Hyundai Sante Fe Timing Belt gone - new engine!

Hi,
I have a 2008 diesel 4WD automatic Hyundai Sante Fe with 174K KM. I bought it with 98k KM on it in July 2011. I have had it regularly serviced since I have owned it, not in the main Hyundai garage but in a local garage, fairly big establishment does tyres and servicing.
Last week the timing belt went and it was towed to the Hyundai garage, they have phoned to say it needs a new engine which will be 3.5 4K for a reconditioned engine! I'm not even sure if that includes their labour! I feel sick!
Should the garage who have been servicing it not have advised that the timing belt needed to be replaced?? it was last serviced 2 months ago!! Is it even worth calling that garage???

Thanks for advise

Id say the big question here is whether the timing belt has ever been changed on the jeep. It should have been changed around the time you bought it at 100K KM. If it wasn't done then, its not surprising it broke at 174K KM.

If it was done at 100K KM, then it wouldn't be due again until 200KM so no service garage would consider it due for a new belt yet.

Is it possible that the first owner sold it just before the timing belt was due
and you bought it assuming that the belt had already been changed. In reality it was probably never done.

What does the manual say re service intervals and timing belt checks?

That might depend if you told them what to do, or you paid for a service which is advertised as checking things like the timing belt, or if its advertised as just being for specific things.

Sorry to hear about your trouble and I know where you are coming from but you must ask the garage to do the work, I'd feel sick if it were me as well, previous poster makes the point was the timing belt a check item on your list of servicing items to be done at any point, in reality you are on to nothing however I would argue and price the work with them. they may make a concession but will be cheaper than main dealer.

As a reminder to all buyers of 2nd hand cars...get the timing belt done as soon as you get the car unless you absolutely trust the last owner / service book that says it was done.

The ultimate responsibility obviously resides with the owner, however you would expect a good garage to flag an overdue Timing belt. If the car has been regularly serviced this should have been noticed. I wouldn't have much faith in the quality of the garage. But you probably have little to no recourse, bar shaming them into doing a good price on the work.

After that find a new garage.