Hey everyone, the timing belt recently broke on my friends 1998 Prelude and I have the opportunity to purchase the car as is for very cheap ($500). She took it to a shop and they said it would be $2000 to fix. All they told her is that the timing belt broke, no other details. The car ran perfect before the belt broke and is overall in pretty good shape. The motor has 210k miles on it. I think that even if it costs me $1000 to fix it that I would still be getting a good deal.

Anyone have any advice or thoughts? Is it a decent buy?


UPDATE:

Ok, so I talked to the shop today. They said the timing belt skipped a few teeth but didn't break. They quoted $1800 to replace the timing belt, and do a full tune up on the car. If nothing else that is an insane price for that right?

Any thoughts??

 

yeah buy it for $500 buy a nice h22 $300-$1000 and thats a way good deal or even i built h22 you still will have a great deal

 

completely worth it imo. rebuild the motor & freshen up the tranny and you could just sell it and make a couple grand if you don't want it, or keep it as a sweet ride. i would try talking to the shop and see if they actually pulled the head to see if anything went catastrophically wrong, or if the belt snapped at low speed and the engine made it out alright.

 

I'd buy it, the timing belt won't be too hard to fix as long as the engine is pulled out of the bay a little. Hopefully there aren't any bent valves, etc.

 

Sick thanks guys. I bought it today. I will be towing it to my house this weekend and taking a look at it. Im hoping there is no damage to the valves. The girl says it still cranks but doesnt start.

 

If i were you the best thing you could do with the mileage the car has (210,000 on the engine and tranny) is to get a EURO R motor with an LSD tranny for about $3,000-$4000. That way you have a nice motor with 35,000 miles on it. it will drop in, no headaches and an LSD tranny with some more HP than a stock H22 and still have all spare parts from the original motor. Most would say thats a waste of money, but the time and money and the mileage on the engine and tranny its not worth it to rebuild. You would spend $4500 on a 5th gen prelude with 35,000 original miles on the motor and have spare parts, and the swap would take you no more than a weekend i did a type s swap in my sh and that took me 2 days.

 

And if the shop said about $2000 to fix then theres a 80% chance the valves are bent and it needs head work you could also have more damage than your think and rebuilding it yourself might be a headache

 

Just pull the motor and put a younger one. While your at it change the timing belt. Sell the old for ridiculously cheap price to pay for small expenses.

 

yeah, take that chick to the cleaners lol. I'd be all up on that Not too many days a guy will get a chance to get something for almost free out of a girl LOLOL jk (well not really)

She must have dones some other damage than just snaping timing belt. Must be bent valves for them to wanna charge 2000 dollars. Pull the valve cover and inspect the head. Who knows, maybe its not as bad as those guys "say" it is.

 

See I was thinking that the head must be fine for $2000. Labor alone for how many hours a shop charges to change just a broken timing belt would be pretty pricey. Once you factored in what they would charge for parts it would be well over $2k I think (if it did need a head).

I dunno. I still need to go pick the car up and see what the deal is. Its just sitting at her house now.

 

timing belt job right from honda was only 600 + taxes with timing belt and water pump. It should only be like 6 hours labor maybe. I took about 8 hours to do my 3rd gen and that was with just basic mechanic tools, nothing to extensive. I also didn't have the crank pulley remover tool either. If you got that your laughing.
Oh add in manual tensioner, that will add a few dollars but is worth the peace of mind

 

Ok. I just got some more info from the person who owned the car before me. She said she was driving the car and it was hesitating so she parked it at her house and the next time she tried to drive it (a week later) it wouldn't start. It just cranks but never starts. She had it towed to a shop and they told her the timing belt needs to be replaced, but that's all they said.

What does this sound like to you guys?? I am kinda confused.

 

I'd spend the money on a new engine and tranny. Better for the long run IMO

 

Yeah, I mean I have put some thought into that, but I just cant decide whether I really want to keep the car or just sell as is. Swapping that motor seems like it would be an absolute nightmare to me...

 

I'm almost garaunteeing bent valves. Hondas are interference motors. Well, the good Honda engines are. You should just sell the car as is. And I'll give you $300 right now for it. LOL

 

No thanks, but Ill tell you what. You find one for $300 in this good of shape, and then I will buy it off of you for $150. Deal?

 

If she could drive it home the timing belt obviously didn't break. Maybe the tensioner went, the belt skipped a tooth, car still ran home, but can't crank over now. If this is the scenario, worst case you have a couple bent valves and you need a t-belt job. Try a compression test when you get the car. Also try talking to the shop and see what they diagnosed (if they did).

 

Thats what I am hoping for. I am going to call the shop tomorrow and see what they checked out. I found a head around here for $250, I might just buy that, change the timing belt and water pump and just call it a day.

 

Ok, so I talked to the shop today. They said the timing belt skipped a few teeth but didn't break. They quoted $1800 to replace the timing belt, and do a full tune up on the car. If nothing else that is an insane price for that right?

Any thoughts??

 

way too high do it your self maybe spend $200

 

thats exactly what i told you over AIM a few days ago lol.... i specifically said tensioner failure when you told me she parked it after it acting up. tell u what ill give u 750$ for it

 

Yeah, I believed you. Just wanted to talk to the shop and see if they found any damage to the head, but apparently they didnt even check the head out. hahaha, nah I am just gonna fix it and keep it I guess.

 

I'll bet 75% of that $1800 is in labor. If you found a decent head for $250, buy it and get a decent valve job while it's out then sell your old one once you've done the swap. New t-belt, new water pump, new tensioner, new gaskets. Now you've got a sweet, reliable car for $1500. I'm sure it's due for the usual maintenance, so don't forget to change all the fluids, new plugs and wires, etc.

 

I agree with you completely amazing deal you better hop on it QUICK!

 

Its already sitting in my driveway Now someone buy my ek so I have more room!