Automotive Advice

[Cy4Lifer]

Just looking for some CF advice. Currently driving a 2014 Honda Odyssey. (Please reserve judgement). 113,000 miles. Running great, no problems. At my recent service appointment, my technician told me that at my next service it is recommended that the vehicle will be due for “factory recommended timing belt and water pump replacement”. I’m no car expert, so is this something I should take seriously or is this just a money grab (est. $995.00)?

 

[Stewo]

Do you ask what kind of condition both parts are in? The timing belt thing is tricky because if it goes, your motor is obviously toast immediately, but if it's not in bad shape then you can probably hold off for awhile.

Another option is to trade it off and make it someone else's issue.

 

[abcguyks]

In my experience, lifetime of Honda timing belts / chains is +/-100k miles so I would agree with your mechanic on that. Don't know if same applies to water pump, but $995 for timing chain and water pump doesn't seem bad at all. Doing both at the same time should be cheaper than doing it separately.

 

[Trice]

I can't speak to Odysseys specifically but having owned some Hondas, that is a common service recommendation for other models so it's probably legitimate. And that price seems reasonable compared to what I've paid in the past.

I'm not sure where you go for service, but I occasionally get service coupons emailed to me from Honda of Ames. They often include a coupon for 20% off $750 or more of maintenance.

Have you ever been to www.odyclub.com? There seems to be an online forum for each model of Honda, and that is the one for the Odyssey. I've used the forums for the Hondas I've owned and found them very useful.

 

[VeloClone]

I had a timing belt break on an old escort years ago. It was a puckering couple of days until we knew if there was significant damage from it. They told us initially that we had about a 1 in 3 chance of being okay. Luckily we beat the odds that time. I would never risk it again.

 

[cowgirl836]

Nah, wait til the radio can't drown out any odd noises. That's your signal to get it looked at.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Just looking for some CF advice. Currently driving a 2014 Honda Odyssey. (Please reserve judgement). 113,000 miles. Running great, no problems. At my recent service appointment, my technician told me that at my next service it is recommended that the vehicle will be due for “factory recommended timing belt and water pump replacement”. I’m no car expert, so is this something I should take seriously or is this just a money grab (est. $995.00)?

Unless you are getting ready to trade it in I'd get it done per their recommendation. The belt isn't aged out too bad but has hit the mileage limit (plus by some) so you could cheat it a little but I won't, not for that price w/water pump. You drive a lot of miles, might as well prep it for another 100K.

 

[ArgentCy]

Just had to change a timing belt on our Subaru. That was do at 105,000 miles. We pushed it out to 110k simply because we didn't have time to have them change it when it was there for different service. I think that was about $750. They didn't recommend doing the water pump though. I had an old Subaru that died because I broke a timing belt but that one was supposed to be every 60k miles. And the odometer had broken so I really had no idea how many miles it had.

 

[Remo Gaggi]

100k on a timing belt is pretty generous compared to some cars. And they usually swap out the water pump while they are at it, which can't hurt. I'd get it done, but there are independent mechanics out there who will do the job for less than the stealership or independent shops.

 

[browns4cy]

Not sure if it's an interference motor or not but i would change it. The fact they want to do water pump makes me think it an interference motor which means when it goes it will take the valves and pistons with it.

 

[cmjh10]

Water pumps are generally pretty easy to replace, could possibly save some $$$ by doing it yourself.

 

[mywayorcyway]

I agree with a number of the others. If you're planning on keeping the car for awhile, get it done. $1k isn't a bad price. A busted timing belt is no good.

When they tell you to replace it at 220k miles, decline. LOL

 

[dosry5]

100k on a timing belt is pretty generous compared to some cars. And they usually swap out the water pump while they are at it, which can't hurt. I'd get it done, but there are independent mechanics out there who will do the job for less than the stealership or independent shops.

Weird post.....you didn’t make fun of any hoks here....

 

[CascadeClone]

I always look at that kind of large Mx cost like a car payment, esp if the car no longer has a car payment. Assuming your 5 year old vehicle is probably paid off.

So for $1000 you are going to buy a lot of years out of that Odyssey. That's a good investment.

 

[KnappShack]

Just looking for some CF advice. Currently driving a 2014 Honda Odyssey. (Please reserve judgement). 113,000 miles. Running great, no problems. At my recent service appointment, my technician told me that at my next service it is recommended that the vehicle will be due for “factory recommended timing belt and water pump replacement”. I’m no car expert, so is this something I should take seriously or is this just a money grab (est. $995.00)?

Actually that seems like a fair price. I was quoted $1400 just recently on my old beater.

Vehicles are built to make it to 200,000 miles now, but that could drastically change with a timing belt failure

KnappShack votes to spend your money on the replacement

 

[Cy4Lifer]

Water pumps are generally pretty easy to replace, could possibly save some $$$ by doing it yourself.

Probably good idea for some people, but not me. I once tried to find and fix the “muffler belt” and a “unicorn valve”! !

 

[besserheimerphat]

Another vote for "do it, and that price is fair."

 

[ArgentCy]

Just had to change a timing belt on our Subaru. That was do at 105,000 miles. We pushed it out to 110k simply because we didn't have time to have them change it when it was there for different service. I think that was about $750. They didn't recommend doing the water pump though. I had an old Subaru that died because I broke a timing belt but that one was supposed to be every 60k miles. And the odometer had broken so I really had no idea how many miles it had.

One other note is that we apparently got "unlucky". The service tech had to check under the hood to make sure our exact model had a belt. Apparently some time during the 2012 model year they changed it from a belt to a chain. That would have been nice to know when purchasing of course. Most larger engines / newer models are switching to chains I believe. It can't be much more expensive to use a chain as opposed to a belt.

 

[JSmoove]

Water pumps are generally pretty easy to replace, could possibly save some $$$ by doing it yourself.

This is definitely engine/car dependent. Both my BMW's were super straight forward to replace. Same could not be said for my V6 '02 Tacoma. That thing was buried and essentially you went through a timing belt replacement procedure just to get it.This is why I think most mechanics will recommend replacing both at the same time. Kind of a "while you're in there" type of thing.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I always look at that kind of large Mx cost like a car payment, esp if the car no longer has a car payment. Assuming your 5 year old vehicle is probably paid off.

So for $1000 you are going to buy a lot of years out of that Odyssey. That's a good investment.

This is always my go to line of thinking on car repairs/maintenance on cars that are paid for.