Add. To My Timing Belt Replacement Post....MPG Issue Question.....

I forgot to ask, in my post last night, about my finally getting my timing belt kit replaced. As anyone who has read my old posts knows, the MPG on my car since the day I bought it has sucked!! I NEVER get more than 19MPG, all city driving. The dealer couldn't fix it, at all, during my 3 yr warranty. All I ever got as an answer from them was,...'you don't drive it enough, so it is running rich.' Well I wanted to know. Is there ANY chance that having my timing belt and all the other parts replaced, with new, (even though it was new when I bought it, of course), could it have been 'set wrong' from the factory?? And the timing was off all these years, causing it to give me horrible mileage?

I was on totally empty before I had the kit put in, so I filled up yesterday, and my mileage was 16!! The lowest ever!! I won't know for weeks, if my mileage improves or not. But I wondered if the timing was off...that the ever so important 'variable valve timing', was not set right??

I can drive like a little old lady, or like a ricer, and I get 19mpg. But this 16mpg was a big shock yesterday. I filled it up from next to dry. I never do that usually, but I was getting this done, so I put off filling it up, till I had it done, just for this purpose...to see IF my MPG goes UP, after the repair. Is there any chance this will raise my mileage? Or is that not possible? Anyone know?

If it was set wrong from the factory, it would have been caught. The car will run horribly (ask me how I know haha), or not run at all.

So, unfortunately, I wouldn't look forward to better fuel economy.

Bummer. Was hoping I'd get 30+ mileage now. FINALLY! Getting the mileage that a new full size truck gets, in this tiny car, stinks! I traded in a 2004 3.0L Ranger that was getting 19mpg, when the first 'gas crisis' hit, and gas went to over $4 a gallon. I traded it in on the Aveo.
Thought I'd get 30++ in my city driving. Could have kept my Ranger Edge, and its Chrome Yellow paint color is now a 'collectors' color. VERY hard to get/find. And with the way i take care of my cars/trucks, it would have barely 50K miles on it now and worth a hell of a lot more. Oh well......

It runs great so far. I will give it a week of highway/city driving, to make sure it still runs as smooth as it is, before I leave this garage a positive review on Yelp. I like to do that for good work. I also leave BAD reviews for crappy work:)

Believe it or not, i am surprised...my mileage has gone UP by almost 4 mpg! I'll check it again on his next refill, but it went up to a huge 23.4mpg. For this car THAT is huge!

When was the last time you did a "tune up"?

Replace the spark plugs (make sure to gap them correctly), plug wires, air filter. Clean out the throttle body. Run some fuel injector cleaner through your gas tank. Seafoam the engine through the brake booster line. And take the lead out out your right shoe!

Thats great to hear. I'm glad I was wrong. :)

dont know if it is a fluke, or i cant add right, but tonight i have 99miles on the car, and it is at 1/4 of a tank used! i am in total shock. My luck the gage is broken:(

I hope your mileage has improved, it seems like it has. I only get about 31 MPG in my '04 Aveo, and it's all highway driving with little stop and go traffic. Mine is a 5 speed sedan, and I thought when I got it I would get better mileage also, but it just doesn't happen. I had a 3 cylinder Metro for several years and it honestly got about 42 MPG. Not to be nosy, but if you don't mind sharing, what is the approx. cost to have the timing belt replaced? Thank You. I have had mine done two times and I think I paid too much to have it done, but not sure since I don't personally know any other Aveo owners.

Your not being nosy..i posted the price on here in a timing bel post, last week, when i had it done. I guess you just missed it. I am TOLD that it varies state to state..and here in south Fla. it is VERY expensive. Compared to the rest of the country. I paid $771, for a Continental kit, it was $223 on the bill, online it runs around $156 but it needs the 3 seals that dont come with it that you need. But they are all of $4 to get. The rest was labor cost. IF yuo are a gearhead and know how to work on your car, I am told it is a 2-3 hr job and 'its so easy to do, just take your time'...but I have no tools,or floor jacks, to life the engine, let alone trust myself to do THIS big of an engine job.

The Continental kit has the most parts in the kit. Seals, 2 tensioners, and some other tiny parts. Not just a belt and water pump. It has a 2 yr warranty as well! And I got a 2 year warranty on the labor from the mechanic/garage that did the job. I have never heard of a 2 year warranty for any car repair.

My timing belt lasted for 11 yrs, and i have the old one, it LOOKS new still. But as everyone told me, it can look new and still snap at any second. I also only have 39K miles on it, its all city driving, and I drove it like a 'little old lady', constantly worried the belt would snap at any moment, for the past 5 years!!!! But here in south Fla. it is SO hot, and the belt was 11 yrs old, so it is in a super hot engine compartment, fo all that time, and rubber only lasts so long. When did you have your replaced? what mileage....2 times? You must have a lot of miles on your Aveo??? Hope that helps. People on here have criticized me that I paid WAY to much. BUT it was professional done, and I have a 2 year warranty on parts and labor. But I searched for 5 years for the lowest price, using the Continental kit, and it ranged from my $675, 2 years ago, it went up to $690 plus taxes. To $1,300 at Chevy!!! But most other garages all wanted over $900. So I am happy I have it done, and with the little I drive, it is the last time I am doing it! But i'd like to know about your replacements, if you care to tell me.

i do that yearly. I put in the new plugs, Bosch 4 point platinums, and replace the filters, etc, ....but nothing helps get more than 19mpg. And i WISH i had a lead foot. I have always driven like a 'little old lady'....and glide to stops, no jack rabbit starts...but now i am DRIVING it to see how it handles now!!!

When I bought the car it had 69000 miles on it, and the dealer changed it right before I took it home. However it now has129000 miles on it so it's time to get it changed. Thanks for your info on the pricing. Now the next dilemna, do I spend $700.00 on a nice car but with a trade in value of only about $300.00, it's and 04 with 129000 miles.

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Originally Posted by FlaAveo5

Your not being nosy..i posted the price on here in a timing bel post, last week, when i had it done. I guess you just missed it. I am TOLD that it varies state to state..and here in south Fla. it is VERY expensive. Compared to the rest of the country. I paid $771, for a Continental kit, it was $223 on the bill, online it runs around $156 but it needs the 3 seals that dont come with it that you need. But they are all of $4 to get. The rest was labor cost. IF yuo are a gearhead and know how to work on your car, I am told it is a 2-3 hr job and 'its so easy to do, just take your time'...but I have no tools,or floor jacks, to life the engine, let alone trust myself to do THIS big of an engine job.

The Continental kit has the most parts in the kit. Seals, 2 tensioners, and some other tiny parts. Not just a belt and water pump. It has a 2 yr warranty as well! And I got a 2 year warranty on the labor from the mechanic/garage that did the job. I have never heard of a 2 year warranty for any car repair.

My timing belt lasted for 11 yrs, and i have the old one, it LOOKS new still. But as everyone told me, it can look new and still snap at any second. I also only have 39K miles on it, its all city driving, and I drove it like a 'little old lady', constantly worried the belt would snap at any moment, for the past 5 years!!!! But here in south Fla. it is SO hot, and the belt was 11 yrs old, so it is in a super hot engine compartment, fo all that time, and rubber only lasts so long. When did you have your replaced? what mileage....2 times? You must have a lot of miles on your Aveo??? Hope that helps. People on here have criticized me that I paid WAY to much. BUT it was professional done, and I have a 2 year warranty on parts and labor. But I searched for 5 years for the lowest price, using the Continental kit, and it ranged from my $675, 2 years ago, it went up to $690 plus taxes. To $1,300 at Chevy!!! But most other garages all wanted over $900. So I am happy I have it done, and with the little I drive, it is the last time I am doing it! But i'd like to know about your replacements, if you care to tell me.

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Hardly believe you were 'ripped-off'
I bought my kit a few months back and it was about $200 dollar (CDN), I went to a local supplier I use so I can see the quality of the parts I am getting (full kit incl seals, made in Germany). If I order on-line I'm not sure what will show up!
On the flip side , there are many parts I would order on-line from Rock Auto and such (guess im just a little picky that way).
Labour rates at shops where I am generally range around $90-$100 an hour, 'Stealerships' closer to $125-$145.
I also believe the 1.6 hr time estimate is on the lean side (even for a shop).
I did mine myself in about 4 hrs, with the seals being the biggest PITA as I didn't have a puller.
But you have one thing I don't, a pretty substantial warranty on the labour, parts a given.
The company I work for offers Preventative Maintenance Contracts for projected failures, insurance on the work and parts costs money, so IMO. . . . I think you made out pretty good!


Cheers

thank you for not thinking i was a total dope for spending this money on a professional job...that took me 5 years of searching for the best price,...begging for help on here, to no avail, saved the money by not replacing it all at the 5 year mark.

So I technically saved $770 from NOT having it done 5 years ago. It now has all new parts, new coolant, but it was only 1 year old, but it is now super fresh. And it's NOT 'DexKill'. IF I had the knowledge to do the work, and had ALL the expensive tools to do the job, easily, like the water pump puller, and 2 floor jacks, Neither of which I could 'Rent or Borrow' from the local auto parts stores, and have no friends that have these tools to loan them to me, or help me.
The auto parts stores all claim they loan out tools for free! Not these tools. IF I could psychically do the job, (which I cant), I might have tried. BUT the way my luck runs, I would have missed something, or set the timing belt of by 1 'tooth', and it would blow up down the road!

Plus I have the long warranties. From a local garage with a long very good reputation. I would have loved to have done it for the parts only, but I don't have the knowledge to change it all out, and my burned out knees and bad back make doing this kind of work, next to impossible.

I dont know guy. Depending on the kind of money you make, the type of used cars near you, or if you want to go into debt for 4-6 years for a NEW car,....it is hard to decide. BUT if your trading in, don't do the job, they arent going to look or ask, they will offer you the $300 and shove you into a $25K compact. So why spend all that money on a car your trading in?

Even this car ...it is fairly a 'new car', and new cars last WAY past 2-400K miles!!, if you do the preventive maintenance. It's not a Toyota, but its not a Yugo either. You are in the rust belt, all that road salt is eating away cars, if yours is NOT rusty, and it looks good, runs good, and isn't a money pit. Keep it. But with another used car, you wont know its REAL repair history, you have to make sure it isnt a money pit itself. You have to pay a mech. to look it over, thats a couple of hundred, if you buy used with no warranty. IF I had the money/job to get a 2 year old Yaris or Corolla or Mazda 2, I would buy one. But I don't. So I keep my Aveo looking new, running like new, and people are always in shock when I tell them it is 11-12 years old! If it dies from something else, I am looking at a motorcycle,or an electric bike!

I get 20mpg city driving no cat, straight pipe and like a ricer. 40+ mpg on the highway also.

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Originally Posted by Melveo

I get 20mpg city driving no cat, straight pipe and like a ricer. 40+ mpg on the highway also.

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well first person to say they get less than 30+ in the city. Didnt think you could get rid of the Cat. and still have it run without all the lights on the dash lighting up!

Your advice kinda mirrors my own thoughts, like you said for what they give for a trade in, I think I will get it changed and hope it lasts another three years or so. So far I have very little rust, but with it being 13 years old and living in Pa, I'm guessing it's only a matter of time until it starts showing up!!!!

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Originally Posted by FlaAveo5

I dont know guy. Depending on the kind of money you make, the type of used cars near you, or if you want to go into debt for 4-6 years for a NEW car,....it is hard to decide. BUT if your trading in, don't do the job, they arent going to look or ask, they will offer you the $300 and shove you into a $25K compact. So why spend all that money on a car your trading in?

Even this car ...it is fairly a 'new car', and new cars last WAY past 2-400K miles!!, if you do the preventive maintenance. It's not a Toyota, but its not a Yugo either. You are in the rust belt, all that road salt is eating away cars, if yours is NOT rusty, and it looks good, runs good, and isn't a money pit. Keep it. But with another used car, you wont know its REAL repair history, you have to make sure it isnt a money pit itself. You have to pay a mech. to look it over, thats a couple of hundred, if you buy used with no warranty. IF I had the money/job to get a 2 year old Yaris or Corolla or Mazda 2, I would buy one. But I don't. So I keep my Aveo looking new, running like new, and people are always in shock when I tell them it is 11-12 years old! If it dies from something else, I am looking at a motorcycle,or an electric bike!

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I have an anti fouler to trick computer whenever its time for an inspection

can ANYONE read that post above??!!!!!

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Originally Posted by glen1

Your advice kinda mirrors my own thoughts, like you said for what they give for a trade in, I think I will get it changed and hope it lasts another three years or so. So far I have very little rust, but with it being 13 years old and living in Pa, I'm guessing it's only a matter of time until it starts showing up!!!!

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Yea...that road salt will start eating it away, unless you can get under the car, and COVER IT ALL with spray on rubber. It protect metal from everything, i dont think even salt can get through it.
And it adds a little sound proofing to it. I dont know anything about taking care of a car in the 'rust belt/snow', but I would think if you 'rustproof' it yourself, with a can or two of the rubber spray, and wash off the under carriage with a hose or a car wash in the winter, they are open for do it yourself in winter, arent they? I would think that would reduce the chance of rust big time, if not stop it totally.

IF your rust is very small, there is a product on EBay, that I buy from England called 'Fertan'....turns out it comes in many sizes now, i just looked on EBay...it converts rusted metal into an inert 'metal', and stops rust. It turns it into a black 'metal' that can be painted or spray over it with the rubber spray. It use to be sold in the US at auto part stores, but I couldnt find it for years. Then I found tiny bottles of this on EBay, but it s all in the UK,or Germany. Probably caused 1 person to get skin cancer or something, and got taken of the market! But the UK and Germany sell it. Just some ideas. Take a look at it, and see if it would stop your current rust issues, and then try to apply the spray on rubber to prevent more. Hey, its a small price to pay to prevent a hole coming through the floorboards! Then you'll get nothing for it...you'll have to part it out on your own when you want to get rid of it!