Well, they tried fitting the engines with timing chains and that was a failure due to the poor quality of the chains. Replacement of timing belt, tensioner and waterpump needn't be ridiculously expensive. FIAT dealers do it at a fixed price of £300 + VAT. No reason why other manufacturers of similar sized engines shouldn't. But you can avoid this chore completely with a Hyundai or a KIA, with all BMWs, with all Mercedes apart from 1.5DCis, with most Renaults and Nissans (apart from the 1.5DCi) and with Peugeot/Citroen's 1.2 Puretech engines.