Honda Car Forum

75Kmiles-1999 civic-- The dealer did the timing belt service/3 other belts--ps/compressor/alternator and 4 spark plugs. i paid $715 did i get ripped off, or is this an average rate? I am not mechaNICALLY INCLINED , so i had to have the honda dealer do it. Also is it bad to ask for old parts after completion of service, to verify that teh serviec was done? Thanks alot.

No you didn't do it too early. Timing belts should be done every 60-70k miles to prevent them from breaking.

No you did not get riped off, you paid an honest dealer rate for the service. However if you would have taken it to your local service station it might have been a lot cheaper, dealers charge 100.00 an hour now plus parts, I used to work for a dealer.

There arent "Timing belts" on vehicles. There is a timing chain however. There are usually 2 belts on the motor however. One operates your alternator and the other does the A/C Clutch and power steering pump usually. If you got a new alternator, that's worth approx 300. The belts are about 20 a piece. Spark plugs are 1.50 a piece about. Not sure what you mean about a ps or compressor. It's good practice to ask for the old parts...you can both learn from them and also verify that they did the service. If you did not get a new alternator, compressor, and whatever a ps is, you probably did get ripped off.

TOO LATE! Honda wants it done every 50K!

You ABSOLUTELY did the right thing. with my hondas i changed the timing belt (and yes there is a timing BELT on these cars) every 60K. For a dealer, $715 isn't that bad. If you know anyone who works on cars, you might ask them to do it for you at 120K. It should be cheaper. It is still going to be expensive because it is a major pain in the butt.

Timing belt should be replaced every 90,000 miles or every 7 years whichever comes first. Since the car is over 7 years old, it was past due. Different manufacturers recommend different times to change timing belts. Subaru says to do it at 60,000 miles. If you try to go 90,000 on a Subaru you will most likely end up breaking a belt. Years ago I owned a 124 Fiat sedan. Fiat timing belts were to be replaced every 25,000 miles. I know someone who had one break at 23,000.I have owned many Hondas and have always gone 90,000 miles between belt changes. I presently drive about 20,000 miles a year so that is every 4½ years.The price you paid is reasonable for a dealer. An independent mechanic may do the job however, for half that price. You did NOT get ripped off. Also, there is no need to ask for old parts on a preventive service like this but the dealer should not be upset if you do. That is your prerogative. Asking for the old parts is a wise thing to do when a mechanic or dealer tells you that you need a repair which is suspect rather than a preventive service that is due to be done. Better than asking for old parts is to ask to see the defective part while it is still on the car. Depending on the part this may not always be possible. Some parts will look the same whether they are good or bad, such as electrical parts. So sometimes seeing the old part makes no difference unless you can test it. Brake pads can be seen without removing the pads. You will need to remove a wheel however. A dealer often has old parts lying around. How do you know the parts they are giving you came from your car? You need to find someone you can trust to work on your car whether it is a dealer or an independent mechanic. Ask around and find out who other people use and why.Your next timing belt should be changed at 165,000 miles or 7 years from now = October 2015. If you get rid of the car before then, do the next owner a favor and leave a copy of your receipt for this service in the glove box. Black out your name and address etc. if you want to protect your identity. Or simply leave a note that says "timing belt was replaced at 75,000 miles in Oct. 2008 by [your dealer's name]".