Okay, this particular post has nothing to do with who considers the "right" way to replace the timing belt.

It concerns the original post referring to a timing belt change costing $700.

I just discovered that replacing the timing chain cover seal on my 2.5l V6 will cost $800!  Somewhere in the vicinity of the 1.6 timing belt change quote, right?

Maybe it wasn't a Bass Boat payment  but rather the inability (?) to use the job estimator software.... 

I did one for the first time last year, The Kick fix instructions from the link above make it simple and has a step by step procedure should you lose the timing for any reason.... It took me about 4 hours start to finish but I had to add another hour to that for the trip to town and back for a new water pump gasket and some good sealer for the water pump after I pinched the cheap-o gasket that came with the water pump kit and had it leak.

I really don't think its that far out of line. if you have ever ran a shop or most any business it makes sense. the shop has to bring in a certain amount of money to keep the lights on. they don't care if its a 89 tracker 0r a 2011 powerstroke. there providing a service that a custom cant do, wont do, or might not have time to do. I am somewhat mechanically inclined but still have taken my rig to a shop for things I just don't want to.
same thought with motor swaps. a guy might be able to do a hi-zoot motor swap in his garage for 3k and a pro will want 15k.some people will balk at the thought and others will head to the bank.

but with patients and a manual a timing belt job is very doable. you have lots of good help here.

you have lots of good help here.

Very true.  It also helps if you have a friend who is a mechanic that does all your work relatively less expensive.  He also lets me buy the parts so he won't have to mark them up.

Final post on this topic for me:

I had the timing chain cover gasket replaced on my 2.5L V-6 Tracker 4-door by one of our local Zukers who also has his own shop.

He showed me the estmator page for the 2.5L V-6 job.   

It said 9 hours to tear down and rebuild the front of the engine block as part of the gasket replacement process.

If you have ever seen the front of the 2.5 V-6, you will instantly realize that getting at the timing cover is FAR more difficult than the same process on a 1.3 OR a 1.6 engine!

Thus, I believe that someone was either looking for a Bass Boat payment or was not plugging the right information into the estimator application. 

Or maybe both!