After 13 years together, I’ve decided to sell my 2001 Toyota Camry. It has 168K miles and I’m not sure if the timing belt has ever been replaced. I was able to track my maintenance history back to 98K miles and I know it hasn’t been done since then. But I honestly can’t remember if I had it done before then. Should I spend the extra money to have it replaced before I sell the car? Or just factor the fact that the existing timing belt is old into the price? My mechanic said it will be between $600-$800. Thanks for your advice?
Timing belts are replaced at 90k miles or 7 years on Toyotas. I would sell it and just tell them. That is just my opinion.
Either way is acceptable (replace it before the sale or inform the buyer).
If it were me, I would sell the car “as is” and inform the buyer the belt needs to be replaced.
I’ve been down this road before. The best option is to sell the car “as is” since recouping your repair costs almost never works out. Camry’s sell quick so you will have no problem selling it. Make sure the new owner knows that the timing belt needs to be changed.
Thank you for the advice. I think I will sell it as is and just tell them about the timing belt.
Agree, sell it as is, but certainly you have an obligation to inform the buyer of the timing belt situation, and that is needs to be replaced. A DIY inclined buyer might well be enticed into such a deal, as he/she could replace the timing belt themselves for much less than $800, with much of the investment in simple sweat equity; i.e. you’d be giving the buyer a way to earn close to $800, and tax free.
Replace the timing belt and you will have no regrets-Kevin
Yes, replace it and add it to the sales price. I agree with Kevin, no regrets. Rocketman
The timing belt replacement is 90k on these cars, so if you missed the first, you are real lucky. Either way it is close to the second one. I look at it like a real expensive brake job or other expensive regular maintenance item. I would either not do it and detract a little from the price and inform the next buyer, or do it, make it a selling point and add a little to the price. Either way, if it isn’t done soon, the car could break down on the highway far away from any help and at the least, giving the driver that notice is a good thing to do. I think any other the above are good options. You need to put yourself in the position of the buyer and do the right thing.
I personally don’t believe you could simply tack the entire cost of the belt replacement onto the price of the car. This is one of those situations where prospective buyers expect that normal maintenance has been performed. There are too many other cars out there for sale that are priced accordingly. You can get a slight premium due to the “newness” of the repair but you’re not going to recover the full cost of the maintenance item. That’s why I wouldn’t do it in advance of the sale…
I think it all depends on how you drive the car and the maintenance. More seldom the maintenance. I have a Honda Accord and the odometer for the mileage broke at 465,000 miles. Eventually, the water pump went out and we changed the timing belt since the water pump was timing belt driven. But that was after the odometer broke at 465,000
Are you saying 465K+ on the original timing belt?? Call Guiness!!
Haha, I wish. I have a 1997 Dodge Avenger and I drove that at least 160,000 before that water pump went out and I replaced the timing belt. And I dogged that car but, I kept the maintenance up on it.
Doubtful you can recoupe the cost of a timing belt service in the selling price unless you can do the work yourself. If you can do the work yourself a new timing belt/water pump would be a good selling point. Since I’m a DIY’re I’d be looking for the better deal on the selling price and change the belt myself.