outrage over cost of replacing timing belt

I was just informed by my dealer that the timing belt on my 2002
Odyssey will need replacement. The car has 109,000 miles on it. They
quoted me a price of $7,800!!!! This is a dealer in Dedham, MA. This is
absolutely outrageous in my opinion and a total ripoff. I have two
Honda's and don't think I'd ever purchase another one. Every time we
bring one in they tell us they need major repairs that end up costing
anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000. Now they want $7,800. Is there a way
around this timing belt issue? Can this repair be done safely
elsewhere? And by that I mean by a trained mechanic, but not by a Honda
dealership?

And on the transmission issue, they did replace the transmissions on
both of our Honda's, but we paid for labor on the installation of the
Odyssey transmission, and it wasn't a small bill either. Does the
lawsuit require them to pay for labor as well as parts?

It looks like someone misplaced a decimal ($780 instead of $7800, would still
be a stretch this job should be no more than $350 - 450)?

What did they quote on other than the t-belt work?

t

MJ wrote:
>I was just informed by my dealer that the timing belt on my 2002
>Odyssey will need replacement. The car has 109,000 miles on it. They
>quoted me a price of $7,800!!!! This is a dealer in Dedham, MA. This is
>absolutely outrageous in my opinion and a total ripoff. I have two
>Honda's and don't think I'd ever purchase another one. Every time we
>bring one in they tell us they need major repairs that end up costing
>anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000. Now they want $7,800. Is there a way
>around this timing belt issue? Can this repair be done safely
>elsewhere? And by that I mean by a trained mechanic, but not by a Honda
>dealership?
>
>And on the transmission issue, they did replace the transmissions on
>both of our Honda's, but we paid for labor on the installation of the
>Odyssey transmission, and it wasn't a small bill either. Does the
>lawsuit require them to pay for labor as well as parts?

--
Message posted via CarKB.com
http://www.carkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx...-cars/200611/1

Like t suggests, someone at the dealer made a mistake, or
there was a miscommunication.

$780 is not bad for a dealer TB change. An independent
import shop will probably give a better price, but sometimes
not with the same quality. Kind of a roll of the dice either
way.

I'd google on the tranny lawsuit etc. question.

"loewent via CarKB.com" <u10197@uwe> wrote
> It looks like someone misplaced a decimal ($780 instead of
> $7800, would still
> be a stretch this job should be no more than $350 - 450)?
>
> What did they quote on other than the t-belt work?
>
> t
>
> MJ wrote:
>>I was just informed by my dealer that the timing belt on
>>my 2002
>>Odyssey will need replacement. The car has 109,000 miles
>>on it. They
>>quoted me a price of $7,800!!!! This is a dealer in
>>Dedham, MA. This is
>>absolutely outrageous in my opinion and a total ripoff. I
>>have two
>>Honda's and don't think I'd ever purchase another one.
>>Every time we
>>bring one in they tell us they need major repairs that end
>>up costing
>>anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000. Now they want $7,800. Is
>>there a way
>>around this timing belt issue? Can this repair be done
>>safely
>>elsewhere? And by that I mean by a trained mechanic, but
>>not by a Honda
>>dealership?
>>
>>And on the transmission issue, they did replace the
>>transmissions on
>>both of our Honda's, but we paid for labor on the
>>installation of the
>>Odyssey transmission, and it wasn't a small bill either.
>>Does the
>>lawsuit require them to pay for labor as well as parts?

I would imagine that would include a new water pump too. As others have
mentioned, this is probably $780 instead of $7,800, but that is still a lot.
Get out your Yellow Pages and start looking for the independent repair shops
in your area. The counter people at your local auto parts stores can often
point you in the right direction.

Your owner's manual has the maintenance schedule for the vehicle. Don't
depend on your dealer to tell you when things need to be done.

Earle

"MJ" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> I was just informed by my dealer that the timing belt on my 2002
> Odyssey will need replacement. The car has 109,000 miles on it. They
> quoted me a price of $7,800!!!! This is a dealer in Dedham, MA. This is
> absolutely outrageous in my opinion and a total ripoff. I have two
> Honda's and don't think I'd ever purchase another one. Every time we
> bring one in they tell us they need major repairs that end up costing
> anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000. Now they want $7,800. Is there a way
> around this timing belt issue? Can this repair be done safely
> elsewhere? And by that I mean by a trained mechanic, but not by a Honda
> dealership?
>
> And on the transmission issue, they did replace the transmissions on
> both of our Honda's, but we paid for labor on the installation of the
> Odyssey transmission, and it wasn't a small bill either. Does the
> lawsuit require them to pay for labor as well as parts?
>



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Yeah, there has to be a error, there is no way it would cost $7,800 for
a timing belt, im not sure who is fixing your honda's, but who ever is,
is ripping you off. These are great cars, and It is rare that I have
ever had any problems with my hondas.

I have a 1993 and 2003 Honda Civic and Accord. The timing belts are
normally less than $200


Johnny
---
Drink It. Feel It. Share It.
http://www.mymonavie.com/janos


MJ wrote:
> I was just informed by my dealer that the timing belt on my 2002
> Odyssey will need replacement. The car has 109,000 miles on it. They
> quoted me a price of $7,800!!!! This is a dealer in Dedham, MA. This is
> absolutely outrageous in my opinion and a total ripoff. I have two
> Honda's and don't think I'd ever purchase another one. Every time we
> bring one in they tell us they need major repairs that end up costing
> anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000. Now they want $7,800. Is there a way
> around this timing belt issue? Can this repair be done safely
> elsewhere? And by that I mean by a trained mechanic, but not by a Honda
> dealership?
>
> And on the transmission issue, they did replace the transmissions on
> both of our Honda's, but we paid for labor on the installation of the
> Odyssey transmission, and it wasn't a small bill either. Does the
> lawsuit require them to pay for labor as well as parts?

mopa wrote:
> Yeah, there has to be a error, there is no way it would cost $7,800 for
> a timing belt, im not sure who is fixing your honda's, but who ever is,
> is ripping you off. These are great cars, and It is rare that I have
> ever had any problems with my hondas.
>
> I have a 1993 and 2003 Honda Civic and Accord. The timing belts are
> normally less than $200
>
>
> Johnny
> ---
> Drink It. Feel It. Share It.
> http://www.mymonavie.com/janos
>
>
> MJ wrote:
> > I was just informed by my dealer that the timing belt on my 2002
> > Odyssey will need replacement. The car has 109,000 miles on it. They
> > quoted me a price of $7,800!!!! This is a dealer in Dedham, MA. This is
> > absolutely outrageous in my opinion and a total ripoff. I have two
> > Honda's and don't think I'd ever purchase another one. Every time we
> > bring one in they tell us they need major repairs that end up costing
> > anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000. Now they want $7,800. Is there a way
> > around this timing belt issue? Can this repair be done safely
> > elsewhere? And by that I mean by a trained mechanic, but not by a Honda
> > dealership?
> >
> > And on the transmission issue, they did replace the transmissions on
> > both of our Honda's, but we paid for labor on the installation of the
> > Odyssey transmission, and it wasn't a small bill either. Does the
> > lawsuit require them to pay for labor as well as parts?

They really told me $7,800, seven thousand eight hundred dollars. This
is Clair Honda, on Route 1 in Dedham, MA. The dealers set the
"Maintenance Required" light to go off on the dashboard everytime they
decide the oil needs changing, and then when they do the intermittent
checkups at every so many miles, they always find major repairs that
need to be done. We have spent almost one third the cost of the cars at
two separate dealerships in this area on maintenance and repairs for
these cars. And we were charged labor for replacing their faulty
transmission on one of the cars.

Thank you for the feedback. I will find an independent dealer and will
never again bring my car to the dealer for repair. They tell you the
warranty on some parts will be voided if you don't use genuine Honda
parts for repairs, which is how they get you to keep coming back.


mopa wrote:
> Yeah, there has to be a error, there is no way it would cost $7,800 for
> a timing belt, im not sure who is fixing your honda's, but who ever is,
> is ripping you off. These are great cars, and It is rare that I have
> ever had any problems with my hondas.
>
> I have a 1993 and 2003 Honda Civic and Accord. The timing belts are
> normally less than $200
>
>
> Johnny
> ---
> Drink It. Feel It. Share It.
> http://www.mymonavie.com/janos
>
>
> MJ wrote:
> > I was just informed by my dealer that the timing belt on my 2002
> > Odyssey will need replacement. The car has 109,000 miles on it. They
> > quoted me a price of $7,800!!!! This is a dealer in Dedham, MA. This is
> > absolutely outrageous in my opinion and a total ripoff. I have two
> > Honda's and don't think I'd ever purchase another one. Every time we
> > bring one in they tell us they need major repairs that end up costing
> > anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000. Now they want $7,800. Is there a way
> > around this timing belt issue? Can this repair be done safely
> > elsewhere? And by that I mean by a trained mechanic, but not by a Honda
> > dealership?
> >
> > And on the transmission issue, they did replace the transmissions on
> > both of our Honda's, but we paid for labor on the installation of the
> > Odyssey transmission, and it wasn't a small bill either. Does the
> > lawsuit require them to pay for labor as well as parts?

"MJ" > wrote in
ups.com:

> They really told me $7,800, seven thousand eight hundred dollars. This
> is Clair Honda, on Route 1 in Dedham, MA.



Your assertion is unsupportable if the quote was truly for a simple
timing belt change. There is something you're not telling us here.

If the old belt had broken and there was significant valve damage, then
I can see a repair bill that would be extraordinarily high. But even
then there would have had to be additional work included to reach that
figure. A complete engine rebuild wouldn't cost $7,800.





> The dealers set the
> "Maintenance Required" light to go off on the dashboard everytime they
> decide the oil needs changing,



Honda did that, not the dealers.



> and then when they do the intermittent
> checkups at every so many miles, they always find major repairs that
> need to be done. We have spent almost one third the cost of the cars
> at two separate dealerships in this area on maintenance and repairs
> for these cars.



How much do you actually look after your vehicles? I've found as a
general rule the people with the highest repair bills are the ones with
the laxest attention to maintenance.




--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

There's nothing I'm not telling you and we're very diligent about
bringing out cars in for routine maintenance. Could it just be the
dealerships are absolute crooks??

TeGGeR® wrote:
> "MJ" > wrote in
> ups.com:
>
> > They really told me $7,800, seven thousand eight hundred dollars. This
> > is Clair Honda, on Route 1 in Dedham, MA.
>
>
>
> Your assertion is unsupportable if the quote was truly for a simple
> timing belt change. There is something you're not telling us here.
>
> If the old belt had broken and there was significant valve damage, then
> I can see a repair bill that would be extraordinarily high. But even
> then there would have had to be additional work included to reach that
> figure. A complete engine rebuild wouldn't cost $7,800.
>
>
>
>
>
> > The dealers set the
> > "Maintenance Required" light to go off on the dashboard everytime they
> > decide the oil needs changing,
>
>
>
> Honda did that, not the dealers.
>
>
>
> > and then when they do the intermittent
> > checkups at every so many miles, they always find major repairs that
> > need to be done. We have spent almost one third the cost of the cars
> > at two separate dealerships in this area on maintenance and repairs
> > for these cars.
>
>
>
> How much do you actually look after your vehicles? I've found as a
> general rule the people with the highest repair bills are the ones with
> the laxest attention to maintenance.
>
>
>
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

I'm going to call them back and talk to someone else because that
figure makes no sense.

MJ wrote:
> There's nothing I'm not telling you and we're very diligent about
> bringing out cars in for routine maintenance. Could it just be the
> dealerships are absolute crooks??
>
> TeGGeR® wrote:
> > "MJ" > wrote in
> > ups.com:
> >
> > > They really told me $7,800, seven thousand eight hundred dollars. This
> > > is Clair Honda, on Route 1 in Dedham, MA.
> >
> >
> >
> > Your assertion is unsupportable if the quote was truly for a simple
> > timing belt change. There is something you're not telling us here.
> >
> > If the old belt had broken and there was significant valve damage, then
> > I can see a repair bill that would be extraordinarily high. But even
> > then there would have had to be additional work included to reach that
> > figure. A complete engine rebuild wouldn't cost $7,800.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > The dealers set the
> > > "Maintenance Required" light to go off on the dashboard everytime they
> > > decide the oil needs changing,
> >
> >
> >
> > Honda did that, not the dealers.
> >
> >
> >
> > > and then when they do the intermittent
> > > checkups at every so many miles, they always find major repairs that
> > > need to be done. We have spent almost one third the cost of the cars
> > > at two separate dealerships in this area on maintenance and repairs
> > > for these cars.
> >
> >
> >
> > How much do you actually look after your vehicles? I've found as a
> > general rule the people with the highest repair bills are the ones with
> > the laxest attention to maintenance.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > TeGGeR®
> >
> > The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> > www.tegger.com/hondafaq/