Timing chain replacement

[wst]

Well, my friend has a Corsa (yeah, I know, I've expressed my distaste of the thing to her many times. That said, I did drive it once and compared to mine it's tight as a drum) and she does 5k a year, and it's on about 60k. Anyway, she's complaining these days because apparently it 'needs the timing chain replaced' (according to her garage...).

Anyway, would I be totally right in thinking that she's definitely being ripped off massively here? Do timing chains even need replacing? I always thought they were designed to last the lifetime of the engine.

Hit me with some facts about timing chains! Should I just tell her to go to a different garage? Or is there a legitimate reason to replace the chain at such low mileage, instead of the tensioners or... car?

[wst]

cragswinter said:

Mine (corsa combo 1.3cdti van) snapped at around 80k.

Very well known about with this engine

Car in question is the 1.2 non-twinport engine, for reference. I've got the same engine to 133k on the original chain so far... its a curious... thing. Still eager for other views on this.

[wst]

ThrottleBod said:

What year is the car? It's the tensioner that becomes noisey on these engines. It will rattle all the time when the car is running, most just rattle a little bit on start up.
In my experience they all need replacing at some point. The chain and tensioner come as part of a kit with guides and gaskets etc. Quite a involved job aswell.

It's a 51 plate. My 02 is a bit loud at startup, but once I get moving it quietens down.

She says it has 'that normal Corsa rattle' which strikes me as "well if it's normal, what the hell are you doing replacing it?!"

Edit: I just realised, she's a teenage girl... driving a Corsa... what garage isn't going to try to pull a fast one on her? God. I guess this thread is pretty moot now, I've just realised. Whoops!

Edited by wst on Wednesday 15th February 20:17