Was at the dealer the other day and the service guy Strongly recommended that I do a timing belt change. Car is a 2004 but only has 68k. So I'm under on miles but over on years. I believe recommendation is 6yrs or 90k. What do you guys think? Change it now or wait for the miles? Has this been a weak spot with the car? Am I flirting with a nightmare by waiting?

 

I recently picked up an 02 with 24,000 miles. Way over on years. The belt hadn't been changed, so I had it and other stuff replaced. The mechanic said that the old timing belt was in the best shape of any timing belt he's ever changed. I saw it and it looked in great shape- no cracks and very flexible.

Still, I'm glad I did it. Not something to worry about for about 100k miles.

 

The belts tend to come out very good even going over in terms of miles and years on a properly maintained motor. One is at risk so being conservative and maintaining to manufacturer recommended service is my suggestion. So yes, change it and you won't need to worry about it.

 

I recently changed my 2002 belt at 77,000 miles. I kept the old belt. It looks perfect. I'd bet it could have gone another 10 years.
$340 labor at my Lexus dealer + parts (serpentine belt, timing belt, and antifreeze).
I also got an oil and filter change.
$600= Peace of mind, I guess.
Maybe humid LA weather helps.

 

OEM timing belts in our cars are extremely rugged. Even neglected cars have shown timing belts with little or no wear when replaced. More than likely you have plenty of life left. It's entirely up to you for your piece of mind. If it were me, I'd let it go for another 30,000 miles.