Timing chain or belt after 9 years

wrote

It's a timing belt on the 99 CR-Vs. See bkhondaparts.com and your owner's manual. Your owner's manual says the belt is due every 105k miles or 7 years, whichever comes first. IIRC if you drive in extreme cold or heat, it's due at 60k miles. Either way, yours is overdue. Visual inspection generally does not reveal the condition of a timing belt. Change the belt immediately. If it breaks, then the engine may suffer serious damage to the tune of several thousand dollars.

I just had the timing belt changed on my late wife's 1997 Civic this past January. My recommendation would be that you get it changed ASAP because I know someone who failed to change his timing belt, and his engine ended up damaged beyond repair. After my buddy told me that, I scheduled my appointment. While they were in there, I had the dealership change the water pump too.

Belt

Yes (you are past the maximum number of years (7), too)

Nope, they just let go.

That's great but doesn't do much for the timing belt.

Change it now; replace with Honda parts. Yeah, it's an expensive maintenance item.

Your next Honda will probably have a timing chain so keep up the oil change habit.

Thanks, the responses here are what I needed. Local dealers are charging around $800-$1000 in Washington DC area. Merchants says around $500-$600. Any advise on what is reasonable price?

" snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@l64g2000hse.googlegroups.com:

Sorry, but the prices given are meaningless without knowing what exactly is inside those prices.

Dealer shop rate will be over $100. The independent will be closer to $75.

The dealer may be doing the job properly, using all OEM parts, replacing the water pump, coolant, accessory drive belts and timing belt, and maybe even the tensioner.

The independent may be using an aftermarket timing belt, re-using the accessory drive belts and tensioner, and not even touching the cooling system.

Care to itemize the quotes you received?

Use an import shop and roll the dice a bit. The dealer will probably cover more ground, but some of what they do may be overboard. So do as Tegger says and find out exactly what the dealer will do and what the import shop will do. E.g. it's usual to change the water pump with the timing belt, but it's possible the import shop will not while the dealer will. Find out what coolant is used to top off the cooling system after the water pump is replaced. You want OEM coolant, only. Report back as needed.

wrote Local dealers are charging around $800-$1000 in Washington DC area. Merchants says around $500-$600. Any advise on what is reasonable price?

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While you're at it, get the valves adjusted and be sure to tell them you want them on the _loose_ side of the specs. Make a note in your owner's manual. 30,000 miles (50,000 Km) for adjustments. Yes, the manual is very wrong.

'Curly'

I live in Laurel, MD

I'd pay extra not to have Merchants work on my car. If you don't know a good independent mechanic take it to a dealer. I know a good independent in Columbia, MD (Benchmark Motors).

Like the Tegger says, know what they're doing for your money. Get a list, check it twice...

I live in Laurel, MD.

You don't want this work done at Merchants. If you don't know an independent, pay a dealer. Like Tegger says, get a list and know what's being done. I have an independent in Columbia, MD (Benchmark Motors) I use and I've had positive experiences with the Honda dealer in Clarksville, MD (Jim Coleman Honda).

Good luck.

Thanks, the responses here are what I needed. Local dealers are charging around $800-$1000 in Washington DC area. Merchants says around $500-$600. Any advise on what is reasonable price?

I second that. STAY AWAY FROM MERCHANTS unless you want more headaches than you went in with. They will find something to charge you extra for; even if it doesn't exist.

someone posted to this NG several weeks back and detailed the costs for this work. I think it was around $700. I just had this belt replaced on my 92 Accord Ex. The cost was $741, this includes the water pump replacement, however at the time of service I had some other non-related items taken care of.

I just had my '99 CRV timing belt and water pump replaced, valves adjusted, drive belts changed, spark plugs changed and rear latch fixed, cost me $519 at local Honda dealer.