Thanks guys.
Yeah having come home and thought about it, I came to the same conclusion - just treat it like changing a timing belt/tensioner.
Hm, I sort of get what he was saying regarding the parking on a hill theory. But it would only be if you had an automatic and didn't use the actual parking break, or if you had a manual, and held it on the engine *before* applying the handbrake, wouldn't it?
The way I always park on a hill is apply the handbrake first, then put the car in gear after. That way the weight of the vehicle is held on the handbrake with the engine only acting as a brake should the handbrake fail for some reason.
Wouldn't the torque forces while driving be far, far greater than the static weight of the car, though, or have I completely misunderstood the theory of what is being claimed?
I hear what you're saying re finding a younger vehicle, but it's far cheaper to do the chain/tensioner job as a 2012 vehicle was about £4K more when I looked recently.