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| Thread ID: 139477 | 2015-05-08 11:11:00 | Car mechanics - is this common? | Nomad (952) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1400341 | 2015-05-11 04:02:00 | How much does your mechanic charge??!! Cost me $250 for mine + water pump. The belt itself is cheap as, it's the taking the car to bits that costs - as in mechanics labour charge. Was $250 from an Ak mechanic, or down the line somewhere? I thought $800 was a bit pricey as well (Midas) ,it incl the usual seals waterpump etc. Costs me a minimum $500 every time I take the car in (from different garages), so wasnt expected a cheap job. I needed to use a garage near my work, so I can drop off in the morning & walk into work from there. |
1101 (13337) | ||
| 1400342 | 2015-05-11 04:19:00 | I needed to use a garage near my work, so I can drop off in the morning & walk into work from there. A lot of garages will drop you off at work if you organise it with them as part of the service. I take advantage of it a bit because there are no garages in walking distance to my work. I usually find a work colleague to drop me back in the afternoon to collect it though but the toyota dealer I went to last time was happy to deliver the car back as well. |
dugimodo (138) | ||
| 1400343 | 2015-05-11 04:43:00 | I replaced the belt on my old laser a couple of times. Fairly easy task (recommended routine every 100K), with adjusting the tensioner correctly being the most tricky part. Each time the belt that came off looked just as good as the new one going on. No cracks, no wear, no fraying of the edges. Seriously, I had to be careful not to confuse the new belt with the old one when doing the work. For DIYers, theres a particular rotation direction these belts are made for, indicated by arrows printed on the surface of the belt. If you don't know the process, then research it before you start, or you might muck up either the tensioning or the timing, and if it's an 'interference' type model it might do thousands of $ damage to moment you turn the starter. Current car has a chain. Recommended maintenance: Zero. And yes, this was a pleasant factor in choosing the car. |
Paul.Cov (425) | ||
| 1400344 | 2015-05-11 05:48:00 | Was $250 from an Ak mechanic, or down the line somewhere? I thought $800 was a bit pricey as well (Midas) ,it incl the usual seals waterpump etc. Costs me a minimum $500 every time I take the car in (from different garages), so wasnt expected a cheap job. I needed to use a garage near my work, so I can drop off in the morning & walk into work from there.$800dollars could be cheap, depending on what sort of car it is. Subarus are a right prick |
plod (107) | ||
| 1400345 | 2015-05-11 05:59:00 | Was $250 from an Ak mechanic, or down the line somewhere? I thought $800 was a bit pricey as well (Midas). Yes. Down South were a bunch of robbing liars. Midas - hmmm....got some quotes from them recently for sons car issues.....weren't impressed, went elsewhere. Currently his is all better....so far anyway.. Seems the engine lived. But no doubt I'll be over Toyota Spares again soon. |
pctek (84) | ||
| 1400346 | 2015-05-11 12:14:00 | What else was he suggesting? Joining a splinter group? |
R2x1 (4628) | ||
| 1400347 | 2015-05-11 22:42:00 | Yeah agree early ford's were easy. if I remember some had the simple small spring tensioner. Later Honda's required the valve cover be removed to remove the upper timing belt cover, and working space was limited. Sometimes I had to remove the side engine mount. As for chains, agree, little maintenance, but can become noisy, usually on cold startup. My Nissan become noisy when idling warm (car about 145K). Removing the upper guard fixed that. Then later, replacing the oil tensioner. Also replacing the crank seal is much easier with chain driven engines. Mate of mine dropped a chain in/near the block once, when doing engine work. Important to zip tie them up to sprocket for some engine work. |
kahawai chaser (3545) | ||
| 1400348 | 2015-05-11 23:03:00 | Are chain systems on cars as foolproof & reliable as many seem to think ? Im thinking long term , 10-15+ years . Surely they would wear & need replacing or adjusting ? Any long term issues with chain auto-tension systems ? |
1101 (13337) | ||
| 1400349 | 2015-05-11 23:18:00 | Tensionrs work on oil pressure. Important to do regular oi changes, and engine cleaner, as tensioners can become a bit compromised with gunge. They can leak also, which happened to a car I had. I think chains stretch a little. | kahawai chaser (3545) | ||
| 1400350 | 2015-05-14 07:41:00 | You can't compare cambelt prices without knowing the cars. SOHC vs DHOC with hydraylic tensioner etc. Some have more or less parts to replace. Some easier to access than others. Personally I just buy cars with chains and don't worry about it. At some point they could break but if it does then I'll go buy another engine or another car. Cars depreciate far to much to warrant the maintenance costs that most people willingly fork out for. |
hueybot3000 (3646) | ||
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