What is the ethical thing to do?

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

Timing belts seem to generate very high replacement costs.

It's a big job. Engines are crammed in so tightly into the engine compartments, you have to remove the wheel, and wheel well to get to the side of the engine. Sometimes drop the engine down or lift it up to gain the clearances you need, and then take off the valve cover and timing belt cover. Once you take those off, you need to replace the various gaskets and may as well replace the spark plug tubes. May as well replace the spark plugs if you are taking those out. Replace the timing belt and various tension springs and pulleys. And the timing is critical so you have to line up the teeth properly and really be meticulous. And the water pump is attached to the belt, so when you replace the belt you have already done 95% of the water pump job, so you might as well replace the water pump and flush the coolant and replace that. As long as you do that, check the thermostat and maybe replace it. Before you know it, you're at a couple grand.