How much to pay for timing belt?

damo

Hi,

Can anyone tell me what would be a reasonable price to pay to a mechanic to replace the timing belt in my car? (99' hyundai lantra 1.6)

thanks!

Green Hornet

damo wrote: »

Hi,

Can anyone tell me what would be a reasonable price to pay to a mechanic to replace the timing belt in my car? (99' hyundai lantra 1.6)

thanks!

Probably in the region of 150 Euro I'd imagine. The belts are not that expensive but the laobour involved is usually a couple of hours work. I assume some cars take more labour time than others so the cost will vary. The last time I got a belt change I got a service as well and it cost 300 Euro. Hope I'm not too far off the mark but no doubt there will be some better qualified responses.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

Green Hornet wrote: »

Probably in the region of 150 Euro I'd imagine. The belts are not that expensive but the laobour involved is usually a couple of hours work. I assume some cars take more labour time than others so the cost will vary. The last time I got a belt change I got a service as well and it cost 300 Euro. Hope I'm not too far off the mark but no doubt there will be some better qualified responses.

I would say you are a fair bit too low on your estimation there! Just for an example here.....for a full service and timing belt change, i was quoted €750 on a 1.4 honda civic from a main dealer. So if the OP doesn't bring his car to a main dealer and doesn't have a service done i would say he is looking at about €350

Green Hornet

BrynW wrote: »

I would say you are a fair bit too low on your estimation there! Just for an example here.....for a full service and timing belt change, i was quoted €750 on a 1.4 honda civic from a main dealer. So if the OP doesn't bring his car to a main dealer and doesn't have a service done i would say he is looking at about €350

Mine was an Accord and done through a local mechanic a couple of years ago. Maybe he's just cheap but I certainly agree that the main dealer will be a hell of a lot more expensive than a local mechanic. Maybe you're right and it could be 300 - 350 but it should give the OP an idea anyway.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

Green Hornet wrote: »

Mine was an Accord and done through a local mechanic a couple of years ago. Maybe he's just cheap but I certainly agree that the main dealer will be a hell of a lot more expensive than a local mechanic. Maybe you're right and it could be 300 - 350 but it should give the OP an idea anyway.

True. The OP's best bet is to find a local mechanic who can be trusted and get him to do it. Main dealerships are expensive and changing a timing belt isn't cheap at all due to the labour involved, but I think the OP should be putting at least €300 aside for having it done

L-M

My timing belt kit cost me 150, but if ur changing just the belt it should codt u 50 odd for parts and another 200 max for labour depending on who's doing it. Don't go near a big garage, u'll be lookin at bigger money altogether

damo

thanks for the info, could anyone reccommend a good mechanic to get it done in waterford or dublin?

LoopyBum

Timing Belts should only be fitted by qualified and capable mechanics at main dealers if you are to trust the fitting and make a claim should the darn thing go wrong.

One of the most messed up DIY car jobs ever is replacing timing belts...

You will not be able to claim if your timing belt is fitted incorrectly or with ignorance and force, or fitted by a non main dealer mechanic, when the thing snaps in your face going up the road.

Take a breath, go get it done in the main dealer and live in peace.

You have no comeback with faulty fitted timing belts if not fitted by main dealer... no supplier will back it.

mickdw

LoopyBum wrote: »

Timing Belts should only be fitted by qualified and capable mechanics at main dealers if you are to trust the fitting and make a claim should the darn thing go wrong.

One of the most messed up DIY car jobs ever is replacing timing belts...

You will not be able to claim if your timing belt is fitted incorrectly or with ignorance and force, or fitted by a non main dealer mechanic, when the thing snaps in your face going up the road.

Take a breath, go get it done in the main dealer and live in peace.

You have no comeback with faulty fitted timing belts if not fitted by main dealer... no supplier will back it.

ffs its not a ferrari. Pretty simple stuff on that car im sure. Any independant garage will be fine.

eringobragh

mickdw wrote: »

ffs its not a ferrari. Pretty simple stuff on that car im sure. Any independant garage will be fine.

Agreed any decent mechanic should be a pee in the park.

BeardyGit

LoopyBum wrote: »

Timing Belts should only be fitted by qualified and capable mechanics at main dealers if you are to trust the fitting and make a claim should the darn thing go wrong.

One of the most messed up DIY car jobs ever is replacing timing belts...

You will not be able to claim if your timing belt is fitted incorrectly or with ignorance and force, or fitted by a non main dealer mechanic, when the thing snaps in your face going up the road.

Take a breath, go get it done in the main dealer and live in peace.

You have no comeback with faulty fitted timing belts if not fitted by main dealer... no supplier will back it.

Complete and utter rubbish. Go to a mechanic and ask him to supply and fit a timing belt and tensioner/water pump as appropriate. Tell him you'll need a receipt and warranty on the job. Agree the price in advance and away you go. There's absolutely no need to go to a main dealer, ESPECIALLY on something like a 9 year old Lantra. That's not meant in a bad way - It's newer than my car, but let's be sensible about this!

DO NOT expect that you can walk into a mechanic and hand him some cheap assed no-name/brand kit with nothing but eastern european or asian writing on the box and expect him to warranty the quality of the components....that's just unreasonable and unrealistic.

Timing belts are NOT rocket science, but they need care and attention to detail in doing the job. Getting the mechanic to do the work should be simple, but leave it to him to source the parts himself in order to have a one stop guarantee on the work and components used. The only caveat is where a mechanic (such as mine) will ask me to get the parts from an agreed motor factors in advance. He's happy for me to buy the parts (usually SKF for timing kits) there as he knows and trusts the level of comeback he can have if something goes wrong after he'd done the job....but that's the exception to the rule.

If you're stuck for a good mechanic PM me and I'll give you my guys name and number.

Gil

LoopyBum

mickdw wrote: »

ffs its not a ferrari. Pretty simple stuff on that car im sure. Any independant garage will be fine.

Good God man! Take it easy, you may re-read and note I said IF you need to claim IF something goes wrong... they will all back track and state the 'all parts must be fitted by a qualified mechanic at main dealers...' type of thing

I'm speaking from experience, from a supplier's side... we won't give jack on improperly fitted OE or non OE if not done by the main dealers. Age of vehicle does not count.

JHMEG

LoopyBum wrote: »

Good God man! Take it easy, you may re-read and note I said IF you need to claim IF something goes wrong... they will all back track and state the 'all parts must be fitted by a qualified mechanic at main dealers...' type of thing

I'm speaking from experience, from a supplier's side... we won't give jack on improperly fitted OE or non OE if not done by the main dealers. Age of vehicle does not count.

Yeah, but it's a 9 year old car.

OP, €200 parts and labour.

scudster

Buy the neccessary parts your self (eg. water pump, idler wheel/ bearing, t-belt etc.) and head to a decent indy. Parts should probably set ya back a few hundred quid. I got my belt changed and water pump replaced for 80 euro by a VW mechanic with about 25 years experience. He done it one evening at his house.

BeardyGit

LoopyBum, do you want a shovel to dig with?

The whole E&OE thing is tiresome. If you think only a main dealer can fit parts to a vehicle if any warranty/guarantee is to be provided or honored on parts you or anyone else may supply, you're mistaken.

I've never met a motor factors employee who'd encourage me to only go to a main dealer mechanic, nor a main dealer mechanic/technician who'd encourage me to buy the parts in a factors and bring it to them for fitting.

If you work in the trade, it must be for a main dealer, as your take on things is really very biased and rather misleading. Obtaining services from an independent still means a component suppliers has an obligation to honour warranty on the parts and furthermore to rectify any damage caused by failure of something like a faulty timing belt/tensioner etc during its warranty period, assuming it's been fitted correctly.

My regular motor factors have had one incident involving a timing belt failure - fitted by an independent but experienced and time served mechanic. There were no arguments about it - the factors obtained full payment for the engine rebuild from their distributors without any hassle or delays. They were happy to provide me with that assurance when I first bought a belt kit from them too. No hiding it or pretending failures don't happen. That's how it should be. Not the kind of 'experience' I'd guess they might have dealing with someone who shares your attitude.

Maybe I've got it wrong - If so, my apologies for the misunderstanding.

Gil

CyberGhost

Payed 180 for Polo

LoopyBum

Gil_Dub wrote: »

LoopyBum, do you want a shovel to dig with?

The whole E&OE thing is tiresome.

Gil

OE = Original Equipment... nothing to do with E & OE ...

If you read the terms and conditions of warranty etc will state that warranty is only upheld when fitted by an approved outlet or such like.. '... assuming it's been fitted correctly...'

I would say that 99.999% of faults are not a fault of the part, but a fault of the fitter... who incorrectly fitted that part... referring to timing belts...

What I'm saying is not from a main dealer view point, it's from a supplier end... your motor factor was quite good to you. Behind the scenes he probably declared it was fitted by an approved outlet... He's going to do his best to sort you out as you obviously do a good deal of business with him so I'd stay going to him!

People are getting rather abusive towards me for simply pointing out a simple piece of advice... get timing belts fitted by main dealers for peace of mind... get off my back about independent fitters, great idea when it goes right, bad idea if it goes wrong and timing belts are famous for causing expensive problems when they go wrong, and go wrong they so often do when fitted by non make specific mechanics... so who in their right mind, 9yr old non ferrari or not, would want the hassle of that??

HungryJoey

LoopyBum wrote: »

Timing Belts should only be fitted by qualified and capable mechanics at main dealers

Rubbish. We all know that main dealers are full of apprentice mechanics. What's to say that a main dealer will do a better job, knowing this.

There would be no need to take this to a main dealer. Take it to a local mechanic or ask around, it will save you hundreds & he should guarantee his work.

LoopyBum

HungryJoey wrote: »

Rubbish. We all know that main dealers are full of apprentice mechanics. What's to say that a main dealer will do a better job, knowing this. There would be no need to take this to a main dealer. Take it to a local mechanic or ask around, it will save you hundreds & he should guarantee his work.

That is your opinion. Yet I'm not yelping RUBBISH at you. We do not 'all know' main dealers are full of apprentices. In my area I know they have not taken on many apprentice mechanics in donkey's years as they usually take off mid way and don't see out the term. It is next to impossible get an apprenticeship in a main dealers 'round these parts'. They usually go to the guy at the corner with a shed round the back to 'train up'. Any of what I said is my OPINION from my EXPERIENCE from a supplier view. Yet all I see is people talk of their personal, non professional experience in this and childish rants of 'rubbish' etc... Maybe some of you are backyard mechanics and don't like to hear what I've said here. 99.999% of the time when a timing belt replacement job goes wrong it has been fitted incorrectly by a non main dealer mechanic. Yes parts can be faulty, but rarely will a supplier/manufacturer give anything on belts fitted by unauthorised outlets. People seem to think that unless it's a spanking new car that it should be taken to any old sod with a socket set. So what if the car is 9yrs old! If you want a thing to last you should have it properly maintained by an experienced mechanic for your make of machine. If you want to cut costs, do so, at your own risk. The odd thing is HJoey, you said '...he should guarantee his work...' Should being the word to watch here. More than likely if it went wrong he'll stand back wiping his hands and just say 'Ah well, it's an old car...' or '...these things can often go wrong...'
Tell the truth, who never heard this from a non dealership garage?? A main dealer cannot claim lack of knowledge of the make and therefore will stand over their work.

The car owner asked a question. Lots of people gave their opinion, yet I'm the only one who has had their opinion quoted to be made little of and referred to as rubbish?

Charming... :rolleyes:

HungryJoey

LoopyBum wrote: »

That is your opinion. Yet I'm not yelping RUBBISH at you. We do not 'all know' main dealers are full of apprentices. In my area I know they have not taken on many apprentice mechanics in donkey's years as they usually take off mid way and don't see out the term. It is next to impossible get an apprenticeship in a main dealers 'round these parts'. They usually go to the guy at the corner with a shed round the back to 'train up'. Any of what I said is my OPINION from my EXPERIENCE from a supplier view. Yet all I see is people talk of their personal, non professional experience in this and childish rants of 'rubbish' etc... Maybe some of you are backyard mechanics and don't like to hear what I've said here. 99.999% of the time when a timing belt replacement job goes wrong it has been fitted incorrectly by a non main dealer mechanic. Yes parts can be faulty, but rarely will a supplier/manufacturer give anything on belts fitted by unauthorised outlets. People seem to think that unless it's a spanking new car that it should be taken to any old sod with a socket set. So what if the car is 9yrs old! If you want a thing to last you should have it properly maintained by an experienced mechanic for your make of machine. If you want to cut costs, do so, at your own risk. The odd thing is HJoey, you said '...he should guarantee his work...' Should being the word to watch here. More than likely if it went wrong he'll stand back wiping his hands and just say 'Ah well, it's an old car...' or '...these things can often go wrong...'
Tell the truth, who never heard this from a non dealership garage?? A main dealer cannot claim lack of knowledge of the make and therefore will stand over their work.

The car owner asked a question. Lots of people gave their opinion, yet I'm the only one who has had their opinion quoted to be made little of and referred to as rubbish?

Charming... :rolleyes:

What I want to know is why are you so positive that a main dealer (stealer?) will do a much better job on a timing belt, when most of these non-dealers have been supplying & fitting timing belts since 1960* and may have much more experience around various cars.

As I said, if the non-dealer mechanic is willing to stand over his work then fair enough but if he isn't then walk away, simple. Find a mechanic that a family member or friend may have been using, save your money. I can think of a handful within my family who we have used and posed no risks.

My main argument again goes back to how a dealer mechanic compared to non-dealer garage, can do a much better job?
*random number..

LoopyBum

HungryJoey wrote: »

What I want to know is why are you so positive that a main dealer (stealer?) will do a much better job on a timing belt, when most of these non-dealers have been supplying & fitting timing belts since 1960* and may have much more experience around various cars.

Jack of all trades... master of none? In all fairness, the whole combustion engine thingy has become far more complicated since 1960... ?

HungryJoey wrote: »

As I said, if the non-dealer mechanic is willing to stand over his work then fair enough but if he isn't then walk away, simple.

Not simple, as you will only find out he will not stand over his work when something goes wrong, no walking or driving away either.

HungryJoey wrote: »

My main argument again goes back to how a dealer mechanic compared to non-dealer garage, can do a much better job?
*random number..

I know it's your argument! I don't know why, as I'm only giving my opinion so why the heck turn this into an argument??? And for the record, I don't recall saying a main dealer would do a much better job... most of my point is about warranty should the replacing of a timing belt go wrong and cock up your engine in big fashion as it so often can if not fitted by an experienced mechanic for your specific make of vehicle... some mechanics are probably damn good... some others are pure chancers... both of these kinds do their daily grind in both main dealer and non main dealer garages... however... the difference is in when something goes wrong... manufacturers rarely allow a claim if part not fitted by 'approved agent' type thingy.

Can we give this a rest, most people have made their point in that they felt it was not worth the cost to take a 9yr old Hyundai to a main dealer to fit a timing belt if you can get it done cheaper some place else. Very valid point.

However, should the job go wrong and ruin your engine at non main dealer garage then most manufacturers/suppliers won't back a claim, even if the part is at fault... they will and do come up with the best 'tests to prove' that the part was not at fault. Best of luck chasing that in the courts for a pay out...