Does our Renault Clio really need a new cambelt?

The local Renault garage is recommending that we change the cam belt on our five-year-old Renault Clio at the next service, at a cost of £430. We have only done 15,000 miles. The car is used daily. Is this reasonable or, given the low mileage, can we defer this?
No. I have the same thing coming up at five years on my FIAT 500. It would normally have been at four years but, like yours, my use of the car is so low they stretched it to five years. It's actually not the mileage but the number of cold starts which dictates this, as cold starting is when a timing belt is under the most stress.
Answered by Honest John on

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