Timing belt job on Civic LX Why so much?

[jeffie7]

I called around to two different honda dealerships, one is asking $650 the other wants $695.
Parts alone are $198.45 all OEM.

How the hell are they charging $500 for labor? that's just over 5 and 1/2 hours of labor at $88.00 an hour.

5 hours at a loaded auto shop should be more then enough time to pull a D15/16 fully out of the chassis, remove timing belt, install timing belt, then reinstall the motor again.

Bastards.

 

[civicious]

Call the dealership back, and tell them one of the lights in your gauge cluster is out. Ask them how much it will cost to have it replaced.

 

[jeffie7]

Originally posted by civicious@Sep 10 2005, 11:45 AM
Call the dealership back, and tell them one of the lights in your gauge cluster is out. Ask them how much it will cost to have it replaced.

[post=552299]Quoted post[/post]​

It's cheaper to burn the car to the ground and buy a new one.

 

[civicious]

 

[EGProject]

Changing the timing belt is actually a bit involved. It usually requires undoing the left side engine mount, undoing the crank pulley, accessories, belts, covers and tensioner. On top of that, you need to put it all back together. I ended up doing it myself - since most shops were telling me $500-700 to do it. A local Honda dealership was going to charge me $721 for parts and labor.

I don't f'ing think so.

 

[reckedracing]

my friend and i just did one on a civic with a/c p/s, all that fancy shit...

took less than 3 hours for timing belt, tensioner and water pump...

 

[jamesA]

Christ... that is really fucking high.

Last month I had the timing and serpentine belts replaced, a 4wheel alignment, and my CV joints checked.

Only cost me 274 for everything... and it took them 5 hours to do it.

 

[jeffie7]

Originally posted by EGProject@Sep 10 2005, 01:01 PM
Changing the timing belt is actually a bit involved. It usually requires undoing the left side engine mount, undoing the crank pulley, accessories, belts, covers and tensioner. On top of that, you need to put it all back together. I ended up doing it myself - since most shops were telling me $500-700 to do it. A local Honda dealership was going to charge me $721 for parts and labor.

I don't f'ing think so.

[post=552327]Quoted post[/post]​

Involved? not really. not 5.5 hours worth.

undoing TWO bolts so you can jack the engine up, big whoop.

I'm going to do it myself thanks to the raping the dealerships want to do.
I was just hoping I could save some time by paying someone a reasonable amount of money. A dealership shouldnt have a problem doing a timing belt job in 2 hours. that's $250.00 an hour!

 

[hondarin]

well, if you take it to a honda dealership to get it done, they're gonna do more than just change the timing belt, or at least they're gonna charge you for more than just the timing belt. it's prolly some kind of 105,000 mile service or something like that. when i got the 115,000(i think) mile service done on the 98 accord i used to have, they did: timing belt, water pump, accessory belts, head gasket, vavle cover gasket, valve adjustment, new spark plugs, and a couple of other things involved with the service. and on top of that, i had the rear main seal replaced, the axles (c.v. boots were cracked), and the transmission fluid changed.

doing all of that in my driveway would've been way too much down time. i think it was like 1500 bucks, and it took almost all day.

 

[phyregod]

Its a dealership.

It shouldn't take 5.5 hours to do a timing belt. But they have a book somewhere that says Timing belt: 5.5 hours.

And they live their life by that book. All mechanics do.

Labor is something like 45 an hour, usually. so parts + 247ish labor.. you do the math.

Then, STFU and change your timing belt.

 

[jeffie7]

Originally posted by hondarin@Sep 10 2005, 02:36 PM
well, if you take it to a honda dealership to get it done, they're gonna do more than just change the timing belt, or at least they're gonna charge you for more than just the timing belt. it's prolly some kind of 105,000 mile service or something like that.

[post=552361]Quoted post[/post]​

Timing belt, water pump, and the small stuff. NOT a 105K mile tune up. Just the basics

It just bugs me they rape so many people

 

[allbottledup]

i had my dad look up book time for the same car for the t-belt and its 2.5 hours. So i dont know what book that honda dealership is getting there times from.

 

[Airjockie]

your money covers...

The Parts...
The mech's coffee and dougnuts...
His lunch...couse it will take all day...
his insurance...if he drops his coffee...he's got to have a back up...
his care...if he knows your not going to pay...then he will keep a bolt or two...
his bathroom reading materials...playboys are not cheap...
other fluids...antifreeze, silcone, epoxy, beer....
the mechs Snap-on bill...those tool trucks rape mechanics...
his ciggs...so he can take 3 30 minute smoke breaks...
his snacks...sometimes a almond joy hits the spot right before the water pump goes back on...
his nextel bill...he has to call once in a while to see whats up with his bro's later that night...
His Ebay fees...he has to sell off the old parts...and Ebay isn't free...
His boss...he wants a coffee too...


and I know I'm forgetting a lot in that list....

 

[jamesA]

This could be avoided if when you first call to make your appointment you ask for the service manager so you can inquire into what the hourly rate is and how long it takes to get it done. Then ask the price for the pieces and parts it takes to get the job done.

Add the totals, but decline making an appointment. Call back to days later to ask how much it would be from whoever answers the phone. If it's different and higher, ask for the service manager. If he sticks by the tech that's trying to rape you, get a Chiltons and go do it yourself.

 

[jeffie7]

Originally posted by 2000Si@Sep 10 2005, 08:28 PM
This could be avoided if when you first call to make your appointment you ask for the service manager so you can inquire into what the hourly rate is and how long it takes to get it done. Then ask the price for the pieces and parts it takes to get the job done.

Add the totals, but decline making an appointment. Call back to days later to ask how much it would be from whoever answers the phone. If it's different and higher, ask for the service manager. If he sticks by the tech that's trying to rape you, get a Chiltons and go do it yourself.

[post=552482]Quoted post[/post]​

If I could get it done for $300-350 I'd pay someone to do it but since its not even close to that I plan on doing it myself.

it's a no brainer.

Time = money. most of the time my Time > my money. however in this case its the other way around.

 

[phyregod]

Originally posted by jeffie7@Sep 10 2005, 09:26 PM
If I could get it done for $300-350 I'd pay someone to do it but since its not even close to that I plan on doing it myself.

[post=552499]Quoted post[/post]​

I'd do it for you for 350.. but you live like 810723459128374 miles from me.

 

[jeffie7]

Originally posted by phyregod+Sep 10 2005, 10:31 PM-->

jeffie7

@Sep 10 2005, 09:26 PM
If I could get it done for $300-350 I'd pay someone to do it but since its not even close to that I plan on doing it myself.

[post=552499]Quoted post[/post]​

I'd do it for you for 350.. but you live like 810723459128374 miles from me.

[post=552514]Quoted post[/post]​

parts =190 so that would be 160 bucks for labor. HMmm now that I Think about it maybe more like 300 even. =)~ I;m to cheap to pay someone.

I might go to the local carshop down the street from me who happens to come in all the time for food. Offer them 400 bucks worth of food or something.

HMmm =)

 

[crazkene13]

Part OEM Part Price
22 - Timing Belt 14400P08004 $44.70
(keep in mind thats wholesale and not from Honda)



Warranty Standard
Timing Belt
Replace W 1.5 S2.1
With AC, Add W0.3 S0.5
R&R Camshaft Seal,Add W0.2 S0.4
To Reseal or Replace Oil Pump, Add W0.5 S0.8
With PS, Add W0.2 S0.4

cut and pasted from my shop management program
I live by the book cause it's a good average, for every car that goes smooth theres one that is full of frozen bolts and previous mechanics mistakes.
if i were to charge actual time you would probly get off with 2 hours labor but then later down the line when someone's wheel bearing welds itself in they end up paying 2 hours @$75 an hour to do a 1/2 hour job.
How else are you going to give estimates?
So for all that I would still quote you 4 hours for everything listed...5.5 seems high
also I would automatically want to do a water pump cause I'm in MI and it's almost winter.

 

[EGProject]

Did it myself, and it wasn't as hard as you'd expect. The hardest part was the crank pulley bolt. Other than that, we followed the Haynes manual for most of it, and winged the rest. Haven't had a problem since. All it cost me was the $175 for the timing belt kit, waterpump, and gaskets. Took me and my father about 5 hours to do it, factoring in about an hour for lunch.

 

[driver1]

yup have fun with that crank pulley bolt. almost all of them will not come off with the strongest of impact guns on the biggest of compressors. Do yourself the favor and buy the crank pulley tol from moroso for the 70 bucks or whatever it is, before u ever start the job. otherwsise than that its a simple task really. oh and about the prices those are book timed prices as u obvioously know. Thats what flat rate shops are all about, and simply is the real reason why mech's are able to make a decent living turning wrenches. I know i own a body shop and it works the same way. If you can get paid 8 hrs for a job and get it done in 4 you make twice the money. sucks for the costumer in a way but thats just life. If they dont like it there is always 300 piece tool sets at sears for sale and a chiltons or a haynes at the local vip on the way back from sears