60 K Checkup

[partygirl]

My apologies for owning a 2001 4Runner, but my friend has a Lexus and insisted you guys know what's what...anyway, I'm leaving for a 900 mile trip across country in a week, and my 4Runner is at 60K...the dealer wants to do about $400 worth of "preventive maintenance" (replace tranny fluid, clean and adjust brakes, replace coolant, inspect fuel lines, spark plugs). However, I have a local mechanic who can do it for cheap. Do you agree with this? Do you think anything else needs to be done? My question is the timing belt...should I have it changed or not? The vehicle is running just fine.

[92Lex]

How many miles are on the timing belt?

[bartkat]

my 4Runner is at 60K.

[sgriffith]

If you have anyone other than the Toyota dealer do the work, I would recommend that you purchase all of the parts from your local Toyota store so you know that original Toyota parts are going back into your vehicle. That is the only way I will let an independent mechanic work on my RX. On the RX, the timing belt isn't due until 90K, but I am a "better safe than sorry" type person and usually replace belts early. If you can afford it, I would do it. I just don't want to be driving down the road when it finally decides to give in and have to deal with it then.

[92Lex]

Why would she want to replace the timing belt if it has only 60k on it?

I think you should be just fine partygirl.