Cost to Replace Serpentine Belt
 

My brother helped me replace my serpentine belt yesterday. (He pushed down on the breaker bar to create some slack while I removed the old belt and installed the new one.)

When we were finished, he surveyed the parts I had strewn across the garage while disassembling the interior of the car to access the front of the engine. I changed the air filter at the same time, so the rear engine cover was off too.

He asked me "How much did you really save by doing this yourself." (He doesn't understand that I don't mind working on my car when the particular procedure isn't too frustrating.)

To be honest, I don't really know. I'd like to think I saved at least an hour of labor. I bought the belt along with a cache of parts from a forum member who had sold his car so I can't say exactly what I paid for it.

Has anyone had the dealer to do this recently and know the cost?

Thanks

You can bet that any dealership would have "massaged" this job to get at least a couple of hours out of it. Last I knew, dealerships were getting somewhere around $115 per hour. With that said, putting aside the price of parts, it would have cost you somewhere around $230 . Next time buy your brother a 12 pack and tell him to put a "sock in it". :)

I do not know, I did mine in the office parking lot that is where it came apart. I fixed it in 15 Min. and paid $ 29.00 for the new belt.

It was the easyiest belt I have ever changed.

Thanks for the replies.

The dealer probably wouldn't have been willing to install the discount-priced belt I had. So, I'll tell my brother I saved $250. I already had a 24mm socket, so I didn't have to buy any tools.

This is a relatively simple job if anyone else is considering it. jbs986 was a little quicker than me - I always triple-check everything I do on the Boxster. But I think a skilled and confident DIYer could do the job in 15 minutes.

Now I'm building up my nerve to replace the spark plugs and the O rings on the spark plug tubes. I already replaced a coil pack, so I have the basic procedure for accessing the spark plugs in my repertoire.

$250 sounds about right.

i replaced my spark plugs last year - first time i'd ever replaced a spark plug. fairly straight forward. the hardest part was dealing with the limited amount of space.

my spark plug thread

Spark plugs on this car are easy in comparison to some of the others I have done over the years.

Some examples:

2001 PT Cruiser - Have to remove the upper intake manifold to gain access to the center 2 spark plugs.

1992 Camry V6 - Rear bank requires having long slender arms, and small hands to be slightly easier. I have long, thick arms, and large hands. Wasn't easy.

1992 Buick Park Avenue - Rear bank requires climbing over the engine, reaching into the abyss, and fighting with one spark plug boot that likes to tear off on the spark plug if you don't change the plugs once a year.

1981 Pontiac Grand Prix - Bank on the passenger side has the rear cylinder pointed towards the rear of the car, and the housing for the a/c unit interfering with access. You will tear your knuckles, each and every time.

1990 Chevy Lumina V6 (car) - Worst engine on the planet to change the spark plugs on. Intake manifold and firewall interfere with access to the rear bank. Front bank is blocked by the radiator fan. No. I won't change your spark plugs. Take your car someplace else, mom.

BC.

The plugs are easy if you can jack up the car and am familiar with what's there....

I watched my mechanic changed the plugs from underneath the car (car hoist up) and he was basically doing it by feel (he's a big guy with big arms/hands). Not difficult but a bit tedious with 6 to do...

I suppose the belt is another item that should be changed due to age, not mileage? I'm making a list of maintenance items since my car will be nine years old next spring, but only shows 19k miles on the clock.

Care to share with me? Mine is 9 years with 40k on the clock. Had a lot of seals/gaskets replaced already with the AOS and waterpump set for next year.

Is there a walkthrough/DIY guide for changing the belt?