Price quoted for timeing belt and tuneup (105,000 miles)

I have a 1999 Accord EX coming up on 105,000 miles. I was quoted $600.00
for the timing belt and water pump replacement and $235.00 for the tune-up.
Does this sound about right?

 

Assuming these quotes are from a dealer, $600 for the timing belt/water pump
sounds competitive with other Honda dealers. You might do a couple hundred
dollars better at a specialized but independent Honda (preferably) or import
car shop.

What exactly does the tune-up include? At a minimum, I would expect:
new spark plugs (but how old are yours?)
new air filter (but again, how old is yours?)

Maybe:
New fuel filter
New ignition wires
New distributor cap
New distributor rotor
Timing check (pffft; if you've seen no problems)

My impression is that tune-ups at dealerships are ripoffs. The labor is
minimal. They do more than is needed for the tune-up. You'd probably save a
hundred bucks by buying the parts yourself and then having your local
independent mechanic install them.

Check your owner's manual to see exactly what is due.

 

These quotes are from an independent Honda repair shop. They only use Honda
parts and follow Honda's maintenance schedule. I've been going to them for
many years so they have a record of all maintenance done on my Accord. I
was a bit taken back at the 600.00 bucks for the timing belt and pump so I'm
looking around.

 

I was just speaking with my dealership and I was quoted $580.00 including
taxes for changing the timing belt. An additional ½ hour of labour and
$75.00 for the water pump if I chose to replace that at the same time. I
always have replaced both at the same time in the past.

Brian

 

I called my local dealer. They wanted $1058.00 for timing belt, water pump,
and minor tune-up. All the Honda independents in Colorado Springs are
running 750.00 for the same service. I called Denver and they are about
100.00 bucks cheaper for the same service.

 

That's really on the high side. Especially considering that I am speaking in
Canadian funds.

Brian

 

If you have the time, I'd be interested in knowing what they do for a
tuneup.

Not that I'm going to let anyone but myself do a tune up these days. I'm
just curious if they do anything really special.

 

For the actual work involved to do the job, all of the prices I have seen in
this thread are obscene. The first time I did a timing belt/water pump
replacement, in my driveway, it took me a total of 5 hours. When I do it
again, I'm sure it will be about 3 hours - or less. This is with all hand
tools, except for an electric impact I use only for the crankshaft. You can
be sure that an experienced mechanic, using a lift and air tools, can beat
my time by a LOT!! The problem is the bloated flat rate time assigned to the
job, as well as the overpriced parts. I realize that they have to make a
living too, but give us all a break!

 

Our local dealer (Middle GA) charged $525.00 for a timing belt package on
my son's 98 Accord I4. That included the water pump, all new drive belts,
the timing belt and balance belt, valve adjustment checked, new radiator
coolant.

 

Acura sends me coupons occasionally quoting $250 for timing belt change,no
mention of water pump.

 

First, it depends where you are. Automotive hourly rates vary by region.

That said, $600 for a timing belt and water pump replacement sounds
reasonable as does $235 for the "tune-up", depending upon what is
actually being done at "tune-up" time. Up until the early 1970s a
basic tune-up was pretty well defined as new plugs, new points, new
condenser, set dwell, set timing, set mixture and possibly adjust the
valves if needed. Add on items in a "major tune-up" would generally be
the cap & rotor, PCV valve, fuel filter and air filter.

Today there is really nothing standard about a "tune-up" except that
generally it includes new spark plugs.

Yet another variable is what kind of spark plugs are used. Basic ones
retail for around $1 each today. Fancy Iridium plugs can be $10 each or
more. You want to be sure to be getting plugs at least as good as what
the factory originally installed.

Finally, if this is a shop you have been using for a long time and have
come to know and trust, then you are probably dealing with reasonable
folks. Beware looking for the best price on these kinds of services.
Substandard parts, shoddy labor, etc. are all possibilities when dealing
with second class service establishments.

John

 

Yep, the price of automotive repairs varies dramatically by region.
Here in No. California most of the shops are at $100 - $140 per
flat-rate "hour". Idaho, Georgia and other lower cost places are
probably still in the $50-$70 per pseudo-hour range.

Parts prices also vary somewhat by region, but more so by brand of part
used.

John

 

I agree it does vary dramatically by region.

Just as another price point, I was quoted around $1200 (on a civic
timing belt/watter pump/tuneup) at a Honda dealer in Boston. They were
quoting at the $95/hour rate.

A local shop in Boston did the whole job (with Honda parts) for $350.
They work at $70/hour and charge actual hours, not "book hours" that
are often higher.

Timing belts are very cheap (under $30 I think), and the water pump is
around $50. Most of the quote goes to labor, so it depends on the
shop's experience with Hondas (so they can do them quickly), and
pricing policies ($$/hour, book or actual).

Just one more aside... I just bought an 05 Accord yesterday, and the
dealer said the timing belt is now a metal chain and no longer has to
be replaced. Haven't checked my owners manual yet to confirm.

-MVL

 

They are correct, however timing chains don't last forever, and are much more
costly to replace. They also apparently stretch over time and are noisier.
Timing belts do too, but when the belt heats up, it shrinks some.

 

Technically they don't stretch, but the links wear so the chain becomes
longer. A bicycle chain will often be an entire link longer by the time it
is retired.

Regular oil changes are crucial to timing chain life for the obvious
reason.

Mike