can trust (not always easy) who has reasonable prices before considering the work. Sometimes dealer prices can be way out of line, and it sounds like yours are. Sometimes dealer prices can be reasonable, and with all their special tools and training, they can do the job very professionally and quickly. It all depends on the individual service department, but with those prices I would not go to the place you have mentioned. I have the same problem with my local dealer. Wound up buying maintenance parts, (timing belt, etc.) over the Internet from Indiana rather than paying inflated amounts. Take your time looking for a qualified mechanic. Used to be a great one at our local Shell gas station. Guy was honest, reasonably priced, very competent, always ready with a smile and a greeting by name. Personally, I'd rather do my own work than trust it to any commercial mechanic, but if you shop around sounds like you can do a lot better than the pricing you've received thus far.
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