gcrim21

Well well well. Good ole Lexus and Toyota vehicles, especially Lexus when it comes to expensive repairs such as gouging prices for changing timing belt and engine drive belt. Plus recommended chaning water pump, tensioner, bearings, thermostat. Price quoted from Sewell Lexus in Dallas was $1,200.00 and the service rep didn't even flinch.
Toyota's and Lexus's are the only vehicles I have ever owned out of thirty four vehicles that required timing belt changes and recommended water pump change.

I've only owned one car, a 1975 Ford Brougham with a 460 cu. in. engine that ever had water pump problems and was driven over 300,000 miles before that happened.

We pay these astrononical prices for Lexus vehicles and then it's a rip-off for repairs.

Oh well, that's what I paid for....... high repair prices.

I have already had to replace the drier, expansion valve, and compressor at 55,000 miles on my 1999 RX300. Lexus wouldn't even talk to me about helping with the cost. Then I went and bout a 2003 ES300 because my wife loves the dadgummed thing and I have the same high repairs facing me in the future unless I hit the jackpot and get to trade it for something else.

tweedle dee, tweedle dum,

GCrim21

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

$1200 for a timing belt and water pump change at the dealer is about normal and inline with other V6 cars that use a belt. Nearly every car that uses a belt recomend you change the water pump at the same time since it only cost you the addition of the water pump cost. The labor is the same. If the water pump were to fail, you would encouter the same labor as a timing belt change anyway, so the cost of the part is cheap insurance when doing the whole package. You can probably get the service done at an independed shop for $600-$800 and that goes for all V6 manufactures. Dealer costs are usually nearly 2X as high for this particular service. Given the fact that the timing belt and water pump change intervals and most of todays cars are at 100K-110K miles, $1200 is not that bad.

HarrierAWD

$1,200 is bad for timing belt. That's the equivalent of bank robbery with a smile. Toyota water pump and other stuff can last a long time. No need to change them at 90K.

I'd expect $300-$400 for timing belt change at dealer, $200-$300 at independent. Shop around and try Toyota dealers near you.

IMHO, timing belt is quieter and smoother than timing chain and pushrods. I've had Ford pushrod engines, they eventually gummed up at about 150K. I also had GM timing chain engines, they eventually wore out at about 120K. They were very noisy when cold. And they vibrated like crazy (kinda feel good though.)

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

$200-$300 for a t-belt change is really good in your area. I wish we would see prices like that. Not even independent shops can match that on a regular basis. Even Civic's and Camry's T Belt changes cost about $600-$800 at the dealer in my state I guess my range of prices are not really realistic to those of you in the mainland. We get killed on everything in termd of price here.

Gohawks63

You can't compare the engine of your '75 Ford and modern day engines. Old school engines like your Ford had enough clearance between the cylinder (at top dead Center) and the valves so that if the timing chain broke, there would be no damage. My college car was a '78 Chevy Impala with a 305 cu in V8. When the timing chain snapped at 100K miles, it just stopped running. All that was needed was a new chain, gear and cover, along with dropping the oil pan to clean out pieces of the old gear and the remnants of the timing chain.

Today's engines have very little clearance between the cylinders at top dead center, and open valves. As a result, when the timing belt snaps, the cylinder crashes into the open valves and bends them.

Damage usually occurs to the cylinders, valves, and in extreme cases to the cylinder head. Several thousands of dollars in damage.

The labor is what costs so much for this job, not the parts. The reason why the water pump is replaced is that both the water pump and the timing belt require the same amount of labor. Once you access the timing belt, it requires next to nothing to remove the water pump. You can certainly refuse to have the water pump replaced, but if it happens to fail before your next timing belt requires changing, expect to pay the same amount for the water pump repair as you would for the timing belt. So now you've paid twice for the same job.

It's just a precautionary step.

As for the price, the last car that I had the timing belt replaced was on my '93 Acura Vigor. Acura called for TB replacement at 90K miles. Dealer charged me $650 to replace the timing belt, water pump and replace all the accessory belts. That was around 1999 or 2000. Coincidently, my water pump was beginning to leak at the same time.

mikey00

All that sounds good, BUT, the RX has a non interference engine

Gohawks63

If that's the case, then I don't see the benefits of doing a timing belt change until it breaks, aside from not getting stranded somewhere.

mikey00

There you go. But not getting stranded and the inconveniences that accompany that is a darn good reason for changing the belt before it breaks. The same logic could be applied to many other items on the RX.

flipside909

The non VVT-i 1MZ-FE engines are non interference. But all 1MZ/3MZ-FE VVT-i engines are interference design.

mikey00

You may want to check this link which has documentation indicating a non-interference engine.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...n-interference

gcrim21

I should have stated that the $1200.00 price quote was for changing the Timing Belt with related parts, Thermostat, and Water Pump and gasket.

Toyota dealer quoted $239.95 plus taxes for changing the timing belt.

I have a really good independent garage owner that I have known for 50 plus years and he and his mechanics are pretty darn good. He has quoted me a price of $855.00 for Timing Belt and Water Pump and he will use replacement parts identical to OEM parts.

Thanks to all of you,
GCrim21

RobW

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

gcrim21

RobW,

That's a mighty good price. That's practically half of what I have been quoted by an independent garage owner. Where is the Toyota dealer located?
The price for parts I was quoted was $299.00 just for parts plus labor and taxes.

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

mikey00

Sorry guys, I posted above about the non-interference engine and forgot to include the link where there is documentation indictaing the RX has a non-interference engine. I have since edited the post and the link is now there.

Re: flipside909
I read repeated posts from you indicating the 1MZ-FE is a interference engine.
Do you have anything indicating that the 1MZ-FE is an interference engine? Everything I can find agrees with the doc in the above link from Fern indicating it is non-interference.
Mike

RobW

gcrim21 -

Mike Johnson's Hickory Toyota - 435 Us Highway 70 Se, Hickory, 28602 - (828) 328-5586

I am not sure if the Thermostat was included in that ....

I asked for the Timing Belt and Waterpump work, when he stated $429 ... I asked what Labor would be... he said that was with LABOR

I will be taking advantage of this soon.

ROBW