Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

I own 2001 Elantra - 69,000 miles. It's been recommended to replace
the belts. Which ones? Timing belt? Accessory Drive Belts? Both?

Is it just as safe to have a certified private repair shop do the work,
or must the dealer do it?

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

"Scott" <scottak1@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:1152112853.785655.103100@m79g2000cwm.googlegr oups.com...
> I own 2001 Elantra - 69,000 miles. It's been recommended to replace
> the belts. Which ones? Timing belt? Accessory Drive Belts? Both?
>
> Is it just as safe to have a certified private repair shop do the work,
> or must the dealer do it?
>

Replacing timing belts is a common task requiring common skills. Any decent
shop ought to be able to do it very well. There's no need to rely upon the
dealer with the belief that this is a procedure which requires specialized
knowledge, skill or tools. That said, the dealer can be nearly the same
price as an outside shop and if there's no big savings at stake, it might
make a good opportunity to develop something of a rapport with the dealer.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

"Scott" <scottak1@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:1152112853.785655.103100@m79g2000cwm.googlegr oups.com...
> I own 2001 Elantra - 69,000 miles. It's been recommended to replace
> the belts. Which ones? Timing belt? Accessory Drive Belts? Both?
>
> Is it just as safe to have a certified private repair shop do the work,
> or must the dealer do it?
>

Replacing timing belts is a common task requiring common skills. Any decent
shop ought to be able to do it very well. There's no need to rely upon the
dealer with the belief that this is a procedure which requires specialized
knowledge, skill or tools. That said, the dealer can be nearly the same
price as an outside shop and if there's no big savings at stake, it might
make a good opportunity to develop something of a rapport with the dealer.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

"Scott" <scottak1@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:1152112853.785655.103100@m79g2000cwm.googlegr oups.com...
> I own 2001 Elantra - 69,000 miles. It's been recommended to replace
> the belts. Which ones? Timing belt? Accessory Drive Belts? Both?
>
> Is it just as safe to have a certified private repair shop do the work,
> or must the dealer do it?
>

Replacing timing belts is a common task requiring common skills. Any decent
shop ought to be able to do it very well. There's no need to rely upon the
dealer with the belief that this is a procedure which requires specialized
knowledge, skill or tools. That said, the dealer can be nearly the same
price as an outside shop and if there's no big savings at stake, it might
make a good opportunity to develop something of a rapport with the dealer.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

If you haven't done the timing belt, you should. It's time to do it based
on time and mileage. The shop will need to remove the drive belts to get
to the timing belt, so if they haven't been recently replaced, you should
have them install new ones with the timing belt job.

You can have any shop capable of replacing a timing belt do this job.
This isn't a difficult or tricky timing belt to do, so that should be just
about any shop. You'll also want to take an interest in the parts used.
For something as important as the timing belt, you should insist on a
quality, name brand part (such as Gates, Dayco, or Goodyear, or even a
factory timing belt).

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

If you haven't done the timing belt, you should. It's time to do it based
on time and mileage. The shop will need to remove the drive belts to get
to the timing belt, so if they haven't been recently replaced, you should
have them install new ones with the timing belt job.

You can have any shop capable of replacing a timing belt do this job.
This isn't a difficult or tricky timing belt to do, so that should be just
about any shop. You'll also want to take an interest in the parts used.
For something as important as the timing belt, you should insist on a
quality, name brand part (such as Gates, Dayco, or Goodyear, or even a
factory timing belt).

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

If you haven't done the timing belt, you should. It's time to do it based
on time and mileage. The shop will need to remove the drive belts to get
to the timing belt, so if they haven't been recently replaced, you should
have them install new ones with the timing belt job.

You can have any shop capable of replacing a timing belt do this job.
This isn't a difficult or tricky timing belt to do, so that should be just
about any shop. You'll also want to take an interest in the parts used.
For something as important as the timing belt, you should insist on a
quality, name brand part (such as Gates, Dayco, or Goodyear, or even a
factory timing belt).

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

Thanks a lot... I'll start shopping it around. The dealer wants $579
(total parts (3 belts) and labor))

Scott



Mike Marlow wrote:
> "Scott" <scottak1@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:1152112853.785655.103100@m79g2000cwm.googlegr oups.com...
> > I own 2001 Elantra - 69,000 miles. It's been recommended to replace
> > the belts. Which ones? Timing belt? Accessory Drive Belts? Both?
> >
> > Is it just as safe to have a certified private repair shop do the work,
> > or must the dealer do it?
> >
>
> Replacing timing belts is a common task requiring common skills. Any decent
> shop ought to be able to do it very well. There's no need to rely upon the
> dealer with the belief that this is a procedure which requires specialized
> knowledge, skill or tools. That said, the dealer can be nearly the same
> price as an outside shop and if there's no big savings at stake, it might
> make a good opportunity to develop something of a rapport with the dealer.
>
> --
>
> -Mike-
> mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

Thanks a lot... I'll start shopping it around. The dealer wants $579
(total parts (3 belts) and labor))

Scott



Mike Marlow wrote:
> "Scott" <scottak1@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:1152112853.785655.103100@m79g2000cwm.googlegr oups.com...
> > I own 2001 Elantra - 69,000 miles. It's been recommended to replace
> > the belts. Which ones? Timing belt? Accessory Drive Belts? Both?
> >
> > Is it just as safe to have a certified private repair shop do the work,
> > or must the dealer do it?
> >
>
> Replacing timing belts is a common task requiring common skills. Any decent
> shop ought to be able to do it very well. There's no need to rely upon the
> dealer with the belief that this is a procedure which requires specialized
> knowledge, skill or tools. That said, the dealer can be nearly the same
> price as an outside shop and if there's no big savings at stake, it might
> make a good opportunity to develop something of a rapport with the dealer.
>
> --
>
> -Mike-
> mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

Thanks a lot... I'll start shopping it around. The dealer wants $579
(total parts (3 belts) and labor))

Scott



Mike Marlow wrote:
> "Scott" <scottak1@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:1152112853.785655.103100@m79g2000cwm.googlegr oups.com...
> > I own 2001 Elantra - 69,000 miles. It's been recommended to replace
> > the belts. Which ones? Timing belt? Accessory Drive Belts? Both?
> >
> > Is it just as safe to have a certified private repair shop do the work,
> > or must the dealer do it?
> >
>
> Replacing timing belts is a common task requiring common skills. Any decent
> shop ought to be able to do it very well. There's no need to rely upon the
> dealer with the belief that this is a procedure which requires specialized
> knowledge, skill or tools. That said, the dealer can be nearly the same
> price as an outside shop and if there's no big savings at stake, it might
> make a good opportunity to develop something of a rapport with the dealer.
>
> --
>
> -Mike-
> mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

Scott wrote:

> Thanks a lot... I'll start shopping it around. The dealer wants $579
> (total parts (3 belts) and labor))

That sounds pretty steep. I'd definitely get a second and maybe third
opinion.


Matt

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

Scott wrote:

> Thanks a lot... I'll start shopping it around. The dealer wants $579
> (total parts (3 belts) and labor))

That sounds pretty steep. I'd definitely get a second and maybe third
opinion.


Matt

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

Scott wrote:

> Thanks a lot... I'll start shopping it around. The dealer wants $579
> (total parts (3 belts) and labor))

That sounds pretty steep. I'd definitely get a second and maybe third
opinion.


Matt

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

Found another quote from a shop that's highly recommended by some local
folks here. They use belts from Mighty Auto Parts - it's actually 4
belts in total... $395. I made my appointment for tomorrow morning.
Thank you all for your reponses! I feel much more confident now.

Scott


Matt Whiting wrote:
> Scott wrote:
>
> > Thanks a lot... I'll start shopping it around. The dealer wants $579
> > (total parts (3 belts) and labor))
>
> That sounds pretty steep. I'd definitely get a second and maybe third
> opinion.
>
>
> Matt

Re: Drive belts / Timing belt replacement
 

Found another quote from a shop that's highly recommended by some local
folks here. They use belts from Mighty Auto Parts - it's actually 4
belts in total... $395. I made my appointment for tomorrow morning.
Thank you all for your reponses! I feel much more confident now.

Scott


Matt Whiting wrote:
> Scott wrote:
>
> > Thanks a lot... I'll start shopping it around. The dealer wants $579
> > (total parts (3 belts) and labor))
>
> That sounds pretty steep. I'd definitely get a second and maybe third
> opinion.
>
>
> Matt