Timing belt replacement
Timing belt replacement, all makes. The price depends on the engine, so we quote a fixed figure against the registration before we agree a time.
Price against the registration
We do not publish a single price for this job, because it depends on the engine. Give us the registration and we quote a fixed price before we agree a time.
For diagnostics and small jobs you can also come without an appointment.
How it works
Call us or drop in
Give us the registration. We confirm the price and agree a time in the same call.
We do the work
You get the car back at the time we agreed.
You pay the agreed price
No surprises on the invoice. If we find anything else, we call before we touch it.
Booking
Book: Timing belt replacement
Tell us about the car and what suits you. We get in touch and confirm the time.
What the price includes
What the price includes
- Timing belt, tensioner and idler pulleys, as the manufacturer's kit specifies
- Water pump where the timing belt drives it. In that case it is always changed at the same time.
- Timing set with the manufacturer's method and tools
- Auxiliary belt, if it has to come off to reach the job
- Coolant change, if the water pump is replaced
- Road test and follow-up check
What the price does not include
- Timing chain. A different job at a different price, and it has no fixed replacement interval.
- Engine repair, if the belt has already broken. We check the valves before estimating anything.
- Cooling system leaks anywhere other than the water pump.
- Auxiliary belt tensioner and alternator, if they turn out to be worn as well.
When this work becomes due
The timing belt is the only part of a car whose failure can destroy the engine completely in one second. Most current engines are built so that when the belt breaks, the pistons and valves meet. The repair costs many times what replacing the belt would have cost.
The interval is the manufacturer's, and it always has two parts: kilometres or years, whichever comes first. A typical interval is 60 000 to 180 000 km or 5 to 10 years. The year limit matters more than people expect, because rubber ages while the car stands still.
A belt cannot be inspected reliably by eye. It sits inside its cover, and the surface can look sound when the cords underneath are already tired. So the change is made on time rather than on condition. This is one of the few jobs on a car where replacing early is unarguably cheaper than waiting.
The water pump is changed at the same time whenever the timing belt drives it. The pump sits behind the belt, and replacing it separately a year later would mean doing the same job twice. If the pump is driven by the auxiliary belt instead, it is not part of this job.
The price depends on the engine more than in any other job. The same body shell can carry an engine where the work takes three hours and an engine where it takes eight. So we do not publish a single price for it. Give us the registration, we look up the right engine, and we quote a fixed price that holds.
If we find something else
We do not start work you do not know about. If we find something beyond what was agreed, we call and tell you what it costs and what happens if it is left undone. You decide.
Once we have seen the car we give you a fixed price. After that it does not change without your permission.
We work to the motor vehicle service and repair terms approved by the consumer advisory board of the Finnish motor trade.
How to get this work done
Call us or drop in. Give us the registration and we confirm the price before we agree a time.