Timing chain or new car?
Posted by Blue_tile56@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 58 comments
How’s it going everyone I don’t know if a frequent question on this kind of topic and I guess I’m looking at all pros and cons of this situation but here we go. Our family hauler 2019 Nissan pathfinder with 75,000 miles on it is starting to have the timing chain go on it. We just did all new breaks tires rotors in December for around $3000, now we have this. Here’s the main question I fee it’s such a toss up I’m getting quoted from our local shop around $3000 for all the work for the timing chain and I don’t disagree with paying it and having no car payment but with the current market and prices and monthly payments of these vehicles I’m finding it hard to say we should get something else even though it would be stress free we are back to payments but in the flip side that $3000 can be used for a down payment plus the car trade in value if it even has any with a known issues. Just reaching out any response I’m grateful for.
Competitive-Double67@reddit
Please do the timing, the thing has 75000 miles on it, shes damn near new. You will not be able to buy a brand new car as reliable as she has been to you, and all shes asking for is a little bit of maintanence after years of being loyal!
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
Ah I don’t disagree but at what point is enough enough I do agree throwing some money at it now and could potentially get some more years out of it but the risk is what’s the next fix and more money in the hole that year with that mileage in my are are selling for $16000 to $19000 with about 10,000 more mileage so in reality I’m up if I fix it but there is a threshold
RackingUpTheMiles@reddit
I'd just fix it and then go a little extra and early on preventative maintenance and keep it.
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
True but I’m at the crossroad of how much money is enough to throw at this thing that could be used for something else.
Key-Rub118@reddit
I'd get 2 more quotes and pick the best option.
YogurtclosetAny8055@reddit
I may be wrong, but timing belt was considered a maintenance item, timing chain used to last the lifetime of the engine, by the time the chain was about to fail most folks I knew were looking to swap the engine.
JollyGreenGigantor@reddit
Have you kept up with all of the regular maintenance? Timing service is part of keeping a car for a while, just like cooling system and transmission maintenance.
If you've kept up with maintenance, this is a large expense that you won't have to repeat for another 90K miles. If you've been neglecting the transmission and whatnot, you might be staring down additional big repairs.
Personally I'd do it and keep the car for another 7-8 years and sell it before it needs another timing service.
MusicAccomplished724@reddit
What exactly is "timing service"?
JollyGreenGigantor@reddit
Timing belt and water pump on most cars, typically every 90K miles.
Timing chain, guide, tensioner, and water pump on other applications. These typically last far longer but are more expensive to service.
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
It’s not a bad idea just don’t want to sink a shit ton more into that I could have used for a own payment on something else but then be stuck with a car payment
robert32940@reddit
You're going to be spending like $1000/month on a new comparable vehicle.
Is it worth 3 car payments or 60?
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
This is true I’m not sure that kind of money is worth it but I also don’t want to end up in the hole on this vehicle either
Equana@reddit
Every vehicle ends up in the hole... depreciating asset. All cars lose money.
bugeyetex@reddit
Technically, there's a couple that don't, but not many
robert32940@reddit
Yeah and usually the buy-in for those cars is 'buy a house' money.
DramaticPr0perty@reddit
Depends on the condition of the rest of the car though. Will it be the timing chain this month, suspension work next month, then the alternator after that, etc...
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
This is true as well it’s a hard call because you don’t know
JollyGreenGigantor@reddit
75K miles is nothing. At 60K you should have done transmission fluid and coolant to keep those systems fresh. Alternators run until they don't.
You'll probably need a serpentine belt at 90K. Timing chains and belts typically last longer than 75K so I'd also evaluate how yours wore out so soon. Likely culprit is not doing regular enough oil changes.
IAteTonysLoMein@reddit
It'd be pretty crap for a car to start falling apart if it's only 7 years old with less than 100k on it. Any modern car should be able to hit 200k+ with not much more than normal maintenance.
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
Believe me I couldn’t agree with you more before kids and all I had a 1999 ford explorer with the v8 in it I did spark plugs radiator breaks in it for dirt cheap and that thing lasted me 10 years and I only payed $1500 for it crazy todays cars
PomegranatePlus6526@reddit
Why do you think it needs a timing chain? Are those known to have that problem? That’s a rare failure on my cars especially that far under 100k miles.
Lordofpineapples@reddit
Sell/trade it in and never buy a Nissan again
Formal-Tradition6792@reddit
A timing CHAIN should last close to 200K miles. A timing BELT needs to be replaced at around 80K miles. If you’ve done your maintenance, something is wrong. Maybe reach out to Nissan?
Alternatively, maybe think about an EV with these crazy gas prices. We have an EV now and we’re not looking back.
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
Crazy you said that I haven’t ruled it out
Formal-Tradition6792@reddit
👍👍
TheWhogg@reddit
Don’t make a decision on a car you’ll hate based on a month. Iran chickened out and WTI is down $30/bbl during the US blockade.
If you want and can use an EV, get an EV. But it will never pay for itself.
bqtchef@reddit
A new car or used won't necessarily be stress free. What might lead to stress is a car payment of 600 plus each and every month for 60 months or more. Your vehicle has another 75k to go before I start to think about replacing it
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
I agree 100% with that believe me it’s crazy out there and there is no way around not having a $600 dollar car payment but it’s just at what point is dumping money into this what could have been a hefty down payment
InternationalBite690@reddit
There is a way to not have a monthly car payment. Maintenance! Just do all the maintenance the car needs when it’s needed. Even though it’s a Nissan it should get 3 times the mileage it has currently. Any wear item you have replaced would be replaced on any vehicle so that 3k doesn’t really count towards your car’s value. I have a Tahoe with over 300k miles and my wife drives a crv with over 500k miles. Neither of them have cost me much outside of the wear items. Total of about $1800 between the both over the last 2 years.
Geminimadman@reddit
Timing chains don’t start to go at 75k miles. They can get stretched if you run shitty oil at 10k mile intervals but even then it usually starts to occur at 100-150k miles.
What they do need are new tensioners and maybe guides. Definitely not $3k worth of work. I’d go get a few quotes elsewhere but before you do so, what makes you think “it’s starting to go” as you previously stated. If it’s just the infamous chain slap on initial cold start but goes away, that’d be from not enough tension.
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
Well when it sits in idle every so often you can hear it ticking but the car itself drives perfectly fine with no issues or sometimes in a start up it’s hesitant to crank over but once it does it’s going but I appreciate the feedback you said!
TheWhogg@reddit
You hear “it” ticking or you hear SOMETHING ticking?
My wife asked why my car “sounded like her diesel” when I got it, clattering away. I replaced the HPFP lifters (a 10 euro part) and ran it down the freeway at 3200rpm in 3rd. Now it sounds like an S class Merc.
Geminimadman@reddit
Likely just your injectors firing away, assuming it’s a direct injected engine as most modern ones are.
Trying giving her an oil change using a quality synthetic BUT before you drain. Do a flush treatment with something like AMSOIL engine flush, liquimolly, even Seafoam works well for this. You dump some in where you pour your oil into, let it run at idle for 15 minutes or so and then drain. Also good run dump a 1/4 qt of whatever shit oil you have in your garage (I keep some solely for this) to help the flush and remove any excess deposits. Then once you are done see if any audible noises have been changed. My guess is you are hearing some injectors or possible valve tick, which should be reduced by doing the procedure above.
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
Honestly thank you for that input I might give that a try before going the other route
Geminimadman@reddit
You’d be surprised. I have a Lexus w/ 92k miles, a Chevy truck w/ 130k, and a Mercedes with 205k. Do most of my own work and haven’t touched the timing system on any one of them. I don’t even think Lexus has it in the service interval until at least 150k if at all.
Use a good quality synthetic, hell even a mediocre brand BUT change at 5k miles or every year, which ever is first. It’s cheap insurance and your vehicle will love you for it. I’ve followed this for last 20 years and haven’t had an engine fail on me yet. I can also tell you I’ve pulled valve covers off engines where oil was ran to 10k miles and compared to mine at 5k miles, it’s a night and day difference with all the varnish and sludge buildup clearly being present on engine where 10k oil changes were done.
TheWhogg@reddit
You can’t sell your car - it’s scrap as is. You HAVE to replace it. After that, decide whether to sell it and buy a new car. Personally, $3000 is basically a midlife C service - it’s irrelevant to ownership costs.
OkCartographer175@reddit
Can you get a new car for cheaper than $3000?
AgonizingGasPains@reddit
Don't look for excuses to buy a new car. The only way to not reduce the losses associated with owning a car, any car, is to keep the current one running as long as possible. Two years ago I put $12.5k into a 20 year-old truck. Much better than $89k for a new one of the same specifications. I'll keep it another 20.
wannakno37@reddit
It all comes down to budget. You're past your warranty and big repair bills will come up every 1-3 years. Repairing in most cases is cheaper depending on your vehicle's used market value which is based on your maintenance habits. If your budget allows it and you want an expensive but headache-free experience you can lease every 36-48 months.
OofNation739@reddit
If you could trade it in and get another vehicle for a low payment and low mileage maybe.
If not, then id keep it. Tbh, youre at the timing chain maintenance and its a dire fix/maintance for most vehicle as itll grenade the engine if it messes up.
Keeping it isnt bad but this is the nature of vehicles. Youll likley be repair free for at least a year outside oil and maybe a flat. Id just do it, its needed and youre truck is early on. The fix should last another 75k+ miles.
Graflex01867@reddit
I’d look at it this way - it’s unlikely that you’ll have any other major issues with the car if you get the timing chain done. (Do a quick google search to see if there’s anything else to do while the engine is apart.). If you drive it for another year, you’ll be able to save a years worth of new car payments, which will basically pay for the repairs. I think any additional miles you put in it in the next year will be cancelled out by having the timing chain replaced.
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
I mean I honestly couldn’t agree more with that the only factor is the unknown of if something else happens or needs to be replaced and again that’s normal but at what point is enough enough with dumping money into something that could potentially be a big down payment on some this reasonable
Graflex01867@reddit
Well, I’m assuming you’ve got brakes/tires/suspension covered, the timing chain and engine would be covered, the last major system you have is the transmission, and while Nisssan builds a CVT out of cotton candy, their regular transmissions are pretty good. I wouldn’t be expecting any major repairs in the next year or two.
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
Thank you all to for all the feedback as well I’m glad I asked the question to the void of Reddit.
Talentless_Cooking@reddit
What other schedule maintenance is due? Is it a cvt? They need a service around that milage.
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
Well besides that everything else has been done fresh oil change new tires breaks rotors
Talentless_Cooking@reddit
Did they tell you that you need the timing chain after the latest oil change? If not the cvt might be going prematurely.
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
Yes I just picked it up today and they said they hard the chain slapping the car shifts and drives fine but I’m no expert but I think it’s the start of something with the engine
Talentless_Cooking@reddit
I would get it done, but keep in mind that you need a transmission service soon.
revocer@reddit
Are you 100% certain it is the timing chain?
Timing chains rarely go out, and if they do usually not this early. Usually.
What symptoms are you getting that suggest timing chain?
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
You can hear ticking noise from the engine bay and check engine light has been coming on more frequently
Motor_Arugula_4282@reddit
Tires should have been like $1000, brakes like $1000 max and that’s really inflating what it actually costs. So that’s number one. If that Nissan has a CVT I would not sink a ton more money into. For the timing chain guides, etc to be dead at 75k is ridiculous.
JollyGreenGigantor@reddit
Exactly, this screams neglected maintenance. As long as those are getting fresh oil they should last a good while longer
Special-Original-215@reddit
Hold onto the car, lease a new pathfinder for $350 (it's the current special on leasehackr) and ask that question again in three years. Lol
mpgomatic@reddit
Is it an independent shop or a Nissan dealership? Get a second opinion on the cost.
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
Independent shop Nissan I’m sure would be outrageous
feelnhott@reddit
What makes you say the timing chain is going out?
Blue_tile56@reddit (OP)
You can hear it and it’s not all the time you can but I just picked it up from the shop and they believe that’s what it is