Hi,
I’ve got a 2000 X-plate Honda Logo with 46000 miles previously driven by a granny. It hasn’t had a new belt as the miles aren’t that high - but it is a 7 year old car.
Service manual says 72000 or 8 years for timing belt. Garage will say replace (they want the money though right?).
I’m pushing it up and down the motorway to work for 50 miles everyday now since I got it in April - is it gonna go bang?
Thanks, hope you lot can help,
from a girl who thought a piston was a gun 
Time and mileage are the factors determining when to replace one. You’re no where near in mileage…but you’re close in years. You could probably wait till next year. But don’t push it.
I would agree with Mike from NH. Timing belts never break when it’s convenient. I view it as insurance against getting stuck. Old belts do deteriorate, so the suggestion to change it sounds very wise.
I had the timing belt on my 8-year-old Accord replaced even though the mileage was less than 60K. If the belt breaks the damage can be catastrophic. Err on the side of caution.
Yes, it will go “bang” at some point, but the problem is predicting when that will happen. Since it is impossible to predict that occurrence, you should replace it according to the mileage/elapsed time schedule provided by the manufacturer. In your case, it should be replaced within the next few months–to one year.
And, I hope you realize that your garage would wind up with much more money if that timing belt snapped, since a broken timing belt would result in extensive internal damage to the engine (valves & pistons).
In the US, there is an old saying: “You can pay me now, or you can pay me later”. In this case, the “later” scenario would undoubtedly be much more expensive.
Certainley better safe than sorry! Although, even the manufacturers recommendations are going to be conservative. It makes me wonder about the millions of cars on the road and how many have never had timing belts replaced. Of these cars, I wonder what kind of average belts will last. I’d bet 200k mi isn’t unreal. The only data would be from surveying mechanics really. But, going over the manufacturers recommendations your just playing w/ fire.
I think I’d change it now and document the work done, then drive it for 72,000 miles/8 years of worry free driving. You’re gonna have to do it anyway, so why worry about it . . do it and move on.