Quote:
Originally Posted by redpoint5
Today I learned that it has a timing belt rather than a chain, and that the engine is an interference engine, so allowing the belt to wear out is an expensive proposition. By comparison, most of Toyota's lineup uses a timing chain that lasts the life of the vehicle, and many of the engines are non-interference so they will not suffer catastrophic failure if the chain were to break. This is something implemented into the vehicle at a greater cost, with the goal to improve long-term reliability which in turn improves resale value.
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Fit has a timing chain too. Just sayin'.
But it sounds as though you're already stuck with the Vee Dub.
In general though I agree with your assessment. Japanese cars, Honda and Toyota in particular, are built to run almost indefinitely. Change the oil and keep driving. "Everyone has stories", true enough, but the fact is that Honda and Toyota revolutionized automobile reliability and maintenance frequency across the entire industry. Before them, head gaskets went at 45K miles and nobody blinked. Today cars run hundreds of thousands of miles and the engine is never even cracked open. Big difference. And it's all due to a guy named W. Edwards Deming.