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Warning: The way we handle timing belts now is nothing like the old days
Back when I started at my dad's shop, a timing belt job on a basic 4-cylinder meant pulling the radiator, maybe the motor mount, and just getting in there with a pry bar and a prayer to line up the marks. We'd do a whole Honda Civic in about 2 hours flat for $350 parts and labor. Now? I just spent 6 hours on a 2018 Subaru because you have to pull a special tool kit just to lock the cams in place, and if you're off by a single tooth the engine is toast. The book time is 4.8 hours, but that doesn't account for seized bolts or the plastic covers that snap if you look at them wrong. I miss when it was just turning wrenches, not performing surgery with a laptop open. How do you guys price these jobs now without losing your shirt?
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bettyk537d ago
An engineering degree" is a bit much, it's more about having the right service info.
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taraw167d ago
Ugh, tell me about it. I swear I spend more time looking for the right specialty tool than I do actually turning bolts. Feels like you need an engineering degree just to change a belt now.
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