I am having my timing belt replaced at a local Acura dealer. I have 101000 miles on the car. I was quoted $980.00 for parts and labor. I was told that they inspect the water pump for leaks but was told it would be an additional $300.00 for the water pump. I had always believed that it's a good idea to replace the water pump when doing a belt replacement but they told me the pumps are different on the Acura in that they don't have an impeller. Does the cost for the water pump seem a little high since they have it torn apart anyway due to the belt replacement??

 

The dealer is wrong about the impeller. Look at Rock Auto for pictures of the water pump on your J35 engine. I don't know how these service writers get these jobs...

I agree with your thinking; while they are there you should have them replace the water pump. An AISIN water pump is about $65 on Rock Auto. So the list price at the dealer is likely over $200, and there is some modest additional labor once they get the timing belt off to remove and replace the pump and gasket.
Being this is not an urgent issue, you could wait for a service sale at the dealer (my local dealer puts timing belt specials out every summer), or shop a trusted local garage or even nearby Honda dealers. $1280 for a timing belt, tensioner, serpentine belt, new coolant and water pump seems high.

You should also consider having your spark plugs changed at that time too.

Good luck!

 

That's quite pricey. My local dealer in super high cost SF Bay Area has a special that has been going on forever. Timing belt, drive belt, tensioner and water pump all for $1000.

Where is your dealer?

https://www.hopkinsacura.com/service-specials/

 

The dealer is located in Omaha, NE. I did get a price from a local non-dealer shop that we sometimes utilize for my wife's Toyota. The shop quoted me $1030.00 for the timing belt kit and that included a water pump. By the way, the dealer quoted price of $980.00 without a water pump was quoted 2 months ago which the dealer will honor. If I did not have that quote and walked in off the street their labor rates for 2019 went up to $103.00 per hour. For a simple oil change they now want $71.00!! They have lost me as a returning customer, even for a new car, I will go to the local shop my wife has gone to for years for service!! We are moving to the state of Missouri in a couple of months so will need to find a reputable shop again.....

 

If you only have 101k on it and are moving in a couple of months, you can easily just wait. (depending on how many miles a month you rack up)
The timing belt service interval for this engine, before there was a MID was setting codes, was 105k. You could probably go to 120k without a problem.
Longer than that should make you nervous.
If there is a local Honda dealer, you can price this service there.

By the way, you can update your profile so that it shows where you live. It can be general, like mine, or city and state specific. This can get you recommendations
from others who live nearby.

 

"The shop quoted me $1030.00 for the timing belt kit and that included a water pump"

A lot of these kits have made in China parts. If that's the case, I would rather leave the original timing belt and water pump in the engine for another 50,000 miles than replacing them with these parts. You should look for the highest quality part possible when you have a high cost maintenance item or if failure of a part would be catastrophic. Timing belt replacement qualifies as both. It's just me I guess.

Didn't realize car maintenance costs so much in Omaha though.

 

The Asin kit is recommended on other forums with this engine. As close to OEM as you can get.

 

Whoops, misspell. The manufacturer is Aisin.

 

Isn't 7 years the limit on timing belt regardless of miles.I bought my 2013 RDX in may of 2012 so I am exactly at 7 yrs.I only have 72K miles but I am worried about the time.My dealer wants over $1200 for the complete job.

 

The manual says nothing about a 7 year time frame. The only thing it says is that, if you drive all the time in extreme heat or cold, you should replace the belt at 60k.
I think you will probably be fine waiting until the maintenance minder sets a code for this service. If you keep up the same use, you will be at 102k at about 10 years.
There is a lot of wiggle room built into the service interval. That maintenance minder system is pretty smart. It knows how long that vehicle has been in service. Before the
minder was a thing, 105k or 84 months was the interval. I might suggest you call American Acura and ask them rather than relying on your dealer service guy.

 

Thanks egads for the reply,I read the same thing in the owners manual.It does't say anything about normal driving.I don't know where my dealer is getting 7 years from,I guess they just want the work.

 

The answer to your question is in egads' post above yours.

For many years, the interval has been 105,000 miles or 7 years (84 months, or 2,556 days). That's where he got it.


RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen
--
Live as if everything you do will eventually be known. -- Hugh Prather