Hello, Im the second owner of a VW jetta 1.8T, I got it when it had 98K miles on it, now I have it on 110K, I guess I need to change the timing belt, but the questions is how trustworthy is to bring it to a local repair center?
I did an estimated on the dealer and they mentioned it will be around $750, while the local repair center estimated at $450. Which one should I go for?Timing belt replacement?if you don't know your way around an engine DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS REPAIR YOURSELF. if you install the belt incorrectly it can cause catastrophic failure when you try to start the engine. you could wind up doing a lot of damage to the pistons and valves and ultimately wind up replacing the engine.
for an experienced mechanic it is simple to change a timing belt. check with your local better business bureau to find out if the shop you plan to take it to has had any complaints and speak to the shop to find out what kind of guarantee they have on their work. if they can't guarantee it, they probably don't know what they're doing.
it is fairly typical of a dealer to charge more for repairs than a local shop, because they always use flat rate billing (that sometimes charges more than once for the same portion of a repair), and often times they charge a higher hourly rate. local repair shops don't try to rip you off on the billing because your business is their only business, whereas the dealership makes most of its money selling cars and doing warranty work, and couldn't care less how their repair department is doing for outside business. with a local shop your biggest concern should be whether they will tamper with something else to force you to return for more repairs. that's why you need to check the better business bureauTiming belt replacement?get a manual and do it your self save 75%Timing belt replacement?well the one doing it for 450 might be a good deal but theres a chance he might not do everything, while the one for 750 might do some machining and such to make your car run better and make sure everything is ok. just go ask them what all your paying for.Timing belt replacement?I just went through this with my escort. I paid a guy 750 to do the timing belt, water pump and heater core. A year later, heater core went out again and the timing belt, and thus the water pump.
I paid another shop 499 to replace the water pump and timing belt. My car is not 0 clearance so there was no damage to the engine when the timing belt shredded.
Yes, I got ripped off. Can run your question on Craigs list as there are some pretty good backyard mechanics who can help and their fees really do fluctuate.Timing belt replacement?dude, buy your timing belt kit at
http://www.germanautoparts.com/
go on vwvortex, and search for a vw guru in your area.
i got my timing belt, water pump, thermostat, coolant flushed, serpentine belt, replaced for around 500
if you're from westchester county ny or fairfield county ct, i know a guy who works on vw for reasonable priceTiming belt replacement?The Dealers have a much higher shop rate than independent shops. The parts are cheap, most of the cost is labor. The prices you list are typical, about 750 at the dealers and around 450 at a local shop. If you trust the local shop and they have a good reputation for doing quality work, get it done there and save a lot.
