best small car suggestions and why.., page-13

Hi there, as a retired motor mechanic I must agree with the timing chain vs belt argument, my last three cars have all had chains. It is my primary criteria in buying a car. They may get noisy after several hundred thousand kilometers but rarely let go. Over 100,000 in a belt car gets dicey, they can let go without warning. For instance, Subaru, although a good vehicle, require a belt job around 100,000K and it is expensive, not as expensive though as not doing it and having it break! I had a SAAB car with very high milage which dropped a chain and the cam has a position with no valves touching it and thats where it stopped. Not much damage done, phew.
My present cars are a Suzuki Swift, chain driven cam and a diesel Landcruiser, gear driven cam.