We all know that some vehicle owners don't adhere to preventative maintenance schedules for their vehicles. So when a customer's vehicle is in for a major problem or service, take advantage of in-depth system inspections. It may be one of the few times that you get to check the vehicle for severely worn parts.

Although it's tough to quantify, customer buying habits are affecting the way we do business in our service bays. To be more specific, some vehicles have become more reliable and demand much less maintenance than their earlier counterparts. The combination of these two factors can result in a decline in car count and/or a decline in revenue, especially in shops that are heavily dependent upon preventive maintenance repair work to keep their coffers full.

This month, we're going to look at timing belt replacement on a 1995 Honda Odyssey that had been driven almost 80,000 miles without any scheduled maintenance performed other than oil changes. Although a timing belt replacement isn't normally scheduled until the 90,000-mile service interval, much of the currently neglected maintenance revolved around removing components normally associated with a timing belt replacement.

To adjust the valves, for example, the camshaft cover and spark plug wires must be removed. Access to the fuel filter (see Photo 1) is slightly improved by removing the timing belt covers, so replacement is highly recommended during a tim...