How much would you pay for a timing kit?

[burn_your_money]

Hey guys,

I'm thinking of putting together a high quality pump timing kit. It would have the cam lock, pump lock, tensioner tool and a high quality metric gauge.

I know Prothe sells his Chinese kit for $72 USD. I've used it and yes it works, but I much prefer my American built one.

Would you be willing to pay more for higher quality? Most likely it would end up in the $175-$200 range

Thoughts?

Thanks

[Possum79]

I paid 130$ plus shipping for a timing gauge from germanautoparts. Japanese gauge nice quality. I also picked up the pump lock for like 14$ so all in all I wouldnt mind paying like 150-175 for all of it. I do still need a cam lock and tensioner tool hint hint.

[maxfax]

The one thing I wasn;t able to tell for sure was whether the Prothe tool set dial indicator was in standard or metric.. For the person who doesn't plan on having alot of these cars, or not molest the one they have it woudl be an adequate set..  Then again who stops with one, and manages to let it alone?? 

I bought my gauge and locking tools from "The German Guy on Ebay", he didn;t have the tensioner tool so I ended up buying that elseware..   I feel the quality is good, maybe not the best, but definitely not cheap crap.. And the metric dial indicator just makes life alot easier..  I think it all came in at around $200 with shipping..   I am glad now that I had bought the better tools as I find that I use them (or lend them) more than I anticipated...   I tend to be cheap (or broke) most of the time, but if I were buying them again I think I still would squeak out a few extra bucks for better tools..  Not only does having the right tool for the job make it 10x easier, but having the right tool that actually works properly is friggen priceless...

Would you be able to package it all together with some sort of flat rate shipping??   Even if it were say one rate to the US, one rate for Canada, and another for over the pond..

[Turbinepowered]

Metric gauge and appropriate adapter to mate it to the pump, right?

I have a quality cam locking tool and pump locking pin, but the prothe SAE gauge that I'd really like to replace with a good metric one.

The tensioner tool I have works, too.

I'd probably be willing to drop $180 on a good kit, $200 shipped would be workable too.

[lord_verminaard]

I'd pay upwards of $50-$70 just for the gauge and pump adapter.  I bought the cam lock from GAP, which sells the metalnerd variety, it's a nice piece.  The pump lock I just made by filing down a piece of brass round stock.

The Gauge is the hard part to find.  Most of the cheap versions are SAE, which is workable but annoying.  I have not shopped around lately, but I got discouraged when I was looking to find a gauge.  I still dont have one. 

Brendan

[theman53]

I already have a set so unless it was real cheap I wouldn't want it now. At the time I would have spent around 120 for a good set with gauge. Make sure all the parts could be bought separately for a seperate part cost as well so others could enjoy. PM me and let me know if you need pricing on dial indicators for this kit as I sell just about everything for the metal working industry.

[Baron VonZeppelin]

The most recent guy who said he bought the Prothe timing kit, said the cam lock was too thick (first time i heard that, must be a new batch) - and the dial indicator still had a Harbor Freight warranty certificate. Those are about $20.

A really good high quality tool kit has a place. But probably limited buyers.
I'm not saying don't do it though.

I would recommend considering something more like "out-Prothe'ing the Prothe".

Make an inexpensive kit - but a little better all around. About $100 USD with a metric gauge would go over really good.

Include tensioner tool that has a handle grip - not a flat iron, metric gauge, detailed printed instructions for timing belt replacement start to finish (not just timing proceedure) with a web link picture tutorial (sort of like Vince's). And HARP LIKE HELL on all those factors, and alert buyers about your products advantages over most that are offered elsewhere. The first timers are the best market to target.

Then also offer a KNOWN Quality belt/tensioner/rubber VC gasket upgrade kit/ all in one package with a discount incentive. And maybe an alternate package with a cork gasket kit.

Provide even more incentive if both kits purchased in one deal.
(Timing Kit pkg & Timing Belt Repl. Parts pkg)

The thing about most all newbers, and majority of vets, they don't want to spend big (or at all). Especially newbers who bought fixer-uppers, or vets getting their first VW Diesel. But they need the tools and the parts almost everytime another car changes hands.

Tyler's Timing Tools Belts and Bits ..... dot com lol

^5

[Vincent Waldon]

The trick is to differentiate yourself from the cheaper alternatives... not too hard from a quality perspective if the value-add seems high enough.

Perhaps if you bundle the entire thing in one total quality package:

- good quality tools
- the best OEM timing belt money can buy
- OEM tensioner
- valve cover gasket
- complete clearly-written pictorial instructions 

You're selling complete peace-of-mind, as in "I've never done a timing belt and the guy just quoted me 500 bucks and I bet I could do this myself but there are too many variables and I don't know everything I might need and if only someone had the complete setup."

Not gonna sell it to guys who generally buy Harbour Freight tools most likely... but that's not what you're trying to do.. there are several places to go already for that so the market is well served.

[burn_your_money]

Thanks for all the input guys. It's greatly appreciated.

Do you guys actually use the tensioner tool? I hate it and much prefer to do it by hand. I know that it's much more needed on the later AAZs with the different tensioner and also the TDIs but I don't think I've ever used one on an IDI. I am talking about the 2 pin thing.

[lord_verminaard]

I don't.  I have a pair of snap-ring pliers (any vintage VW enthusiast should have one) that have interchangable heads, and one set of heads is a 90-degree bend version.  I just line them up with the tensioner holes, and use the handle of the tool for leverage when tightening it up.  I'm sure the tensioner tool is a little easier, but this works for me 100%.  I've probably done 10 gasser timing belts this way, and so far 1 diesel.    Before I discovered I could use the snap ring pliers, I was using a 90-degree pair of needle-nose pliers, which didn't work as well.

Brendan

[Turbinepowered]

Thanks for all the input guys. It's greatly appreciated.

Do you guys actually use the tensioner tool? I hate it and much prefer to do it by hand. I know that it's much more needed on the later AAZs with the different tensioner and also the TDIs but I don't think I've ever used one on an IDI. I am talking about the 2 pin thing.

I do. Gas and diesel, though the brand of the tensioner matters as to whether or not the pins are going to line up. FLAPS-special tensioners don't tend to work well with my tensioning tool... so I go with the OEMs. Just did an ABA not long ago, going to do my Quantum's this coming October before OSCR, And somewhere in between gotta replace the belt for the 1.5 going in the Dasher.