Hi sifus,

My car Iswara LMST recently reached its timing belt replacement interval, it is the first belts replacement since the car bought therefore the belts are running stock. There's so much brand in the market including Bosch, Gates, etc which is relatively, cheaper and competitive with Proton's timing kit. However, I ended up opting for Proton's Kit.

So being cautious on fakes and original issue, I went Proton Parts Centre in Shah Alam to get my timing belt kit. Now the suspicious thing is the price ended up on RM290.53 for the timing kits itself! Water pump on another hand cost RM180!

From what I had read and sourced, Proton timing kits are around RM70-RM90+, while water pump surely less than RM100 for GMB brand water pump (Made in Japan). I understand that the original Mitsubishi water pump had been obsolete.

So now compared what I bought here:


And what is on market normally:


From 1) https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2766292/all
Compared with Proton timing belt kit, the timing belt is labelled "Proton", "Made in Singapore" and "PC112318" part number. The made in Singapore wording coincides with all my engine bay belts origin, made in Singapore, however labelled Mitsubishi, not Proton. Another thing to note here is the parts number are entirely different from what I had on my hand.

From 2) and 3) (same product) http://www.zerotohundred.com/newforums/eng...-1-3-1-5-a.html
Weird thing is all my part numbers from Proton coincides with the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation's timing kit. And from what I observed from my timing kit, the Proton Parts number sticker is just pasted on top of the Mitsubishi stickers, thats for my timing belt and oil seals. The tensioner bearing however, is somehow made in Malaysia, with absence of Mitsubishi stickers.

From Proton service centre's quotation, which matches my buying price:
http://www.proton-edar.com.my/pdf/icare/is....3_1.5_auto.pdf

However, the worst thing is the pricing from both link 2 and 3 are less than RM100!

Question:
1) Had I just bought an overpriced belt from Proton Parts Centre?
2) My mech had warned me before on Mitsubishi kits as there's too many fakes out there. He reckon me to get Gates from my previous service with him. So should I suspect the price of link 2 and link 3 to be non-genuine Mitsu kit?
3) Proton timing kit on link 1 is confirmed original, I had saw it before in one of the Proton stockist. Now what's the difference between Proton and Mitsu timing kit? Besides made in Singapore and made in Japan?
4) Water pump RM180 quoted by Proton Parts Centre, sticker PC141106N labelled made in Thailand. From a search on product code it may include the belt as well, but pump made in Tomyam land? However, Japan GMB brand less than RM100? Difficult to justify which is good now...

Sifu's please enlighten.

Thanks!

This post has been edited by cyanboy: Jun 15 2013, 04:47 PM

aih got iswara thread ady still put on main forum.

you have to ask what kinda water pump they are selling for 180.
FYI GMB now is no longer made in japan, come from thailand but it should be still good for a stock system car.

ok for your timing belt kit, i think i kinda know why it is so expensive already. it looks like it includes all the aux/fan belts? and i see cam/crankshaft oil seal in addition to the timing belt kit. those 2 are rm25/each so rm50 already.
and maybe because it is mmc made in japan (proton repack) hence more expensive.

the rm90 one isnt made in japan for sure (the first thread you posted, and the one i got as well)

for item 3 though, the packaging reads "oil filter"
however the packaging doesnt seem like something that'll fit an oil filter so....
2nd item seems legit though

now direct answer to your questions:
1) seems like a yes and no situation. technically, original proton parts center shouldn't chop you, however maybe there are alternatives (which are still genuine proton parts) that are sourced from cheaper place (eg: singapore) and some part stockist would rather stock that. between japan and singapore i think people *generally* would put their faith in Japan made items so... maybe it's worth it, who knows.

2) your mech has a valid concern, but naw, your choice on sticking with ori proton ain't a bad one either. but since bought already, item 2/3 fake or not no longer concerns you la. 3 seems fake considering my comment above.

3) umm i think that is the only difference bro, 1 made in singapore 1 made in japan. they are the same item doing the same function. however quality wise, really hard to say. it's not that mitsubishi timing belts are indestructible either, and its not like singapore made is bad else after markets like bosch/gates (iinm typically made in singapore as well, at least for bosch) would be out of business

4) well, gmb is made in thailand too, no longer japan. so... both thailand, personally id rather get direct gmb which is rm130 less (around 50-55)

MMC belt for 4G15 only RM100 for 100K.

Other belts should be RM10 to RM15 per piece, not original ones.