Buying a used car needing a timimg belt - Maintenance/Repairs

I was told the car I am planning to purchase would only need a timing belt, the problem is the car isn’t running and I am not sure if that’s normal. I would also like to know whether or not the car might need anything else w/out relying on the sellers word. How can I tell what the cars needs are w/out losing money?

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Don’t buy any car that is not running as it may not even move (transmission) once it gets running. A broken timing belt could mean thousands of dollars to fix if an interference motor or simply $200 timing belt replacement if non-interference.

The only way of telling the car’s needs are fixing the timing belt and get it running. You really cannot tell much if anything if the engine does not run since you cannot assess the transmission or many other factors on the vehicle.

Given your name is CarClueless I would run… but post back with real key information in your post where we could really help like Make/Model/Year of vehicle. I would also include price to give us an idea if even worth pursuing.

in simple terms:

1. the cars timing belt broke.

2. the guy had it replaced.

3. the engine has an “interference” type engine, which when the belt breaks, the parts inside the engine clatter and jam each other up.

4. he was hoping that a timing belt replacement was all that is needed. (but it obviously wasn’t ALL)

5. now that the car wont run even with the ‘new’ timing belt he is trying to ‘unload’ it onto someeone else.

   The company is the world’s best Automotive Timing Belts supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

6. this is where you come in; either you pay him a bunch of $$ for a car that doesn’t work, or…
   you RUN AWAY and save your money for a good car.

persoanlly if i were you, stop looking at audi. they are way too expensive to maintain, and upkeep will kill you. if you want to buy a new one, at least that way you’d get a couple years before repairs, but not a used one, which need ??? repairs at first.

i know, from your posts and questions you really want this car, but at what cost? its going to bankrupt you.

It means there’s a very good chance that when the timnig belt broke it destroyed the engine in the process. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR.

In a situation like this you have to ask…WHY didn’t the owner get the engine fixed before he sold it?? Is he trying to hide something? Sounds like he is to me.

Buying a Second car because of higher gas prices makes no sense what-so-ever. It’ll take you 20 years to recover the cost of buying a car for that reason. And second…I don’t think the Audi Turbo is going to get much better gas mileage then the Accord.

The ONLY way buying a second car makes sense is IF the car you’re buying gets about 20+ BETTER gas mileage then the car you own AND you’ll be driving it about 30k miles/yr AND you paid LESS then 10k for it…AND you have no repairs (beyond normal maintenance) for this vehicle for the next 3-4 years.

No non-running cars unless you can make a profit on the body. Have the owner get the timing belt fixed and tell him that you will pay for the installation only if you then decide that the car is worth buying. I bet THAT will kill the deal. If it does, you just saved yourself a great big problem. You can have a good idea what the car needs if you DRIVE it to a mechanic. A non-running car needs no repairs. You aren’t serious about buying an old Audi with a broken timing belt, or are you out of your mind?

Knowing how their engine works can help Holland drivers make informed decisions about auto care and prevent repairs to their vehicles. This is especially true when it comes to timing belts.

An engine's power is generated in the cylinders. Inside the cylinder is a piston that moves up and down while the engine is running. Power is generated in a cycle that includes four strokes of the piston. First, the piston drops and a valve at the top of the cylinder opens to let in fuel and air. The piston then rises, which compresses the fuel and air. At this point, the spark plug fires, igniting the fuel and pushing the piston down. This downstroke transfers energy to the engine, which provides the power it needs to run. The piston rises again, and a valve opens to release the exhaust.

All of this movement is orchestrated by a timing belt. The timing belt is so named because it keeps the pistons and valves operating in synch with each other, just as a conductor keeps all of the instruments in an orchestra in time with one another. Thus, the timing belt is critical to the proper operation of your engine.

Not all vehicles in the Holland area have timing belts. Some have timing chains. A timing chain is more durable and rarely breaks, but timing belts are cheaper, so many use them to save money.

Timing belts wear out and break, so part of preventive maintenance for Holland drivers is to replace the timing belt on schedule.

The results of failure of a timing belt depend on the type of engine in your vehicle, but they are always inconvenient and can be very costly for Holland auto owners. If your engine is a non-interference engine and the timing belt breaks, the engine simply stops running. Now that can be an incredibly inconvenient situation depending on where you are driving around Holland when it breaks, but it won't cause any engine damage. On the other hand, if your vehicle has an interference engine and the timing belt breaks, the valves on your cylinders will actually fall into the path of the pistons. Then things start getting chewed up by the motion of the engine and it will cost thousands of dollars to get everything sorted out again. Compounding the problem is that there aren't any warning signs before a timing belt breaks. A visual inspection of the belt is difficult also. In some vehicles, parts of the belt may be visible, but most vehicles hide the belt under a cover.

The timing belt doesn't even have to break to cause major engine damage. If it slips, even one notch, the result could be engine damage with repair costs in the thousands of dollars.

Our only car care option is to simply replace the timing belt periodically. You can check your owner's manual to find out how often your timing belt should be replaced. Many vehicles need a replacement at 60,000 miles (100,000 kilometers), but the recommended replacement mileage could be as high as 90,000 or 100,000 miles (145,000 to 160,000 kilometers). If your owner's manual recommends replacement at 60,000 miles (100,000 kilometers), however, don't wait until 65,000 miles (105,000 kilometers) to get it done. Remember what you're risking.

Replacing a timing belt is not a cheap part of preventive maintenance for Holland vehicle owners. The belt is usually difficult to get to and often requires removal of some of the engine accessories. The cost of the replacement, however, is a lot less than what the repairs may cost if the timing belt fails.

For more auto advice on timing belts and other engine components, you can always consult with your service advisor at Tuffy Holland. When it comes to car care, ignorance is not bliss. It can end up costing you in a big way.

Tuffy Holland
90 Waverly Rd.
Holland, Michigan
616.394.
https://www.tuffyholland.com/

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Audi Timing Belt Replacement. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.