# Serpentine Belt Replacement

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serpentine-belt-replacement/545212>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 1, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serpentine-belt-replacement/545212 "2010-07-01T17:23:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serpentine-belt-replacement/545212/1 "2010-07-01T17:23:47Z")

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My serpentine belt had a couple of cracks, but it was okay. I just got done driving 24 hours in two days and figure I should probably replace it before it goes on its own. The repair shop quoted a few prices for quality of the belt. Is there really that much of a difference in belts to necessitate the price difference between 25 and 60 bucks?

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**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serpentine-belt-replacement/545212/2 "2010-07-01T17:31:33Z")

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There is a significant difference in quality. The price difference is smaller at the manufacturer level, but gets amplified at each step in the distribution chain.

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**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serpentine-belt-replacement/545212/3 "2010-07-01T17:48:15Z")

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Huh. Go fig. I’ll have to get this done then, and get the 60 dollar belt unless there’s something compelling me in another direction.

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serpentine-belt-replacement/545212/4 "2010-07-01T18:40:46Z")

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[QUOTE=Gary T]  
There is a significant difference in quality.  
[/QUOTE]

So what’s the good one? IME, the local parts place will have two or three options for belts - a no-name house-brand belt, plus Gates and/or Goodyear for the name-brand options.

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**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serpentine-belt-replacement/545212/5 "2010-07-01T18:44:47Z")

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IMHO Gates is the standard by which other belts are measured. In over 40 years of installing and using them I have never had and issue with a Gates belt.

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**Author:** ![zlexiss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecae2f/32.png) [@zlexiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zlexiss)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serpentine-belt-replacement/545212/6 "2010-07-02T23:34:20Z")

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Aside from durability, the other main difference a better belt has is that they may be designed to run more quietly.