Thanks. Here is what mine says:
Total Printed media: 513.55 sq. mtr. / 5527.8 sq. ft.
Belt usage (# of cycles): 210060
I've been printing with mine for almost 4 years. Belt has been flaking for maybe 1 yr., noticed some threads hanging off, but I've just dealt with it. Snipped 'em off. Haven't had much ruined by it.
But, if the HP manual says it should last 6 million cycles or 5 yrs without servicing, well, it should. To use the Canon or timing belt analogies again: If Canon put out a camera and said the shutter should last 90k actuations and it only lasted 60k, there would be a recall. If Lexus put out a car and said the timing belt was good for 5 years or 100k miles, but they were failing after 3 years, 50k miles, there would be a recall (and/or a huge lawsuit).
Would like it if someone from HP could chime in and let us know why the belts apparently aren't making it to 6 million cycles or 5 years, although it appears mine may actually make it to 5. Clearly a lot of others aren't.
Hope some others put up those Printer Usage numbers. Maybe a pattern begins to emerge. Maybe even a pattern around date of manufacture, etc. Maybe there is a batch of particularly crappy belts.
EDIT: You sure the manual says 6 MILLION cycles and not maybe 600,000?