Educate me transmissions and Timing belts/chains

[Crosley.In.AZ]

It is not just the VW cars.... many / most of the cars now have timing belts on them and require regular replacement of them...  

Some of these cars are "interference" motors... this means when the cam belt breaks , the valves are hit by pistons.  Major engine damage as tomslik indicated.

I am not aware of which engines are interference and which are not any more... tomslik may have an idear on that perhaps.

My brother just had the belt on his Kia van with 3.5 V-6 engine replaced.  At my suggestion he had the water pump and coolant service also  at 64k miles.  Just under the 800.00 dollar figure for this work at a non - dealer shop