Who makes the better (best?) timing belt

I’m getting ready to replace the timing belt on my '97 Hyundai Elantra. Are all aftermarket timing belts pretty much the same? Is a factory replacement the way to go?

I have a NAPA, a CarQuest, and an Advanced Auto in my town, and a dealer nearby. Just wondering from whom I should get this vital component.



Thanks!

Every timing belt I’ve replaced I’ve always used OEM. I found the OEM belt to be about $1 more then aftermarket…So it was worth it. But if you must go aftermarket…try Gates. Several parts store in my area carry gates. The national chains don’t though.

I recommend either OEM or goodyear belts.

Your choices are: Gates, Dayco or Goodyear for after market. Any other brands most probably made by either of the 3 companies. For more expensive belt, go to the dealer. Just so you know, the OEM is not made by the car maker. They are still made by one of the 3 belt makers with the difference that the OEMs were marked with the OEM logo (brand, #, etc)…

I suspected OEM belts had to be supplied by someone. Any idea of what stores carry what brands?

I suspected OEM belts had to be supplied by someone. Any idea of what stores carry what brands?

You’ll have to do the research yourself. It’s IMPOSSIBLE for us to tell you what stores in your area carry what brands…especially since we don’t know where you live.

Get a price for aftermarket…then check the OEM price. As I stated the OEM belts I’ve bought (Honda Accords and Nissan Pathfinders) were only $1 or 2 more then aftermarket. Not sure who makes their OEM belt.

CarQuest timing belts are made by Gates.

Tester

Any idea of what stores carry what brands?

While it is true that the manufacturers don’t make the belts, any belt that carries their name is made to their specifications. Belts from non-OEM manufacturers don’t necessarily meet the same specifications.

If I were looking into doing this job myself, I would be looking for more than the timing belt. I would be looking for the whole timing belt replacement kit, which might include other items like the timing belt tensioner and any other items you might need for the job, depending on the manufacturer’s recommendation. An auto parts store might have the whole kit, but personally, I would buy it at a dealership. It might be worth a few extra dollars. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

I found out that NAPA timing belts are made by Gates which seem to have a good reputation, so I am going with one of theirs. It comes as a kit with
the tensioner pulley. The idler was not included, so I’m going to check out the idler when I have it apart and examine it.

I’ve been a government fleet mechanic for 25 (+) years. The only time you should use carquest, advanced, autozone, etc is when you are buying parts for a car you don’t plan to keep. Napa is very reliable and trustworthy eventhough you’ll find their prices are a bit higher - there is a reason why they have been around longer then the latest chain/7-11 parts stores. Factory parts are often the best route to go if you want to pay their prices - rediculous. Remeber, there is always some geeky little crackhead at the dealership just waiting to soak up your money.

Here’s a web site that may help a little. VW for one has recently increased the timing belt life for their diesels from 60,000 miles to 100,000 miles.

http://www.aa1car.com/library/ar594.htm

If you have ever walked through a NAPA, CARQUEST, BIG A, ALL PRO and a few others you will find all of them stock mostly the same brands. It’s the Zones and Advances that sell sub-par quality parts. Some brands are better than OEM, Moog suspension in particular.

“Factory parts are often the best route to go if you want to pay their prices - rediculous. Remeber, there is always some geeky little crackhead at the dealership just waiting to soak up your money.” Since he lost his job as a goverment fleet mechanic for 25 (+) years.

Let’s see? I just replaced the ball joints and the brakes on a Honda Civic with parts from a CarQuest store I’ve dealt with for over twentyfive years. The ball joints are made by Moog, and the brake pads are made by Raybestos.

GEEEEEEZ! I hope I don’t have a come-back!

2% rule.

Tester

How is that AutoZone or Advance sells sub-par parts? Both places have gladly handed me MOOG suspension parts, Melling oil pumps, Fel-Pro gasket sets, Bosch O2 sensors, Goodyear belts and hoses, Perfect Circle piston rings, Timken bearings, Motorcraft alternators/starters, Raybestos brakes, etc., etc.

I’ve never had a problem with Car Quest either; at least when we had one in this area. It closed not due to shoddy parts but a store manager who was into dirt racing and keeping his buddies supplied with Car Quest Corporate parts at sharply discounted or free rates. Eventually, to almost a 100 grand, he pushed it too far…

Apparently I stand corrected. The last time I bought from the Zone or Advance they had Kelly-Springfield hoses and they were very poor. Any other hard parts I bought in the past were “salt water salvage”. If they are now selling good name brands then maybe I need to revisit them.