All repair shops deal with the dreaded question: “how much does it cost to change the timing belt on my Audi, VW, Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Saab, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, etc?”
This article is meant to explain the timing belt repair process in detail and help customers take the right decision when it comes to a major repair, even though in the short term it may not be the cheapest. By reading this article and looking at the pictures that are taken from real life examples, you will understand why additional parts need to be replaced, so the job is done right the first time.

As an import repair shop located in New Orleans Metro area, we have to take time and explain each and every customer that replacing the timing belt is just one part of the job, if you do it the right way.
For domestic cars and Asian cars, after market parts are available and some of them are high quality.
When it comes to European imports, things change. In many cases using aftermarket parts is a nightmare, they do not fit properly, or the quality is not the same. So, even though we like to offer the best quality / price, sometimes using parts from the dealer is not only an option, it’s the only option.

Of course everyone has the right to know how much a job costs, in advance. Problems usually start when people take a decision based solely on the lowest price.
For example, replacing just the timing belt on a Honda Civic can cost less than $300, but doing the entire related job can cost 3-4 times more.
So, what happens usually when a customer calls and asks for estimates and suddenly he gets a lower than usual quote?
Case 1: the customer goes straight to the place that offered him the lowest price, happy that he stroke a deal.
Unfortunately, the problems will arise later… Sometimes sooner than later… Here is how they start…
After driving for a while, the customer may notice squealing noises coming from the engine, or leaks (oil or coolant).
The customer starts calling around asking for possible solutions over the phone. Eventually he will bring the car in to have it checked.
Customer: I seem to have an oil leak, just saw some oil on my driveway, or, something is leaking and engine seems to run hot.
After an inspection, the mechanic / service advisor reaches the conclusion that the oil / coolant leak is coming from the timing belt area.
Service advisor: did you change the timing belt as part of the required maintenance?
Customer: yes, I just had it changed a while ago.
Service advisor: did you replace the water pump, the timing component kit and the seals?
Customer: um, say what?

There you have it. Now, the job has to be done over again. If the customer was lucky, no engine damage occurred, so the work will consist of taking the timing belt off, replacing the leaking water pump, front crankshaft seal and camshaft seals; add the timing component kit, with all the bearings that were squeaking, a new timing belt, because the old one was already contaminated and the price quickly jumps to over $1000, depending on the parts used.
Here, we have to mention that there may be damage that is impossible to be seen until all the parts are taken apart, so the price may go even higher.
What about the first $300? That was money wasted for nothing.
Case 2: after getting different quotes that can vary by (many) hundreds of dollars, the customer, puzzled, starts doing some research and reaches the conclusion that certain shops included additional parts and labor when they quoted the timing belt job. Things like timing component kit, hydraulic tensioner, seals, new start making sense. Then, he does more research online and finds out why the additional parts have to replaced at the same time. Finally, the customer chooses a shop that quoted the entire repair, and the lowest price.
So, what happens with the old saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”?
Well, we are not living old times anymore. In the past, manufacturers used to be more generous, the used to design non interference engines, so in case the timing belt broke, you would just change it, nothing got damaged, just the inconvenience of getting stuck while driving.
Nowadays, Honda, Toyota, VW, Saab, Mitsubishi, Hyundai and other manufacturers design interference engines, so, in case the timing belt breaks, the piston will hit the valves, resulting in engine damage.
Even though it can be rebuilt, the cost usually far exceeds the price of a properly done maintenance. The new saying should be more like “you better fix it while it’s running, ’cause when it’s gone it’s gone! ”
Manufacturers set a maintenance interval when the parts should be replaced while still working. Not only mileage, but also time and weather conditions can have an impact on the timing belt replacement interval. It is the manufacturers consider regular vs severe duty.
At Briskers import auto repair in Kenner, we always quote the customers on the entire job, whether they like it or not. Better hate it now than later. In fact, if a customer denies the recommended service, warranty is not provided, and a disclaimer form needs to signed. How can we provide warranty for something that we know it’s not done right? We always emphasize that the quotes include all the parts and labor necessary in order for the vehicle to be trouble free until the next major maintenance, and we list the parts: timing belt component kit, which includes the belt, all the tensioners and idlers, the hydraulic tensioner if applicable, water pump, thermostat, camshaft seals, crankshaft seal, valve cover gasket, if the valve cover has to be removed, spark plugs, if they have to be replaced soon. The radiator and hoses are also inspected.

By doing this repair at once, of course it will me more expensive than replacing just the timing belt itself, but it will be cheaper than replacing the components one at a time, especially if you consider the possibility of parts getting damaged, or even more, broken engines. One may ask, “I understand that you need to replace the timing belt related components, but why do you want to replace my thermostat?”
The answer to that is very simple: we don’t need to replace it, but common sense tells you that you should. Why? Think about it: in order to replace the water pump, the cooling system needs to be drained. You pay for that labor. In order to replace the thermostat, the cooling system needs to be drained again. See where we’re getting? Labor paid twice.
Now, on the other hand, think about the following: you spend all the money and replace the water pump and all the timing belt components. Thermostats wear out too, they usually last around 100k miles, maybe more, maybe less, depending on how clean the cooling system is kept. So, you have all-new parts, except the thermostat. After a while, and long before the next major maintenance, it will fail, getting stuck open or closed. If it’s open, the car will get bad gas mileage, because the engine can’t get to operating temperature, but if it’s stuck closed, you risk to overheat the engine, and destroy it. And it doesn’t take long. Nobody watches the temperature gauge every second, and usually by the time the car shuts down, it’s too late, engine is already damaged. All because of a single part.
Our duty is to inform the customer, to make him aware of what can happen if old parts are not replaced. The following pictures speak for themselves, you can clearly see how neglected certain cars are and the damage that can arise from not doing the maintenance.
If you are in Kenner, Metairie, or New Orleans and need the timing belt replaced for your import car, take the right decision and bring it to Briskers so we can do it right the first time.