Car Advice

[Essentia]

My car stalled yesterday when stepping on the brakes and then wouldn't start again. Not knowing who to bring it to at the time I had it towed to the local Dodge dealership (it's a 2005 Dodge Stratus). It has right at about 90,000 miles on it.

They called me this morning and told me the timing belt broke and that I needed a new one. I was fine with this, whatever, just fix it. I knew the price and I'm not worried about it, though I am sure they are overcharging (they are known for it). They are also known for upselling, which I was also expecting.

To fix the timing belt is $538. He is telling me he "recommends" the tensioners being replaced which raises the price up to $1,088. Is this something that should be done? He said if I plan on selling the car in the next year (which I don't) then he wouldn't worry about it, but if it's something I plan on holding on to for awhile I should have it done.

He also said that now would be time time to replace the water pump. He said it isn't leaking, but since they already have that part of the engine taken apart there is no extra labor. It would raise everything to a grand total of $1,356. He said that it is something that is known to go out around 100,000 miles and it would be about $650 later on with labor if it did need to be replaced.

I of course want to pay the $538, but if the extra (either one, or both) need to be done and it isn't just an upsell I do have the savings to cover it (though it pretty much wipes me dry). Just trying to get the opinion of anything who knows more than I do. I sent a PM to Dawn, but I don't think she will get it until later, and I'm sure they are waiting on my answer so they can start working on the car. :wacko:

 

[StevieP]

What engine is in the car? Is it a 2.7 Liter V6? If so, I would only fix the belt to get it running and sell the car ASAP. This engine is notorious for failing prematurely. If your car has the 4 cylinder engine, it is ok.

I pretty much agree with the dealership; if you are going to keep the car, have the belt, tensioner, and water pump replaced. It bothers me that they are charging you so much though, once they have the belt off it is not much more work to replace the tensioners and pump, so why the extra $800?

 

[Essentia]

No it isn't the V6. It's a 4 cylinder.

 

[Essentia]

What engine is in the car? Is it a 2.7 Liter V6? If so, I would only fix the belt to get it running and sell the car ASAP. This engine is notorious for failing prematurely. If your car has the 4 cylinder engine, it is ok.

I pretty much agree with the dealership; if you are going to keep the car, have the belt, tensioner, and water pump replaced. It bothers me that they are charging you so much though, once they have the belt off it is not much more work to replace the tensioners and pump, so why the extra $800?

Very good question. You can have their phone # to ask! My only thought is because they can, and they know it....especially since they already have my car in pieces. >.<

 

[StevieP]

Ahhh!!! That is highway robbery!!! I personally would change all of the components while it is apart if I was keeping the car for a few more years. The tensioner is important IMO because if it is not working properly it can cause some more problems, including the new belt to snap. 90,000 is getting high for a water pump, some can go out at 30,000 miles, some can last over 200,000.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

I believe the information they are giving you about the other repairs is correct. My last car was due to have the timing belt replaced and they told me the same thing. It just makes sense to do it all at the same time, because when they are in there is is easier to just replace everything. It's the labor charges that drive the price up, so better to save that up front. With my luck, the water pump would fail the next day.

I have driven Audis and gone to the same dealer since 1974!!! They treat me like a member of the family and I know that they don't rip me off. The service manager is like my grandpa and often does little things for no charge.

I will be having to get my timing belt replaced on my current car (2002 A6) next year -- they have already warned me that it will be $2,000, so I'm now wrestling with replace timing belt/get new car...

Good luck

 

[Essentia]

Even with the extra labor do you think it would be cheaper to just have them change the timing belt and close her up,then look around at other garages/someone else certified who also has the ability to do it? I'm just trying to weigh my options...

I hate not knowing what to do, especially when it comes to this much (*^#@^&%$#*&Q$^ money.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

As I said, I'm wrestling with spending the money or just getting a new car, which means car payments.

They told me to think about how long I planned on keeping the car. Since I love it and it has been pretty much trouble-free, I'm leaning towards the repair.

I wouldn't try to shop around to do the other repairs somewhere else -- they will have already torn your car down, and charged the labor for doing so; you might just as well get everything done at the same time. Or, like me, consider whether or not you want to keep the car. If the answer is no, then maybe do the bare minimum.

 

[AZChins]

Oh yeah...call around and see what other places charge for the same thing. That sounds REALLY high for the extra things they are doing. You may be able to save yourself a few hundred dollars for all the same things. Change the water pump? Why? If it isn't broken, why run the risk of putting an unproven part into the car? As far as I know with my cars that hasn't been a part that fails too often....

 

[StevieP]

Yeah susan, sometimes the original water pump will last the life of the car and a replacement will fail 30,000 miles later, it is a crap shoot. There are literally a few bolts and hoses on the water pump which costs $50, so $200 for labor is redonkulous when they already have it all taken apart.

 

[Essentia]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing about the water pump, so I think I am just going to hang on to the one I have for now. It hasn't done me wrong just yet.

And Lynn, I'm still paying on this car for another year, so I know your pain.

 

[Silverrose]

I think part of the reason your estimate is so high is because you took it to an actual Dodge dealership. I know that when I had my Honda worked on at a smaller shop it was much cheaper than when going to the actual dealership. However, at the same time, I think the quality of work was a lot better at the Honda dealership, plus they had all the parts and tools on hand to work on a foreign car. So I wasn't waiting on parts or for a Honda expert to come at take a look at what needed to get done. I actually ended having to take my car to the dealership because the smaller shop did not quite fix the problem. So I probably would have saved myself some money in the long run by taking it to the dealership and doing all the recommended things I should have in the first place. Maybe not quite the same situation, but just food for thought. Good luck with your car!

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

This is one reason why I take my Kia to the Ford dealership..cheaper labor prices and I buy my own parts off a Kia site for cheaper than the dealer ship sells them. My philosophy is if it isn't broke why mess with it now! But I would definitely have the tensioner fixed, as it can cause problems with the new timing belt, like was said.

 

[Essentia]

Ok, so I spoke to this man after speaking to people here and on facebook and apparently I had it wrong from the beginning. The $538 was the cost to open the car, take apart that part of the engine and give me a diagnosis...it actually didn't cover a single **** thing towards what was wrong with it, which I did not understand when he first told me about the car. He said the money paid does go toward the repair, whatever that means. This is why it was $1088 for the belt and tensioner. The tensioner itself I am paying no labor on, and is only costing me about $130.


.....this is such a headache.

 

[ticklechin]

The flat rate time for the timing belt is 2.6 hours, its 3.8 hours for the water pump with timing belt removal, the dealer price for the pump is 109.00, the belt is 41.00. I would replace the accessory belts and the antifreeze. I have been in business for 22 years, and of the 1000s of timing belts done here I have had not one tensioner fail under 200k, I recommend them at the next timing belt at 180k . The water pump is a good idea at
90k since it is driven by the timing belt and usually fail in the 120-150k range and rarely last till the next timing belt.

I get 100.00 a hour for labor, my quote for the entire job would be 577.00 parts and labor. It does not take long-under a 1/2 hour to diagnose a broken timing belt and since it is done by ear most of the time-the engine spins freely with no compression there is not "open up the engine" to diagnose. The only way that happens if the engine is interference and the potential for internal damage from the pistons hitting the valves when the engine is out of time. In that case the customer is advised of the potential, charged to take apart and put a belt on and the compression is checked-if its junk thats it, fix or get rid of the car, if its ok the customer is just charged for the timing belt/water pump service. No no rocket science involved diagnosing a broken timing belt.

 

[ticklechin]

One other thing that was mentioned, customer supplied parts. In most shops, including mine, customer supplied parts are not warrantied by me and you will get charged labor again to do the job over if your part failed. This is why shops mark parts up, its to cover overhead if that part fails under warranty and I need to pay my mechanics to do it over again, with no fault of my or their own. The customer gets the repair for free. To provide a 20.00 part for a 100.00 labor repair to save a few dollars on the part is penny foolish.

 

[Ash]

If your car is only an '05, I'd be asking what's still under the warranty. Most are 10 years or 100k miles, your car is under both.

 

[sheltiefan]

My husband isn't a licaned mecanic but he can do most things on a car and he said that you really don't need those done. They are just trying to upsale you. As long as you keep coolent in the radiator not water. You sould be fine for a while.

 

[threewingedfury]

If your car is only an '05, I'd be asking what's still under the warranty. Most are 10 years or 100k miles, your car is under both.

Stratus warranties were for 3 years, 36k bumper to bumper and 70k for powertrain - her warranty is up unless she purchased an extended warranty. I just got rid of my 04 Stratus and my warranty was gone in no time and after 70k, it seemed like everything wanted to fall apart.

Do you know anyone who could do it for you that isn't part of a dealership? Family, friends? My uncle owns a car place and only charges me $40 an hr for labor, $60 tops for large jobs. My grandfather changed my timing belt on my Cavalier numerous times as well as the tensioner (which finally stopped the timing belt from breaking), it wasn't a problem for him to switch them out at all. Maybe Christian could do it with a diagram?

 

[Ash]

Gotcha. That really sucks.