Timing belts are aged not just by miles on the car, but also
due to temperature variations, idling, dust, and severity of
driving. This question comes up a lot here. Plus the group
does get reports of failed timing belts. It is true that
there is a good risk of serious engine damage with a failed
timing belt. The reason is your Honda (and almost all
Hondas) use an interference engine, where the pistons can
smack and effectively destroy the engine valves if timing
goes out of whack due to a failed timing belt.

I feel by far the consensus is to change the belt per the
maintenance schedule and sleep well. No one can really say
what risk you're facing without testing that is more
expensive than the labor and materials for just changing the
belt.

For a V-6, $850 is not bad. You can shop around at private
import shops and see if you can do better.

My father-in-law (88 years old) is in a quandry re: whether to change
his timing belt on a 1999 Honda Accord V-6.  The car only has 53K
miles on it and has been serviced regularly, but the service manual
recommends a change at 7 years.  The car is driven on a regualr basis
but not too far and is kept in a heated garage.

When asked about the longevity of the belt basis on age rather than
mileage, the dealer kind of hem & hawed saying that there was about a
33% chance the belt would break if not changed now.

I wanted to survey this group for your recommendations based on your
experience.  Also, I have heard that when a belt breaks on a Honda
while being driven, engine damage is likely.  Is this true?  Finally,
the dealer has quoted $850 to change this belt.  Is this a fair price?

TIA - Tom