If major repair bills could cause you financial harm, do yourself a favor and buy something else. Some folks are lucky and some just don't do the recommended maintenance but keeping these cars up can cost a small fortune. In the last 5 years I have spent $1700 in professional service (Timing chain, water pump, radiator...) and another $5000 in parts (including a $1,400 stainless exhaust). If you want everything done properly and on schedule it will cost a lot. Sure, you could get lucky but it could be a money pit as well. Estimate your resources and tolerance for risk before buying the car. I bought mine cheap and knew it needed some work but not to the extent it did. BTW, if I took it to a shop for installation of the parts, it would have cost another $10,000, easy. I still don't have the AC working nor the ACC working correctly.

If you buy a good one you could get lucky too. Good luck. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have bought a better example.

Regarding the timing chain, there is no specific interval. The 100-120,000 mile is for the guides. They get brittle and break. Timing chain wear is measured by stretch and there are offset keyways to compensate for around 8 degrees of stretch. After that it must be replaced.

MHO...

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Steve
1985 Mercedes 500SL Euro (Gray market)
1995 BMW 520i Euro (Gray market)
1992 BMW 525it Wagon
1994 Honda Del Sol Si