# 255k on timing belt? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [June 20, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338 "2015-06-20T18:47:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/1 "2015-06-20T18:47:20Z")
Looking at 05 vue with 3.5 Honda motor. Original owner is selling .never changed belt or WP. Mechanic said he would change it before driving it again. Seller says it runs fine. But they want to sell it. Runs fine. Think I could drive it 20 miles to my house? ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/2 "2015-06-20T18:51:51Z")
Since it’s summer, you MAY make it. Honda typically designs a 100% safety margin into their belts. So, if the recommended interval was the newer 105,000 miles, you have a chance. The broader question, of course, is what other maintenance has been neglected over the years. Since the Saturn Vue is an obsolete car, no longer made and supported, why even look at it unless someone GAVE it to you? ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/3 "2015-06-20T19:18:33Z")
I’ve seen many quirky electrical/electronic problems with the Vue, regardless of drivetrain manufacturer. That coupled with 255,000 miles driven without basic routine maintenance (what else has been deferred?) means it would have to be a very good price before I would consider it. ---
**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 7:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/4 "2015-06-20T19:21:38Z")
drive it very gently, very gradual acceleration, and you MAY make it. this appears to be an interference engine. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 7:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/5 "2015-06-20T19:40:45Z")
What’s the price? Better be near $0, since you’ll be paying big $$ to fix it up. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 8:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/6 "2015-06-20T20:04:59Z")
You could insist that the seller bring the car to your mechanic’s parking lot and do the transaction there. Then if the car doesn’t make it you’re not on the hook. I agree with the others that you’d better be getting a very good price here. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 1:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/7 "2015-06-21T01:01:26Z")
Only drive it 20 miles towards your house if you’re planning replacing the timing belt right there . . . without any further driving until it’s done ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 1:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/8 "2015-06-21T01:20:04Z")
I wonder what the record is for the miles on a timing belt. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 1:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/9 "2015-06-21T01:37:38Z")
If they’ve neglected the timing belt I would have to assume other maintenance has also been neglected. It “runs fine” means nothing with a timing belt. It may run fine right up the nano-second the belt breaks and then the repair costs will be much higher. Just curious, but what are they asking for this neglected piece of automotive workmanship? I’m just trying to sort out whether or not they’ve placed a real world price on it or if they’re delusional. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 3:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/10 "2015-06-21T03:25:45Z")
There’s absolutely no way to tell. Given it has done 255K w/out a belt change, odds are in your favor. But why take the risk? Seller is convinced it will make it, no problem. So follow lion9’s idea, make the transaction continent on the seller delivering the vehicle to your preferred location in the same condition it is in now. Engine running. Note: Have you checked the specs to make sure it even uses a timing belt? By 2005 a lot of manufacturers has already switched to timing chains, due to customers complaining about the expense and risk of timing belt service. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 4:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/11 "2015-06-21T04:02:55Z")
@GeorgeSanJose I’m 99% certain that particular engine uses a timing belt A colleague owns a 2006 Saturn Vue with the Honda 3.5 V6, and I know for a fact it has a timing belt ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 4:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/12 "2015-06-21T04:48:01Z")
> I wonder what the record is for the miles on a timing belt. A few years back, someone posted on this site that he worked in a factory that built and tested timing belts. (He did not say who he worked for). He said during their quality testing, sometimes belts would last over 400K miles. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 9:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/13 "2015-06-21T09:46:37Z")
As others have already stated . . . If this vehicle has 255K and is on its original timing belt, I would be worried about many other things, as well Maybe the coolant has never been changed . . . can you say plugged heater core? Maybe the transmission has never been serviced . . . at that mileage, I wouldn’t expect it to last much longer, especially with the shoddy maintenance it probably received ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 10:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/14 "2015-06-21T10:03:20Z")
I wonder how long the “To Do” list will be on that car once it’s gone over with a fine tooth comb and if the words “great” or excellent" appear in the ad. ---
**Author:** ![MG-McAnick](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mg-mcanick/32/188_2.png) [@MG-McAnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MG-McAnick)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/15 "2015-06-21T18:01:50Z")
This causes me to ask a question. My daughter in law drives an '08 Impala. Her husband, who just happens to be my son (funny how that works) told me that the 3.5L V-6 in their Impala is the same 3.5L in the Saturn Vue and Aura. That would kind of make sense, but I don’t think it is correct. Looking at [car-part.com](http://car-part.com) does not show that the Saturn Vue’s V-6 fits anything but the Vue, not even a Honda. The Aura’s V-6 also fits the Pontiac G-6 and Chevy Malibu, but not the Impala. Are (were) any of those other “GM” V-6s also made by Honda, or is my son misinformed? ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 7:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/16 "2015-06-21T19:44:05Z")
MG Your son is correct, according to Wikipedia. Meaning the engine in his Impala was also used in the Vue and Aura, but only for certain model years He might be assuming that all transverse 3.5 liter V-6 engines are the same Not so The 3.5L V6 in your son’s impala is an LZ4 3.5L V6 OHV engine. In other words, a pushrod engine. Rest assured, Honda did not produce a pushrod automotive engine any time in the recent past > **[GM High Value engine | LZ4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_High_Value_engine#LZ4)** > > The LZ4 3500 is an OHV engine based on the 3.9L LZ9 V6. It was introduced for the 2006 model year in the Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo. Bore is the same 99 mm (3.9 in), but the stroke is reduced to 76 mm (3.0 in) for a displacement of 3510 cc. It includes continuously variable cam timing (fixed overlap). It has a cast iron block and aluminum heads. Output is 211 hp (156.5 kW) at 5800 rpm and 214 lb⋅ft (290 N⋅m) at 4000 rpm. Horsepower rating changed for the 2007 model year to 224 hp (167 kW) a... The “problem” is that the Vue used several different engines over the years. Some were GM engines, others were Honda. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/17 "2015-06-21T20:11:59Z")
About 10 2005 vues for sale locally. 6-7 are manual trans/4cyl. Avg price is 2800-3100? A few want 4500. Only 1 V6 w/190k for $2500. The one I am looking at is 1400. Why is a running vue worthless? A belt swap is easy. Throw in a $40 WP and a tensioner and your good ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/18 "2015-06-21T20:19:04Z")
@Cavell In “Vue” of the low price, I’d go ahead and buy the car Have the seller drive it over to your house. If it makes it over there, pay the man Then don’t drive it again until the timing belt is replaced Is the water pump also driven by the timing belt on this engine? Needless to say, the car will need a lot of “catch up maintenance” once the new belt is installed ---
**Author:** ![MG-McAnick](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mg-mcanick/32/188_2.png) [@MG-McAnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MG-McAnick)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/19 "2015-06-21T22:31:36Z")
A running Vue isn’t worthless. I think the fear is that it might suddenly become a non-running Vue if the timing belt breaks. At that point it would have too little value to be economically fixable, although used engines are available. In light of Saturn’s demise, it’s not a brand I’d want to hang onto for long. Thanks for the clarification @db4690 ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2015, 11:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338/20 "2015-06-21T23:33:50Z")
Are you doing the timing belt? If not, how much is it from a good mechanic? My concern is that over 250k most any car is nearing the end of its life. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/255k-on-timing-belt/90338.md?page=2)