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I have a new 2017 Acura RDX and its timing belt is still ok at 200 miles. I think its supposed to be changed at around 108000 miles. So if I put about 12000 miles per year, it should be good for nine years. I'm 78 years old and in 9 years, I'll be 87 , so it will wear out out about the same time as I do.
Most have a time limit as well (which most people ignore). It's mileage and/or time, so a 5 year/100k belt would need to be replaced at 5 years even if the car has 50k miles.
OP: As another post mentioned, easier to narrow down handful of brand/models that you are interested, then check the timing belt/chain on that list.
In my case, I didn't change timing belt and lucked out. I had 2000 Honda Civic for 16 years and 120k miles. Civic had timing belt. Recommended timing belt change is 7 years / 105k miles, if I recall correctly. I never go by years for maintenance, right or wrong, and always go by mileage. The mileage usage was low, as we use it for Monday-Friday commute. By the time car reached 105k, the Civic was over 10 years old. We were just going to replace Civic if something major goes wrong, so we skipped on timing belt change. 6 years later, the Civic is still going strong. But we wanted a bigger car and finally retired the car.
As for the other comment about CVT, I disagree. My new Subaru Forester has CVT. I love it. It is so smooth and quiet. And even though Forester is a bigger vehicle and larger engine, it got better gas mileage than my 2000 Civic. There are many advances for fuel economy in 16 years, and I read CVT also helps on mileage.
I'm pretty positive my 2015 Challenger 5.7L V8 has a chain... but the non-mechanic in me wants to know... why is a chain that much better than a belt?
I used to own a 2006 PT Cruiser and the kiss of death maintenance for that car was the timing belt change because AFAIK it was a complete PITA job. I got rid of mine at 100k and let someone else deal with that maintenance.
I'm pretty positive my 2015 Challenger 5.7L V8 has a chain... but the non-mechanic in me wants to know... why is a chain that much better than a belt?
I used to own a 2006 PT Cruiser and the kiss of death maintenance for that car was the timing belt change because AFAIK it was a complete PITA job. I got rid of mine at 100k and let someone else deal with that maintenance.
I'm pretty positive my 2015 Challenger 5.7L V8 has a chain... but the non-mechanic in me wants to know... why is a chain that much better than a belt?
I used to own a 2006 PT Cruiser and the kiss of death maintenance for that car was the timing belt change because AFAIK it was a complete PITA job. I got rid of mine at 100k and let someone else deal with that maintenance.
So anyway... why is the chain better?
In most cars, if the timing belt breaks, you can kiss the engine goodbye. Chains won't break (under normal circumstances).
In most cars, if the timing belt breaks, you can kiss the engine goodbye. Chains won't break (under normal circumstances).
Chains ordinarily don't break, it really depends on what the gears are made of. All chains stretch. This is going back quite a few years, but in the late 60's Pontiacs used to have a nylon gear on the camshaft. At about 30K miles the chain had stretched enough between the links that it would chew the teeth on the camshaft gears. We'd replace them with steel gears. If you get 60K miles plus out of a belt and the repair is $600, that's a dollar a mile, still not a bad cost.
... If you get 60K miles plus out of a belt and the repair is $600, that's a dollar a mile, still not a bad cost.
I think your calculator needs an overhaul. Did you mean a penny per mile? That would still be a lot imho. I remember when gas cost a penny per mile. (Color me OLD!)
In most cars, if the timing belt breaks, you can kiss the engine goodbye. Chains won't break (under normal circumstances).
I once had the timing belt break on a high mileage honda. Mechanic thought it'd be toast. Turns out, despite it being an interference engine, the belt missed everything.
The car had been given to me by a family member who, upon relaying the story of good fortune, told me that was the second time the belt had snapped while driving without breaking anything.
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Did you mean a penny per mile? That would still be a lot imho. I remember when gas cost a penny per mile. (Color me OLD!)
