9/29    It's time to change my timing belt and water pump. The dealer charges
        $299 for the timing belt and $200 for the pump, while a generic
        store charges $345 for the whole thing. That's about $150 difference.
        My question is, is there ANY reason to go to the dealer? Is the
        authentic OEM timing belt and water pump worth going to the dealer?
        \_ oh my car is a Honda Accord. Why would it matter?    -op
        \_ call the small independant shop and tell them "i want oem parts"
           and they will do that. most shops do that anyway and get the parts
           at a huge discount straight from the local dealership.. and if your
           car isn't a high end german car, chances are their generic obdII
           gear will be able to do everything needed. the huge price difference
           is that they are willing to pass on part of the savings on parts
           and also cheaper labor prices. dealerships usually bill at about
           $80-$95/hr where as independant shops are closer to $65.
        \_ Small shop is good enough for this. What kind of car?
        \_ Do you have a warranty? If so, I'd go to the dealer since having
           the work done at a 3rd party might void your warranty.
           If you car is a generic japanese import then a 3rd party will
           work well.
           \_ This is a timing belt. You don't change a timing belt when the
             car is still under warranty. That's at least 75,000 on a recent
             Accord. Unless you are commuting from one end of the bay to
             the other on a daily basis or are a shipping company you
             don't rack that kind of mileage up usually in under 3 years.
        \_ if you know a good, reputable 3rd party repair shop, then, go
           ahead.  My toyota dealer cost about 10-15% more. I guess i am
           willing to pay that extra premium.
        \_ Can a generic store deal with the "computers" under the hood on
           most of today's cars?
           \- If Japanese && EBay, you can try OCEANWORKS. As for the
              Danhimal Discount. --psb