water is getting in my car

[Roadtrip]

The timing belt & water pump are likely just recommended service based on the mileage/age of your car. If you drive until the timing belt fails, it can cause massive damage to the engine, so as a preventive measure they tell you to replace. They have to pull the water pump to get to the timing belt so you might as well pop in a new one as the part itself is (relatively) cheap compared to the labor to tear it all back apart to replace.

You can get a second opinion, but I think they're telling you to replace based on a schedule of routine maintenance, not because something's actually failing.

Rear breaks-- that's another story-- Yea, repair/maintenance costs suck, but at least you don't have a car payment. There comes a point where a used car starts costing you more in nickle/dime repairs then a monthly pmt and the security a warranty provides. Mines 6 years old and I'm ready for new wheels, but am going to try and hold out another year, it has fairly low miles and has been pretty dependable.

Shannon

[jessmarimba]

Yep, timing belt is done by mileage, so it may have already been done. Check your manual for the recommended maintenance for that one. Mine's close to needing its second replacement (!) and the car is 12 years old, 170k. But at least its a belt and not a timing chain - I think it cost a small fortune to replace that in my old car ($700? maybe more? and the mechanic screwed it up and eventually "totaled" my car b/c of it).

If you're tight with money you can probably wait on the water pump, especially if you aren't about to take on a long-distance trip. Brakes are iffy - you can likely delay those a little while if you need to split up your costs, but I wouldn't wait too long.

[HillSlugger]

Make sure your car actually has a timing belt, and not a timing chain. Timing chains don't need to be changed.

[jessmarimba]

Actually, chains do need changed. It just happens later mileage-wise. Not changing a timing chain is a bad, BAD idea. And the chain tensioners need changed with it.

But they're fairly rare in normal everyday cars so you're probably dealing with a belt.

[bmccasland]

A tarp is on the top of the car to keep the snow, now rain out. So far the insides are dry. Going to be fun to put the tarp on every day until the sunroof leak is fixed. And I've sucked it up and accepted that I'm going to have to get the timing belt, water pump, and brakes repaired. Here's my credit card.

- tad of background... once upon a time, when I lived in Phoenix, and was married, husband dearest didn't think the routine maintenance schedule recommendations in the owners manual needed to be kept. Of course it was summer, when - the cooling system failed, the engine block cracked, and the transmission melted in my Baby Bronco. All the money we saved for a vacation went to pay for the repairs. I would have been better off if I shoved the truck off a cliff. So now I stick to the maintenance schedule, and knowing my 8-yr old car that has 93,000 miles on it needs parts replaced. Am not happy about it, but understand that the work needs to be done. Sure beats having the timing belt break, things seizing, and needing to buy a new engine.

[WindingRoad]

Don't fret over it too much. We all have to do car maintenance just like on our bike. I know it sucks when you have to dish out the money tho. It's kinda funny to me how Seattle points out all the little leaks you have in your car though, I went through the same thing when I lived there. I was lucky mine was the gasket around the front windshield (no sunroof) and I put silicon on it and it was fine. My 'new' car is now 20 years old and still running. Having new valve seal gaskets put on next weekend and the oil changed but if you take care of it you will have you car a long time. My car now has 175,000 miles on it; I'm keeping my fingers crossed for 225,000! If this freaking weather would cooperate I could just ride my bike!