Getting my T-belt replaced on Thursday...few questions

Called the Mitsu dealer today and got quoted $390 to have the t-belt replaced and was told it would take between 4-5 hours. I'm not having all the other "recommended" shit they tried convincing me to have done at the same time. These recommendations included:

-coolant flush (done in the spring)
-tranny flush (done 3 years ago, will do again soon but not now)
-plugs and wires (aftermarket wires and iridium plugs are 2 years old and in good shape)
-other belts like PS, alternator (done in the spring)

I did ask about what it would cost to have the valve cover gasket and head gasket replaced at the same time, and the service tech told me over the phone that they may not need to take the valve cover off or the head, so those gaskets may not be replaced unless I ask them to. Is this true? It was my understanding that the head needed to be taken off for this.

Is this a fair price for what I'm getting? Any other recommendations from the 420A guys on what else I should do? Remember...this is not a 4g63 t-belt job so keep that in mind.

no need to remove head or valve cover to replace those.

You should have all tensioners replaced and consider replacing water pump when you do the timing belt. I'd say it's a definite on the water pump if you are at 120k. You could get a new timing belt and if that freezes then you are screwed. Just something to think about.

Car is actually at 82k right now. I got it with about 55k and didn't think the T-belt had been replaced yet. The first year I got the car I had a one year warranty put on it, so I figured if the belt went to shit right away I was covered and never had it done for various reasons the last 2 years. Mainly the huge cost was limiting me since I'm paying for school out of pocket. I now have a little extra to spare since I got a decent job this summer and have been working my ass off.

Water pump sounds like a good idea, the guy didn't mention that at all.

then you can probably wait on pump... It's your choice. I actually bought a pump and when changing my timing belt as my car is at 73k I decided to skip it and wait till 120k.

What he said...

Timing belt, tensioner, both pulleys, and water and oil pump.

When I did the head, all I replaced was the timing belt. The pulleys were in great shape same with the tensioner. IDK if mine were ever replaced. The timing belt was newer, but the previous owner didn't know if the whole job was ever done. It's good to get them replaced and I do recommend that. As long as everything is right there anyways, may as well do it. May end up costing cheaper in the long run.

In my opinion, all that would be nice to do, but not entirely necessary. As long as its going down you might as well do it right, but I think at 80k a lot of that is overkill. I would get a new water pump as those are next to no work and dont cost much anyway, but I think a oil pump now is largely unneeded. I would look over the pulleys and be prepared to get new ones, but the ones out of my buddy's 105k talon looked freakin great when we pulled them. I would almost have them do the head gasket for you if I was you, it may not be needed but man would it ever be the ultimate ghey if you just dropped $400 on a new timing belt and various other shit and then had to have it all taken back off again a few months down the road.

I agree, you should change the water pump and the pulleys and the balance tensioner, while you're at it, it won't cost you that much more and you won't have to worry, that the water pump will go out. I just had the T belt changed at 150,000, I don't think it was changed ever changed before I bought it, and it feel alot better.

Damn 150k is alot on a timing belt. His car doesn't have a balance shaft belt

I'm in a similiar position right now. I got my 99 GS-T at 79,000 and it's at 89,000 right now. I'm not sure if the timing belt was ever replaced, so I might as well have it replaced. What's a fair price for the timing belt and the water pump for the 4g63?

Well the job got done today. I had the tensioners and pulleys replaced, at large expense. The water pump was a different story. Apparently mine is leaking a bit, but they didn't have one in stock and wouldn't have one until Monday. They were willing to order it and put it in Monday, but charge me an obscene amount of labor to go back in and do it. So I said fuck it. I don't even care, I've never had a problem with it whatsoever and if it freezes up or something then so be it.

Total bill came to about $728 after all was said and done. I asked for all the old parts back (just to verify they actually got replaced), and all they gave me was a belt that looked almost new that was supposedly my belt, and the pulley and tensioner that were a bit worn but still in decent and working shape. They also told me that my thermostat was corroded and needed to be replaced, even though it was working just fine...I asked for the part back but forgot to double check the box for that part before I left and realized it was nowhere to be found when I got home and inspected. I hate dealerships, never know what your getting...

Anyway I'll throw pics up of the belt and pulleys tomorrow and see what you guys think. For having 82k on it, the belt barely looks worn. They also forgot to hook up a vacuum line that I conveniently did when I got home and realized there was a swirling sound coming from near the cruise control box. I swear, if they can't even remember to hook up all the vacuum lines why the fuck am I paying them $88/hour to replace shit like a timing belt...I just feel like such a n00b when having shit done at the dealer, they always treat you like a fucking nobody that dosn't know anything about cars and they can just bend you over at will by saying "oh while we were in there, we noticed (insert part here) looks worn, you need to replace it before it breaks"...like wtf, if it's not broke then stfu and do the job I asked you to do.

You should have just done it yourself, I can have the car apart down to the T-belt in 2 hours. Its really not that hard.

I don't really have ANY tools to work with, and I can't afford to screw it up and have a car that won't run. I work 6 days a week and need reliable transportation. Just didn't feel it was a good risk knowing my abilities.

Shoulda drove up here... could have done it all here. Got all the tools here.

But at least it was taken care of. Dealers suck.