rollondad

Looking at purchasing a 98 Civic EX Coupe with just under 118K miles on if. The question relates to the timing belt. This is a 2 owner car where from the CARFAX report it appears the first owner did much maintenance as scheduled, but no clear indication if a timing belt was changed. There are entries around year 7 and year 11 that service was done, but neither say timing belt (year 7 has various things specifically noted, but year 11 only says service). Owner 2 says she has not changed the belt. This car is about 230 miles from home. Would you drive this home and have the belt changed right away, or would you tow it home on a dolly and have it changed? Either way I'm changing it right away, just wondering if its drivable as it stands now (the second owner just got back from a trip of about 550 miles round trip). I know the timing belt could fail at any time...just wondering if you would fake the chance or not.

MindBomber

It could fail at any time, but it's highly unlikely that it will fail on the drive back. Not all maintenance is listed on carfax reports either, so it's possible the belt has actually been changed.

rollondad

I know its just an odds game at this point. I did send an email to the dealership noting service in 2009 to see if they might have details on what was done...it would really make me relieved if it had been changed in 2009 but wasn't noted, and its a reasonable possibility as the car was sold from aunt to niece a bit after that service.

MindBomber

If the dealership is not able to provide you with information on what service was done in 2009, then you could have a mechanic check to see if the timing belt has been changed before beginning the drive. Visually, a 3 year old belt will look dramatically different from a 14 year old one. It's a simple matter of popping off the timing belt cover.

rollondad

I like that idea. If i find the belt is older, though, then I'm faced with the dilemma of drive it home to get it changed or rely on an unknown mechanic 4 hours from home to do it and having to return later to get the car...or driving the 17 MPG truck down with a car dolly just in case!

Stock 99

When I bought my car about 1 1/2 years ago the car had just over 100 000 miles on it and was 11 years old. I asked about the timing belt and long story short it hadn't been done so I negotiated it into the selling price. Everybody at the time said there should be a sticker on the strut tower inside the engine that says when it was changed. The only way there wouldn't be is if a backyard mechanic had done it. I drove it for another 200 Kms before I could get it done. Nerve racking for sure but I drove it like it was made out of glass. Didn't rev it over 3000 rpm until I got it changed. My mechanic said the timing belt had cracks in it when he changed it and he put a sticker on the strut tower indicating when it had been changed.

So check for the sticker first, negotiate the price and then decide if you want to risk it or not (the drive).

rollondad

Feedback from the dealership that services the car in '09 is that they wouldn't have changed the timing belt as they are a BMW and Volvo dealer and were back then as well. I'll look for a sticker but I'm leaning toward driving it easy home and getting it locally. The price we've discussed already is below KBB so its been factored in and looks clean and pretty well maintained otherwise. The CARFAX shows the first ownerr did regular maintenance and would have still owned it at the 7 year mark...there is a service at that time, but the belt isn't noted. Hoping it was done and just didn't get reported to CARFAX.

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

Just drive the damn thing home it'll be fine.

pwnsauce

itll be fine. if anything ask the guy if he will gaurantee it will make it home. basically refunding your money if it snaps. i did this when i sold my em2. the guy was stupid paranoid about the belt so i told him if it breaks on the way home hes got my number and ive got his cash. it only had 115K on it.

also when you get home take off the timing cover (usually the valve cover needs to come off first). u should be able to tell. mine says gates on it. gates is a brand of timing belts. obviously not OEM. and while your there check the tension. i dont know an easy way to describe this but push on the belt and make sure its not really loose. a guy i know from the local parts store said he could push on his belt in his integra and it would move about an inch. then after he replaced it and the tensioner it only moved about a 1/4 inch.

rollondad

Well this Friday is the day I'll go to check out and hopefully pick up the car. I've decided to chance the drive home and check it out closely there. As noted a lot of folks go way longer than 117k miles with no issues, but it doesn't mean I'll neglect it any longer. Thinking with proper maintenance this car should last me a good long time. Crossing my fingers....

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

potentially fine, when i removed mine at 98k, it only had lost some roundness on the belt teeth, no cracks. mostly in TN, but a year and half in canada, suffering the freezing temps and high engine temps.
If it's in arizona or other parts hot as hell and dry, it might affect longevity, though.
it's a recommendation to change at 100k miles. i did mine since i had to do head gasket and to have peace of mind. water pump looked new too.
you should be fine (cross fingers), just don't abuse of the throttle.

rollondad

Its been in Arkansas all its life, so temps are a bit warmer but not very dry. Definitely will baby it in the trips home...no burnouts for me LOL

MindBomber

Let's be honest here.... civics can't do burnouts even with freshly changed timing belts

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

I can spin em pretty good. For about 1 second, then the clutch chatter kicks in bad because my clutch is getting pretty bad lol.

pwnsauce

i can spin them all the way through 1st...













...in the rain

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

^ I missed the "In the rain part" at first and all I was thinking was .. bulllshhiiit lol then I noticed it.

pwnsauce

lol but you CAN do a burnout in a civic.

























...with use of the ebrake

rollondad

Just as a final followup...picked the car up yesterday, and it appears mechanically sound and well maintained. Some bumps and bruises on the body, as well as the inside, though the seats and carpets are in really good shape for 14 years old, no rips or tears there. But sitting last night looking through all the records she gave me (mostly from when her aunt owned it), I found that about 70K miles and not quite 6 years ago (Dec of '06), the Honda dealer changed the timing belt. All that worry, and it wasn't anywhere near time for it...I've got 2 years or 30K miles to go on it! But thanks everyone for your advice on how to proceed. Now it'll be my commuter car for years to come (by the way on a 207 mile trip home, I got 43.5 mpg...filled up there and filled up here, mostly 2 lane highways through the woods, so I am very pleased with that!).

MindBomber

Great news! Thanks for the update, I'm sure she'll serve you well.

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

That is good news, glad you got it home

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

glad to hear you got a good car deal, it seems.

rollondad

I hope to one day report of 200k miles, then 300k, and who knows after that...she might outlast me!

Stock 99

I know a bunch of people that have over 250k miles on 6th gen civics and they say they are not burning/leaking oil and have had no major problems with them. So yeah, 300k should be possible if you take care of it.

congrats.

pwnsauce

mine burns/leaks a bit at 172000. nothing too major tho. i just have to remember to add a quart about halfway through my 3000 mile oil changes. im hoping its my oil pan gasket though and not burning.

kyle_l88

Same here, I think the oil pan gaskets are an issue with a lot of vehicles out there. I'm losing oil somewhere and I swear the engine is hiding it somewhere :P. With that being said I know im not burning it after doing various tests and always checking up on the spark plugs. like WHERE is it going haha

rollondad

That's good info to watch the oil...especially not knowing much history behind the car. She's going to be a commuter car for me, running about 230 miles to a yard, then sitting for 2 weeks while I'm out on the road, then back for another 230 mile trip back home. With that schedule I can watch and see if it burns or leaks before each trip. Thanks for that info!