| Premature failure of rubber automotive timing belts can | | | | For recommended replacement mileage of rubber |
| easily cost two or three thousand dollars of repairs, | | | | timing belts, connect on the Internet to Gates Rubber |
| possibly including a new engine. Therefore knowing the | | | | Company, a worldwide manufacturer of such belts. On |
| true mileage of a used car is imperative. Cars having 4 | | | | its web site, click on Replacement parts/automotive. |
| or 6 cyl. engines may have rubber timing belts and | | | | Look for "timing belt replacement Guide". |
| should be avoided. | | | | Get a written guarantee to cover premature failure of |
| Be warned | | | | the car engine's timing belt. |
| Five years ago an international oil company survey | | | | Because most rubber timing belts on car engines |
| found that 50% of off-lease cars had their odometers | | | | should be replaced at 60,000 to |
| illegally turned back and suggested consumers avoid | | | | 70,000 miles to avoid the engine self destructing, insist |
| buying off-lease (used) cars, or leasing used cars | | | | on a written guarantee from the seller to guarantee |
| having uncertain mileage. If the cars really had 50,000 | | | | replacing the timing belt at no charge if it fails within |
| miles, and the odometer read 30,000, then the timing | | | | another 20,000 miles. If the seller won't guarantee it |
| belts would fail long before the new owners expected | | | | then he's admitting that the mileage may be inaccurate |
| them to fail. | | | | and by implication may have been turned back. |
| What is an "interference engine"? | | | | Consider a compromise, such as a $300 price |
| Rubber timing belts are usually used in "interference" | | | | reduction on the vehicle. If not acceptable, walk away. |
| engines in which thevalves open further and project | | | | Replacement cost |
| further into the combustion chamber than in a | | | | Simply replacing a rubber timing belt even at |
| "free-running" engine. This allows outside air at | | | | recommended mileage can cost $400 + dollars. |
| atmospheric pressure to flow faster into the | | | | Before buying any car, especially 4-cylinder foreign |
| combustion chamber through the larger valve openings, | | | | cars, or even a 6-cyl. BMW, be aware of the |
| allowing the engine to inhale more air, be smaller and | | | | unavoidable cost of $400-$800 to replace a rubber |
| still create as much power while reducing its | | | | timing belt at recommended intervals based on mileage |
| manufactured cost and guaranteeing future repair | | | | or car age. |
| business for the dealer. | | | | That's assuming the timing belt didn't break. If it breaks |
| If a rubber timing belt breaks while engine is running, | | | | (always while the engine is running) then internal engine |
| some of the valves stuck in theiropen position will | | | | damage will take place catastrophically. If a timing belt |
| smash into the top of the pistons, thereby breaking | | | | on an interference engine is not replaced at |
| orirreversibly damaging one or the other or both. | | | | recommended intervals, the repair cost when the belt |
| How to find out if the engine is an " interference | | | | breaks could increase to $3,000 to $5,000 to replace |
| engine". | | | | the entire engine. The sales person will invariably not |
| The salesperson may not know; ask the Service | | | | mention that an interference engine powers the vehicle |
| technician. Better yet, go on any search engine and | | | | and may not even know what one is. |
| type in "interference engine list" because asking the | | | | The sad part of this problem is that it is not possible to |
| Dealer's service technician may not be reliable. If he | | | | detect timing belt wear without substantially tearing |
| says it does not, have the Dealer's Sales Manager (not | | | | down the engine. The timing belt is literally a "sleeping |
| the salesperson) say so on the purchase order and | | | | time bomb". |
| personally sign and thereby guarantee his assertion. | | | | |