Timing belt. Good Indy in CT??

Hi All,

I am the proud new owner of an '03 Access Cab with a little over 100k on it. I am looking for a good trustworthy independent mechanic in the central CT or northwest CT area if anyone has any recommendations.

I was informed by the previous owner that the timing belt is original and has not been touched. Considering the age and mileage, this is a high priority for me.

I have been having a hard time finding a reputable shop to do the work. So far I have only received two call backs out of six inquiries over the last week. I did not even hear back from the dealers I had contacted.

Upon hearing back from two of the mechanics, I made an appt for today and dropped it off at one of them. I then received a call a few hours later that the price on the job increased by over $360 and the completion time was extended by at least a day, possibly two.

I told them not to touch the truck and picked it up. I am pretty frustrated about this whole thing, and it seems like nobody wants to do the job. I could obviously go with the other mechanic that got back to me, but now I feel as though I might be better off trying to get a third estimate or trying to find someone who actually wants to do the job.

Any help or advice is appreciated, and sorry for the long first post!

 

Yeah. I got prices of $3500-4500 for Timing Belt, Alternator, Cam/Crank Seals, New Rad Hoses, New Rad, New Tensioner Pulley, and some other small stuff.

$3500 was from a reputable Toy Specialist.

$4500 was Stealer.

I did it DIY in 3 days for $1600 in parts. Both shops wanted it for 2 days.

 

So glad you asked!

Not sure how far you are from Thomaston but there is an awesome shop called P n C repair there. They have been working on my trucks for the last 5-6 years and I have only good things to say about them. Let me give you a few examples

4-5 years ago my 4wd stopped working on my f150. Shaun quoted me $650 for the vacuum actuators (I believe). They fixed the truck and when I went to pick it up they said it was only 325. Apparently the actuators came in a two pack and he had ordered 2, so four total. I NEVER would have known this. They are straight up honest about everything, they do a great job, and they are a family run business.

Just recently my 6x10 enclosed trailer lights stopped working. Took it to a friend and he couldn’t figure it out. Took it to PnC and they figured out it was a screw driving through the plywood into a concealed wiring harness so it kept blowing a fuse. I still have to take all of the shelves and panels off to get it fixed but he never charged me for the diagnostic.

This is obviously just my experience but I would highly recommend them if it’s not too far of a drive for ya. Best of luck with the new Tundra!