cl0112

Hi,

I am not an experienced mechanic - simply an average worker with average income. So, I am looking for reasonable service price.

My 2005 Lexus ES 330 is hitting 90K miles and I need to do the timing belt change.


Could anyone recommend:

1. What are the line items I need to ask for, when asking for a quote:
( Presently I am planning to ask for timing belt + water pump -- although the manual only states "Replace Timing Belt")

2. Approximate / fair reasonable cost
3. Where should I change the timing belt? Toyota dealers in San Francisco / San Jose Bay Area?



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Some of the stuffs I found from this forum : (Maybe useful for other people looking for timing belt service)
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I had mine done at the Toyota dealer last year. $800.00 for the timing belt, accessory drive belts, water pump, main oil seal, cam seal, and thermostat. I was going to change the belt tensioner too, but the dealer said it was still good. It's cheaper to bundle as many preventive maintenance services as you can at once.


Was quoted $429 for Timing belt & Water pump change at local Toyota dealership...
includes labor fees and parts.

Does that $429.00 price include the following?

Timing Belt
Tensioner Shaft
Timing Belt Idler Bearing Lower #1
Timing Belt Idler Bearing Upper #2
Timing Belt Tensioner
Water Pump
Water Pump Gasket
Thermostat

Did it on my 01 ES last week. $750 for a completed package:
- Timing belt.
- water pump
- All accessory drive belts.
- main oil seal, cam seal, thermostat
- Belt tensioner.
- 2x timing belt idler

I paid 750 for the timing belt, water pump and lube drive shaft. Got a price from Toyota and offered Lexus the opportunity to meet it. They did.

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

Where are you going with it? Private or dealer? Www.rockauto.com will allow you to piece together a nice kit from good brands (like aisin, which makes things for Toyota) or you can go dealer. At the end of the day, it's the labor that is crazy on timing belt jobs. And good call on getting the water pump as well. Some claim no point on the forums, but for the few bucks (when buying the rest of the kit) it costs, might as well.

cl0112

I am thinking of doing it in a Toyota Dealer, but the quote so far from a Toyota dealer is about $1600 --- which is outrageous.

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

^ yes it is. I got a kit for my dad's RX330, same motor, for about 250$ or so.

igorxx

I got my SC430 done at a Toyota dealership for $800 .Belt and water pump, Goldsboro,NC

80es300

Hi,

The timing belts on these are very well protected from rain, etc and will easily go much beyond 90K. So you can wait on the belt for some more time provided there are no front seals leaks or no water pump leak.
I have talked to many mechanics, read online and Aisin oem waterpumps with proper coolant maintenance will last 200K. Generally, people change waterpumps, bearings and tensioners every other time you change the timing belt. So for the first time, as the manual says, just the belt may be good enough. Toyota dealers will sometimes special for just the timing belt for about $299.

Another thing you can do is call your local lexus dealer service and ask them what all they normally change at that mileage and that will also give you a good idea.

Hope that helps

80es300

toyota timing belt special, west coast area

http://www.toyotaofoxnard.com/specials/service.htm

vintagelex

I just had mine done about two years ago for $1100 and with a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty at an independent shop. I had them replace:

Timing belt
Water pump
All idlers and pulleys
Crank seal
Both cam seals
Thermostat
Alternator belt
Power steering belt
Coolant flush (since they had to drain it anyway to do the water pump)

It's best to spend just a little bit more in parts since you are already paying for the labor, and just have all this done as preventative maintenance. If you don't replace the seals, and one of them starts leaking in a year or two, then you will pay the timing belt labor all over again to replace a $5 seal, which would suck.

Oro

You can make a case for skipping the water pump, but do not skip the tensioner and pulleys. They do fail under 200k (happened to me). They are cheap so don't skip that.

Another good thing to do here while you have it opened is that when filling, drain block plugs as well as radiator, then refill coolant system 1st with dH20 (gallon jugs from local grocery - cheap). Run it and drain from block plugs as well as radiator again. At 10 years/100k, you are at the service limit on factory fill coolant. Now you have the heater core flushed out, too. The block drain plugs are both easily accessible on this engine. Your 2005 would have come with Toyota's "Pink" LLC (long life coolant), though you could also use the Red (shorter life) if you want. Sources: Toyota brand concentrate from CarQuest or dealer, Zerex Asian pre-mix, or Pentofrost A1 concentrate. I red vs. pink since it's has more available sources and I can drain the radiator every two years and refill, thus renewing it easily and more cheaply than Pink - pink is only good for 5 years/60k after original fill. But the pink has lower maintenance needs if you don't want to DIY as much as some of us do. Don't refill w/green or DexCool (fka, "deathcool").

yeskay

This is a good deal. may be the poster can use the ad for price match from any of the local toyota dealership. Also there is no need to replace waterpump in the first 90k service.