GYac

Good evening all,

I am at 92k on the my 2012 TL advance. So far I've had 92k of worry free driving aside from the air bag recall (had rental) and a few days for a TQ converter swap. I am approaching the timing belt service in the next 4-6 months based on my driving habits. I asked my service advisor this past week while I was getting an oil change and he said anywhere from 1550-1750 depending on if it needed a tensioner or not. That included spark plugs, water pump, timing belt, radiator flush, valve adjustment, etc.

I have two questions:

One does anyone in the DMV have a dealership they would recommend for this service? if so what was the price you obtained if you don't mind divulging

Two: I plan on contacting a few other Acura dealerships in the region, do anyone of you recommended using a Honda dealership or a privately owned shop? There are a few by me that specialize in imports.

Thanks in advance.

Grant

CurrentDraw

The price will vary from dealer to dealer. Obviously any Acura/Honda dealer would be the best place as they only touch one product line day in and day out.

If you do decide to go with an independent shop for the repairs then make sure they have a good Honda guy doing the work who has experience with the product and specifically the valve adjustment. It will be wise to have the valve cover gasket sets replaced while they are in there as it wouldn't cost any extra labor during the adjustment. If they do charge you extra for labor to do the gaskets then don't take your business there and look elsewhere.

Most importantly is to use genuine Acura parts/coolant and nothing less. I would highly advise you to replace the hydraulic tensioner while doing the timing belt. There are numerous guys on the forum with failed tensioners and it wouldn't be good to have that happen to you down the road.

If you don't mind the drive down to nova, then I can set you up with an Acura master tech who would be willing to help you out for a reasonable price.

Anicra

Personally when my timing belt is due I am going to try the T329RB - Gates Racing Timing Belt - Excelerate's Honda & Acura Store - Japanese Performance Specialist and see how it holds up, just a thought for you. If you want to try the upgrade vs oem. However there is nothing wrong with OEM.

04SSMnMD

I have taken my IS300 for timing belt and TSX(current) here for major repairs outside of the scoop of what I can do. Fair pricing and great service. I normally buy my parts from Manchester Honda and have them install what I can't install. Silver Spring Auto Repair | Far East Motors Service Center

Nitin

iTrader: (1)

Check with Jason Karlin at Rosenthal Acura for the timing belt service. They have $200 off right now for it until 1/2/2017.

GYac

Thanks for the replies. I will likely just go OEM and will use a Honda/ Acura dealer.

Has anyone noticed a difference between Honda and Acura dealers in terms of quality of service?

GYac

what is the benefit to this one over OEM? Just wondering?

GYac

Thank you for the response. No I have no problems driving to NOVA at all. I'll pm you. This service will be due sometime in the spring/ summer.

MDX owner

Hey I drive a 2004 MDX, I just recently took my car to the dealer for a check engine light concern. It was diagnosed with multiple misfires. So the dealer had told me that the car needs 6 coils and spark plugs. I was hesitant at first, parts and labor was gonna cost me an arm and a leg, but I had no choice and pulled the trigger.
After I picked up the car, within 1 day the light came back on. I took it back to them, and are now telling me I may have injector problems. So in other words, they can't give me a definitive answer. I'm tired of throwing money to the dealerships . So I went to a small independent shop, and they told me the dealer has to diagnose it. Ok no problem, went to a merchants tire, and they think it may be the injectors or internal problems in the heads. I scratched my head thinking hey, my car only has 87k on it. And has been well maintained, how could the heads be bad?
So in other words, can anybody help steer me in the right direction with this issue, or recommend me to a shop that can help me? I would greatly appreciate it.

CurrentDraw

I don't know the circumstances and not stating this is what happened in your case but I am simply speaking in general and based on my experience alone.

When one takes a vehicle into the dealer you hope that a master/top technician will be in charge of diagnosing the problem, unfortunately this is not always the case. When it comes to engine performance/driveability concerns, ideally you want to request a master/top tech to figure out the problem on your vehicle. Usually they will have a couple of dedicated guys who are extremely good at figuring out driveability, performance, electric issues. Depending on the dealership structure, shop foreman and team system, the vehicle can sometimes end up with a less experienced technician/rookie and things can get expensive due to misdiagnosis with wrong parts being replaced.
Dealers pay big money to get someone through the master program and it requires a lot of time to achieve. Most shops have only a handful of masters whom they keep very busy so unless you request for one you may not get them to work on your vehicle.

If you are in the dc metro area then I can link you with an Acura master tech who can find the problem and fix it right the first time without any unnecessary repairs.

MDX owner

Thanks for responding. I'm sorry to here that when you take your vehicle to the dealer, you don't know what to expect. I would like to reach out to your Mechanic and try to consult with him and hopefully figure out what's going on with my car. I'm in the silver spring, so I have no problem meeting in the DMV area. So please send me his contact information. And thanks again

therealjgall

Can't recommend Century Auto in Germantown highly enough. Family has been going there for 20+ years and we've never had an issue. If you can get there, they might be able to diagnose you better than the dealership.

MDX owner

Hey I got a chance to check your mechanic. I took it to him on Friday, dropped it off and was ready by Saturday morning. So he was very insightful, and broke it done to all the major factors that can cause this issue. Ultimately, the valve adjustment fixed my car. It's been a couple days, and so far no issue. Very happy with his work.
On another note, I didn't realize my car was over due for the Timing Belt. The same mechanic offered me to replace it for $700. I told him it had to be OEM parts, and he said absolutely. So I killed 2 issue at the same time. All Honda parts and having a certified Acura technician fixing the problem, it's a no brainer. So thanks again Cuurent Draw for his number.

08KBP_VA

But whats included in that $700? If he's not doing water pump, tensioner, and drive belts I'd ask him to reprice it with those parts.

I went to Honda dealer had work done with all that included for $536 including coolant.

MDX owner

He changed the water pump, timing belt tensioner, timing belt, drive belt , coolant, both can seals. He even replaced my o rings on my power steering pump.

Hey what dealership did you go to? That's an amazing deal. I may take my wife's Pilot there.
By the way, what kind of car do you drive?

08KBP_VA

Then yup that was a good deal.

I have 3 Acuras; an RL, and 03 and 08 Type S. Had all timing belts done and then some at Anderson Honda near Baltimore Md. Not only was price awesome but facility is top notch and techs are awesome. Guy was so happy to work on an Acura he even wiped down the front end with speed shine of my RL after he finished working on it.

I also bought extra parts for RL and TL's like a bunch of the pulleys and side motor mount and thermostat and underdrive pulley (RL) and they didnt charge me but $30 only to do thermostat on RL cuz of where it was located. So much better than quotes I got at local dealer. I did all 3 cars for less than what they were quoting me for 1.

MDX owner

Hey I called the dealer, and they quoted me 710 out the door. And it's almost 2 hours for me to get there. They said for 536, the timing belt tensioner would not be replaced. Double check your paper.

Nitin

iTrader: (1)

I saw on Slickdeals.net that Honda of Freehold in New Jersey is having a special on the timing belt change for only $299.95. It's only for the timing belt though, everything else would cost extra.

https://www.hondaoffreehold.com/serv...vice-specials/

08KBP_VA

I supplied the tensioner.

opimax

@CurrentDraw , I would be appreciate hearing about your master mechanic, I am inside the beltway on the west side of DC in VA.

Mark

acrdr

Do a valve adjustment . Should make the misfires go away.

CurrentDraw

Check your pm inbox, I messaged you his number.

opimax

Warren is awesome, I like the attn to details, nice guy and more than fair rates. He has a 2nd car of mine to work on a Mazda and will take on my Subaru also. Cannot say enough good things about Warren and his work.

baby_igor

http://candcgarage.com

They have a retired Acura tech who is great. He did timing belt on our MDX and a valve adjustment on my TL.

GYac

I will be using Warren for my timing belt service.

Abe_Froman

iTrader: (5)

If you PM me, I can get a master tech at Honda of Chantilly to do it for you for $350 (labor). You can bring your own parts.

vingengi

CurrentDraw - can you or anyone else that took their car to the master mechanic CurrentDraw introduced....PM me the contact information?

Thanks!
V

auc123

Hello,
I am looking to replace timing belt and associated items for my acura TL 2009. Any independent mechanics/shops you would recommend for reasonable prices. Acura dealers are quoting close to 1600.

Thanks.

Kermit674

Hi - Could you please send me Warren's contact info. I need my Honda Odyssey's timing belt replaced. I am in the Tysons Corner area. thank you very much

Catinthehat

Please share the contact info for your 'super' Acura technician. I need some motor mounts installed.

Mcleandesi

pls share

Mcleandesi

akplaya92
Pls share the contact details of the Honda Chantilly tech.
Tks

neelapala

Did you get the info for the Master Tech. Am in the same boat and would be interested in finding someone reliable and reasonable.

baby_igor

Been in Vienna for quite awhile and fortunate that we have so many mom-pop repair shops doing very good work: All of these are all within a mile of one another:

C&C Garage - had our 2009 MDX timing and valve adjustment here; great job
County Transmission - had all our cars done here for fluid and filter maintenance
BWT - principally a tire store but great on general repairs
Frames Automotive - smaller operation but the guy is a quality fanatic

neelapala

Thank you baby_igor. I noticed C&C Garage two weeks ago when I was on the W & OD trail. I might give them a try.

NBP04TL4ME

Any Master Mechanics in Central VA? Family moved to outside Charlottesville mid last year and have two Acuras and one Honda. Plus my daughter has another Honda. We had the benefit of the services of a Honda/Acura Master Mechanic in SE Mass. We used him for everything and he saved me a ton of $$$. Would like to find someone similar - ideally along 64 and even up 81 to Harrisonburg.

NSXavier - I will keep you in mind but looking for someone closer as you look to be roughly 130 miles away. Maybe for major services..........

TheTuna

Dreading the timing belt service coming up on my MDX, I'd been shopping around the past month with various dealers (Acura & Honda) and independent shops to get a ballpark figure for budgeting purposes. I came across this thread and since I won't be driving until June I decided to shoot NSXavier an email to see if he could do the timing belt on my MDX ahead of its service interval at 105k (currently at 98k on the odo). I had two other services I needed done that I'd been putting off for a while so I decided to see if he could quote me on those as well if they fit in my budget.

He responded within hours and gave me a breakdown of all three services for labor costs and parts prices from online vendors and those from his parts desk. All together it ended up being a fraction of the cost from what I was quoted at my local Acura dealer so I pulled the trigger and took my car to him over this past weekend.

Communication was prompt and concise. Pictures were provided throughout the work and explanations were given to any of my questions without hesitation.

At one point, my apparent diagnosis of one of the services I thought I needed was wrong and didn't require replacing of parts. He was honest enough to text me with pictures of the intact part and asked if I wanted to proceed with replacement or to cancel and save on labor cost. I decided to go through with the service since he had already taken all the surrounding parts apart and it wouldn't be fair to cancel. Another point for integrity was when I decided to pay him rounding up to the nearest hundred just to make it simple. He texted me on my way home and asked if he should PayPal me remainder.

I'll definitely be contacting him for any future services on either of my vehicles and would definitely recommend him to any of my friends.

medicineman

Hi folks, bumping this thread as some of the options provided here are a little outdated. I'm in DC and looking for a good Acura mechanic for TB + replacement.

Thanks!!

dj_

Xavier,

You still around the NVa area? Could use some thoughts on a 2013 ZDX w/ just under 84k under its belt.

Regards,

-dj

4thGenTLAudioGuy

NSXavier and others

I am in the region and my TL needs timing belt serviced. Currently own 3 Acura/Hondas in the fam that could use a little love!

Thanks