You can't trust them!!

Ouch not good!!!!

How do you know what they replaced? 60,000kms & you're bagging the dealer!

Axle, I think there may be a whole lot more to the story.
How do you or your mate know the original belt wasn't replaced until 230,000kms?
It could have been replaced on time, and the dealer replaced it again prior to sale as a protective measure.

I find that idler pulleys are a major failure point - and there's often a big difference between idler pulleys (in design, and quality), from OEM to aftermarket.
I've just replaced an A/C idler pulley on a mates 5 tonne Hino truck that he just bought. The original had seized and the previous owner had just kept driving until the (plastic) pulley melted into a blob. He then just discarded the belt and drove without A/C (typical truckie!).
I went to Japanese Truck & Bus Spares and got them to fish out their aftermarket idler pulley.
Now, this pulley LOOKED good - it was steel - not plastic - but the bearing was only HALF the size of the original!
In addition, JT&BS wanted $67.00 for this pulley! I told them to shove it, and went and bought an idler pulley from the local bearing crowd, which was identical to the original, and which only cost $35.00. At least I know the bearing in the replacement is still the correct original size.

In addition, I NEVER go more than 100,000 kms without replacing timing belts - AND idler pulleys - REGARDLESS of the manufacturers recommendations.
Operating conditions vary considerably, and belt age is a more important factor than kms.

If buying aftermarket, it pays to buy quality, such as Gates kits - where everything is supplied, and the quality is identical to OEM.

More importantly, at this stage - what is the dealer planning to do about the engine destruction? Is he coming to the party? Or is it just a case of "bad luck!".

If the dealer has installed just a belt without replacing the idler pulley, then that is just plain poor workmanship, and cause for the dealer to at least come up with half the engine repair cost.
It's rare for a dealer to not replace everything they touch, because it means more money for them - so I can't understand why he wouldn't have replaced the idler pulley - unless it was at the insistence of the vehicle owner.

Cheers, Ron.

Axle

You mate bought a vehicle that was close to almost 10 years old that had 230,000km's on the clock and 18 months later there is a problem.
The vehcile was clearly out of warranty, a lot of history of ill defined use, no detail as to what maintenance or use you're mate did over the 18 mths, and now its the dealers fault!

Warranty on secondhand vehicles is different from new vehicles even if bought from a dealer.

Alan