Your mechanic is probably correct, time-wise. Hondas typically have
105K mile timing belt intervals. The 2001-04 1.7L Civics, however,
have 110K mile intervals. (According to the Gates Timing Guide. I must
add there are occasional errors with their new data source).

That said, you may be over by ~ 1 year, depending on when the car was
first put into service. I think it's 7-years/110K miles? So check your
manual.

While at it, change out the water pump, crank/cam oil seals, and all
belts too. Good time for a new thermostat, radiator cap, and at least
two radiator hoses (if not all cooling system hoses) since the
cooling system has to be drained. Get a "package price" in advance so
they don't nickel and dime you after its apart.

Also, according to the Gates guide, the engine is *interference*. So
engine damage can occur when the piston smashes into the valves.

See "interference engine":
http://www.gates.com/brochure.cfm?br...cation_id=3487




On Jan 17, 3:21*pm, poet <p...@nonono.net> wrote:
> * * * * My car has about 104k on it and after the last oil change(every 3k) my
> mechanic told me that I needed to have the timing belt/water pump
> changed. *I was also told that failure to do this could destroy the
> engine if the timing belt failed.
> Is he right?
>
> Also, how many miles for this maintence? *Some sites seem to say after
> 60k -- in which case I'm driving on borrowed time here, and others say 100k.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dylan