While it's hard to tell looking at the cd manual, the tensioner rod appears to be the same type of hydraulic tensioner that's used on my other vehicle. In my opinion, this would be the most likely of the related timing belt components that could fail and cause the results you've experienced. Regardless of whether it failed or not though, if you're having the timing belt service done at this time, $75 for a new tensioner would be relatively cheap piece of mind for such an important component.

Do all of the other pulleys the timing belt rides on seem intact? These would include the pulleys on the crankshaft, the camshafts, the water pump, the idler pulley, and the tensioner pulley. I doubt there would be a problem with the camshaft pulleys, but they should have no lateral or radial play. Same for the camshaft pulley. Regardless of how the water pump/pulley feels, I'd still say replace it anyway.

As far as the idler and tensioner pulleys go, if they turn easy, and no lateral or radial play can be felt, you could probably leave them as is, and is probably what Merlin meant when he said he thought you would be in good shape just replacing the rod/tensioner. (For what it's worth, when I did the timing belt job on my other vehicle, I replaced the water pump, the idler pulley, and the tensioner pulley as a just-in-case precaution, especially since I had it all apart anyway. That's just me though).

If the $55 is for a factory belt, I doubt you'll find a better price. And for an item like that, I'd personally stick with a well-known brand like Goodyear or Gates too.

IndianaVX --- More info on the interferance/non interferance issue, PLEASE, thank you !!!! (mechanic did say the other day, that they had read in a bullitin, or something saying " the engine may, or may not be an interferance engine."
Don't know about that at the moment, but...damn, you'd think that a factory(?) bulletin would be a bit more specific regarding such an important issue.