I have a 99 Accord, the timing belt is at the point where I need to replace it, any good ideas on the way to do it and/or is there a way to find a good local machanic that is trustworthy, I don't want to go to dealership or anyone that will try to rip me off or do a poor job!
Go to FAQ of this forum to see if you can find a mechanic near yourself. About the job, if you have not done it, have a mechanic do it for you.
If you are looking to do it yourself, I recommend watching various videos on YouTube, including some of Scotty’s.
The specific one that helped me out was by FixItAngel on YouTube. It’s for your generation Accord, 4 cylinder. But I watched a ton of others, and googled for diagrams and stuff that really helped.
While I was able to do it myself with very little mechanic experience, it left my car out of commission for a few weeks. I was hunting down tools, nuts, bolts, cheater bats, pipes. It didn’t go as smoothly for me. I had a thought time getting some bolts loose, the cramped working space, lining things up properly and get the timing right. I would gladly pay an independent knowledgeable mechanic to do the job (not the dealer.)
I did track down some mechanics for price comparison, and they ranged from $700-$1000. I found shops that specialized in Honda and/or Japanese cars.
Since I had the time, and I didn’t need the car daily, I took the chance on doing it myself. But it is totally worth it to get it done by a professional independent.
Also, I recommend doing the water pump while you are at it. It actually comes as part of a timing belt kit.