Mitsubishi Repair: 1995 eclipse, mitsubishi eclipse, looking for a new car

Question
hi, i am looking for a new car, and i found a great deal for a  1995 mitsubishi eclipse, it really looks great, the only thing wrong with it is it needs a new timing belt, and needs to be timed? first, I'm not 100 sure what that means, and i really want to know how much a repair like that costs...?
thank you very much!!!

Answer
Cisco: I would stay away from this car. Though it looks nice from the outside. Chances are when this timing belt went it took the valves. So though whoever is selling it, is telling you all you have to do it change the timing belt and time the car. Unless the person got the car shut off when the belt broke, I would say the valves are bent and then you are talking an engine overhaul. The fact that you are not sure what it means to replace the timing belt says a lot. And if this person selling the car knows this, they could be selling you a very large headache. To replace the timing belt, you have to take off the drive belt, the pulleys that hold those belts on, take off the water pump, remove on motor mount, then you have to remove everything in behind the water pump, to get to the timing belt, then get a new belt(the belt is will be the easiest thing to this work), then set the new belt up to the timing marks and some times if the car is old enough those marks are hard to see so it takes a few times to get all that put on right. Then put the car back together. But if once you do all this, put on the new timing belt but the valves are bend. Then you will have to get the engine overhauled and that will cost you anywhere from $1500.00 to $2000.00 as to what damage was done when the belt broke. And that all has to do with engine speed and how soon the person shut the car off. Some people will try to start the car right after this happen and that really mess up things. I know the car looks cool and all.. but I would walk away from it. Because it really could be a mess in the engine when this belt broke. Sorry, I wish I could help you more but that is how things go. Linda