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The Car Thread ... !
- Thread starter D.T.
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diamond.g
macrumors G5
diamond.g
macrumors G5
104k, so it is due. I'd been telling my wife for a bit that it was gonna be expensive. I even thought about doing it myself, but it has been quite a few years since I've messed with timing belts.
EDIT: It also includes replacing the water pump and one other thing that escapes me at the moment. Typically they are done with this service so that is how it is quoted. I supposed just the belt replacement would be cheaper.
Bkdodger
macrumors 603
How long have you owned? You have to do my kind of math take the amount of years of quality use, and divided equally over the amount of time ha ha ha, hopefully you get it done properly, and you won’t have to do another thing
S.B.G
Moderator emeritus
Thing is, a good shop will do the timing job and depending on the engine design, will also do the water pump, chain or belt guides, cam phasers and whatnot all at once, or won't do the job at all.
If the mechanic is in there and has the front cover of the engine off, that's the time to replace all those other things. They won't do just a belt or chain and put it all back together because it could be 2 weeks or 2 months later when the water pump starts to fail. They don't want a customer coming back and complaining that they messed something up. And if they have to go back in there again, that's a lot of labor hours which if all those items were done at the same time, the customer is saving a significant amount of money in labor costs.
diamond.g
macrumors G5
We bought used with like 88k miles last year.
Yeah this is the dealership so I doubt they would just do the belt.
Bkdodger
macrumors 603
Hopefully hopefully you get a lot of great miles out of it after this work
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
For the timing belt/chain or the serpentine belt?
Chevy wanted about 1800 to replace the thermostat, so all things being equal replacing the timing belt for 1700 isn't horrible.
Nearly every major maintenance milestone I have runs me about 1,000 dollars.
SactoGuy18
macrumors 603
And now, we have to wonder how will Toyota introduce the upcoming 2028 model year Corolla models that will come out by middle 2027. I expect the final production version to be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2026, at least for the sedan version. A new station wagon and five-door hatchback version may follow shortly after.
diamond.g
macrumors G5
Timing belt, water pump. And one more thing I forget at the moment. Back in the 2010’s it was like an 8-900 dollar job or like 400 to do it yourself (and hours worth of your time).
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
Yeah, but a 900 dollar job in 2010 will be largely a 1800 job in 2026.
When I owned my truck, every major maintenance milestone was about a grand each, the 45k mileage was 1200, the 60k was lining up to be over a thousand dollars (I had not hit that mileage as I sold the truck), replacing the thermostat, 1,800 dollars, muffler, 1,000. The list goes on and on
S.B.G
Moderator emeritus
I saw that GM for the 2027 model year Silverado and Sierra's that come with the V8 will no longer have engine oil dipsticks. Instead they're putting a sensor in the oil pan to let you know if there is enough oil or not.
I'm sure that won't cause any problems at all.
It's bad enough that automakers got rid of transmission dip sticks years ago. (There is a dip stick but it's couple of inches long and you have to get under the vehicle to get to it. On some vehicles you have to burn your hand on the catalytic converter to check fluid levels after a service). But to get rid of the oil dip stick is idiotic to me. That is the lifeblood of the engine and you need to be able to inspect and not rely on electronics that can and do send false data and warnings.
This is yet another step in the direction that you will own nothing and like it.
#righttorepair
I'm sure that won't cause any problems at all.
It's bad enough that automakers got rid of transmission dip sticks years ago. (There is a dip stick but it's couple of inches long and you have to get under the vehicle to get to it. On some vehicles you have to burn your hand on the catalytic converter to check fluid levels after a service). But to get rid of the oil dip stick is idiotic to me. That is the lifeblood of the engine and you need to be able to inspect and not rely on electronics that can and do send false data and warnings.
This is yet another step in the direction that you will own nothing and like it.
#righttorepair
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
Wow
I will say this doesn't surprise me in one way. How many people in this day and age know to check their oil and/or how to check their oil. Everything is getting dumbed down.
As for possible issues, I agree this is a recipe for disaster. I used to belong to a chevy colorado reddit sub, and that was full of people complaining about chevy pushing an update to their truck only for that to fail and it has be taken to the dealership to fix - which for some people took days or weeks to fully resolve. That was one of the red flags I had when considering a 2026 Chevy truck (instead of my jeep)
S.B.G
Moderator emeritus
That's the real issue. Once things are dumbed down enough to where people broadly don't know how to do things on their own, what happens to society when those systems fail, or companies go out of business?
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
This is part of the UK theory test you need to pass to drive over here.
Although with more and more EV’s on the road only a matter of time before it’s dropped.
diamond.g
macrumors G5
You would hope the community comes together to cobble together a solution (like Fisker Ocean).
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
Video of what's in store with the bronco in 2027
So the YTer mentions that sales of the bronco are nearing the numbers of what Jeep does. I'm not a fan of Ford, but I do like the bronco. What's odd, is that they're showing off a Bronco pickup truck. This just seems so ill fitting to me. First off, Ford has a very popular series of trucks, and I don't see this making new customers, but stealing F150 and Ranger sales.
Secondly, they're trying to compete with Jeep's gladiator and from what I know the gladiator is not a run away success. Why copy a model that is appealing to their customer base.
So the YTer mentions that sales of the bronco are nearing the numbers of what Jeep does. I'm not a fan of Ford, but I do like the bronco. What's odd, is that they're showing off a Bronco pickup truck. This just seems so ill fitting to me. First off, Ford has a very popular series of trucks, and I don't see this making new customers, but stealing F150 and Ranger sales.
Secondly, they're trying to compete with Jeep's gladiator and from what I know the gladiator is not a run away success. Why copy a model that is appealing to their customer base.
BMW has been doing this for several years now and it does not seem to have caused any problems, at least according to owners in the forums I frequent.
I mean there was a time we had dip sticks for gas tanks, and the sensors that replaced them seem to have held up okay.
I get what you are saying though, in the back of your mind you do worry about that oil sensor not working properly,
S.B.G
Moderator emeritus
The Bronco truck variant is merely speculation at this point. There is no official news from Ford on that. However, speculation abounds that Ford would kill off the Ranger in favor of a Bronco truck.
I don't know how successful that would be, just like as you mentioned the Jeep Gladiator isn't a huge seller either.
S.B.G
Moderator emeritus
Yeah, but a fuel gauge is one thing. If it fails, you just run of gas. Get a gas can, fill the vehicle back up and you're on your way.
If an oil sensor fails you run a real risk of destroying the engine.
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
This is true. But if your car is getting through oil there are usually other signs even if the sensor fails. Oil on the drive or around the engine bay. Or a lot of smoke.
Either way my oil checking and changing days are all in the past.
S.B.G
Moderator emeritus
Be that as it may, I have trust issues in modern technology and manufacturers.
I miss a lot of the analog ways of life I grew up in during the 70's and 80's.
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
I am a similar age. But Having switched to an EV I could never go back. I don't miss sorting out the points on my first car with feeler gauges and whatnot! I just want a car to take me from A to B.
As my Dad advised me when I bought my first car. Get a Ford they are easy to work on. But then that's all you ever do!
My first two cars were absolute dogs. Third was a bit better. Then it developed a nasty habit of not starting after a journey. When it was cold it was fine. When it was warm or hot, nope!
Took many trips to the garage (it was fine when we tried it!), replaced so many parts (battery, starter motor, distributor cap, leads and plugs etc.
Eventually (after a couple of failed attempts) the RAC got there soon enough to identify the problem. Stupid £12 sensor on the flywheel.
S.B.G
Moderator emeritus
I'm on the opposite end. I have very little interest in electric's at this time. I like being able to fix or modify my vehicles myself without being dependent on a manufacturer, dealership or software.
My view on EV is that they are disposable. Once the battery is used up, is it really worthwhile replacing it versus buying a new one? Or if the manufacturer decides to not support it anymore or end of life it and cause the vehicle not to operate anymore, then what?
They're making ICE cars this way too. Sealed transmissions, and now basically sealed engines, "lifetime" fluids, 10,000 mile (or more) oil change intervals and so forth. What they really mean for "lifetime" fluids - like my little John Deere lawn mower's transaxle, is that they expect the useful life of the vehicle to be about 7 years and then they expect you to trade it in for a new vehicle. The used car market is then going to get a car that is ready to explode and give up the ghost. All in the name of profits.
Some of us still like to work on our stuff and make it last as long as we can because we care about the thing we bought.
I still do 3,000 mile intervals on my cars for oil changes. I brought my Lincoln in for that service and the lady at the desk said "oh you have X% of oil life remaining and can go to 10,000 miles." I politely said to her that I would never do that to an engine and that it's worst thing you can do to it if you care about keeping it in good running condition and lasting a long time.
The crazy thing is that I lease this vehicle and I still care about it and I care that the next person who gets it, gets a car that was well taken care of and that they can expect it to be reliable and last a long time.