I will probably have a shop do this for me. The dealer quoted 450 (without the added cost of replacing gaskets or the water pump if its bad) Anything I should be aware of before I go through with it?

 

I got my timing belt, water pump, and coolant exchange for less than 200 bucks, shade tree mechanic FTW. Oh and make sure they change your timing belt tensioner, and might as well replace the water pump while they're in there.

 

With the life of my first car http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=417568&page=3

 

450 damn, I did this as soon as I got my Maxima and I paid 670 for:

Tune up
MAF
Timing Belt
Waterpump
Thermostat
Oil Change
All new drive belts

Labor was included along with parts and warranty, I say you look for another shop if they're charging you that JUST for the timing belt but then again you said it was the dealer=stealership

 

Why do you say damn? You paid an extra 220 for a tune up and MAF. Most people would just get a used maf. Look around next time. What kind of warranty did you get?

 

I know it is bad to just go to the dealership rather than find a decent mechanic, but this is Detroit, and if it isn't American, it is alot harder to find a shop that is familiar with them. Seems weird but its true.

 

can someone tell me why a mechanic would tell me its not necessary to change the water pump when doing the tbelt. i told him that i thought you have to move the water pump or remove it to do the timing belt and he said that it would be a bad idea.......I had another mechanic and have heard on here that you should change the water pump....

 

Lifetime bro, lifetime

 

So if it fails, they replace your heads, or just give you another belt?

 

Because the water pump on the VG is not driven by the timing belt like it usually is and is outside of timing covers.

 

ok that makes sense... so why do people on the org say replace it?

 

For the same reasons that you change the T-belt. When doing that T-belt, everything is off the side of the engine and it takes an extra ten minutes or less to put on a new pump, might as well do it while you're there, otherwise it is a pain to replace.

 

lol I'm talking about the MAFbeing lifetime warranty not the timing belt since you said I could've gotten a USED one..You're saying I paid extra 220 for tune up and MAF? that sounds pretty fair to me..although I know how to do it myself now.

 

Drive it to chicago
I know a shop here that can handle it.

 

250 for timing belt AND water pump.

 

the waterpump will start to leak from its seals if it is old enough.....

 

do it yourself itl take a weekend 25 bucks for the belt 15 for the pump 20 for the tensioner 15 for the hayes manual and have fun..

 

e-dog, I like your maximas. Very nice

 

17 bucks for hte tbelt, 24 for the water pupm, 8 for the haynes manual, ~8 hours labor in my dads garage (off and on) over a weekend. so 50 bucks?

 

I asked the dealer if he could use non-nissan parts for some of the repairs (like gaskets and the water pump) and he said it would bring it down some. I would still stick with OEM belt and tensioner.

Do you guys think this is a good idea? I'm getting it done next week, so any advice would help.

 

Don't take it to the dealer...They are expensive and employ more newbie mechanics than a normal garage.

 

it would pointless to just change ur t-belt and the water pump while in there. i changed my water pump without touchin' the t-belt once. but when it came time for my motor swap i changed everything again includin' cam seals, front main seal, rear main seal, thermostat, exhaust studs, and valve cover gaskets. don't listen to those fisher price mechanics. when doin' a t-belt u have to change the water pump and other timin' components that r in there as well. i charged a local guy $350 to do a complete timin' belt job on his '94 GXE. i changed his t-belt, tensioner, water pump, thermostat, front main seal, cam seals, new acc. belts in 4 hours i did the whole job and left the car runnin' for him. this man was about to pay about $700 to a shop that told him that its a pain in the a$$ to work on these cars which to some of us is but once ur in there everything else i cake.

 

Maxitech, are you in the detroit area?

 

Wow thats a good price If I lived near you you would be replacing my t belt on my 89

I would love to give you 350 for a t-belt job I have the parts allready but I have been procrastinating the job!!

 

Sorry, man. I'm at MTU in the western part of the U.P. I reside in Traverse City in the summers, though.

 

well then move down to Miami and i'll do it for you.

 

THAT'S IT, ROADTRIP TO MIAMI PEOPLE! but it's still a good idea to change those parts while you're in there isnt it? I mean timing belt is changed at what? every 60k-100k that should be about time for a waterpump shouldn't it? or you only change a waterpump once its bad? I believe in preventitive maintenance Do you?

 

Ditto here dude!!!! I am going to tackle mine when weather here gets warmer.

 

$200: Timing belt, tensioner, water pump, seals, gaskets, manifolt studs, serpentine belts, synthetic fluids, p/s hoses, coolant hoses, etc.

Then the cherry picker's chain broke, so:

$2800: Junkyard VG, alternator and oilpan (both of which slammed into the ground when the chain broke), medical bills (a tranny and engine falling on you really sucks), SnapOn impact gun (tranny didn't budge.)

Do not just grab that chain out of the back yard and use it without inspecting it first, because you, too, can look like an idiot around all of your friends.

 

OUCH !!

 

$420 for timing belt , water pump ,seals, coolant flush and auto tranny flush. Not bad for a local mechanic

 

i agree one tousand pertent

 

ahh just get a manual and bust it out yourself... not that bad of a job

 

For both parts and labor: timing belt, water pump, thermostat, seals, three belts, and coolant/radiator flush.

 

Do it yourself and it's about $150 in parts including the water pump, belts, and new tensioner spring and pulley. It is one of the easiest timing belt changes I have done. Download the FSM.