Find a reliable local independent shop = much lower cost but U have to be careful to find a good shop. Plenty of crooks and idiots out there. Hey, the cost of operating a car has not changed much, same as everything else it is all proportional. Ignorance is the enemy. Do something about you income.
One would do the timing belt, tensioner, water pump, serpentine belt, hoses at once to same the cost of labor. The timing belt is due for a change.
A broken/snap timing belt will cost you plenty of more money.
Just realize that your 20 year old rubber timing belt will eventually fail, valves will strike pistons and trash your head and/or pistons... and you will need to get your car towed to a scrapyard, and buy a new car.
If you have access to tools and a shop manual, the job sucks, but can be done in a day with help from a friend.
http://www.discountbodyparts.com/catalog...
You never said what exactly "super expensive" means to you. Some smaller shops have very competitive prices and they stay competitive, by running maintenance specials and doing high volume. I live In Northern California in the East Bay Area, which is pretty expensive. Auto shop labor in my area is typically $150 per hour.
There's a Japanese specialty shop in my area that runs coupon specials for timing belts and water pumps. Their coupon prices for 4 cylinder cars is $269 for a timing belt and $329 for a water pump and coolant. Return customers usually get good discounts, even on the coup[on prices. I gave my 2004 Honda Civic to my daughter, but I'd bet I could walk in there right now and they would swap her water pump and timing belt for $399 plus tax.
Shop around for specials and coupons in your area. If you think that $500 or $600 for a timing belt, water pump and coolant is expensive, then you don't know much about auto repair costs. A dealer would probably charge you $750-$850, just for the timing belt.
Mechanic is right if that belt 86k old.
post the charge he quoted you.
if you have an interference engine and the belt breaks it's very likely you'd damage values, and if you cant afford the belt, that'd mean the end of the car.
if your car has a non interference engine, prob no big damage if belt breaks, but still, you'd have to pay for belt replace, and maybe towing.
if you totally cant afford it, you just have to chance it.
but ppL who do bankruptcy are often targeted by credit card co's. for new cards. Capital One sends out many solicitations, try them & others.
as for the rims causing flats, I woulda looked into Lemon Law on that.
You will need to change the timing belt soon, I believe it is do at 90,000 miles so this is no surprise. See if the shop will do the work but allow you pay it off over a few months. Or maybe try to save a little every week the do the TB by the end of the year.
My 1994 Honda Accord EX with 86,336 miles on it is in the shop right now getting it's FIRST new battery (I know, hard to believe in Chicago), new belts and hoses.
The mechanic said I should replace the timing belt, which I know is cheap but labor is SUPER expensive to do.
I shouldn't say this as everytime I do, something happens. I never have problems with the car. EXCEPT what Honda denies to this day, their faulty rims that cause flat tires CONSTANTLY. That's been fixed after 17 visits to the dealer and four sets of tires in the first 5 years.
I can NOT AFFORD the timing belt. There's no way I can. Not with labor, that is. The components themselves are less than $200.00 but labor is WAY up there and it's not something one can undertake themselves.
I'd like some feedback. I just had to do a BK 7 (thanks to crazy credit card companies that forced my hand with their insane interest rates) so credit isn't an option.
Feedback please!!!
Thanks!
