Everything has a limited life
Every vehicle component has a life; nothing is designed to last forever. Some parts are regularly replaced as part of a maintenance service schedule, based on time or distance travelled (set by the vehicle manufacturer).
Some parts and features are subject only to a visual inspection or specialised equipment test, and if they look worn or fail the test, a replacement is required.
Service items
Oil, air, pollen filters, spark plugs, oils, cam belt, driveline and cooling system fluids are good examples of “scheduled maintenance” items. If you own a vehicle long enough, you might replace these items a few times over.
Common small repair parts
There are times in the life of a vehicle when regular service items are joined by regular repair items, which can then morph into expense after expense, until you sell or dispose of the vehicle. Ignition coils, lambda/exhaust sensors and steering or suspension bushes/joints are just some parts that are replaced more commonly through a vehicle’s life.
Ignition coils
Ignition coils are generally made from a plastic-type material and in modern engines sit down inside the cylinder head, directly on top of the spark plug. They get very hot and over time can break down and cause a misfire.
Exhaust sensors
Sensors in the exhaust read the gases before and after the catalytic converter to check emissions efficiency and are in the constant flow of the red-hot exhaust, so they are prone to fail without regular servicing.
Steering and suspension components provide the cushion between your tyres and the car. They take a hammering over years of travel and can also be affected by age; rubber bushes can become hard over time and shrink, for example.
Repairs that can get bigger
After a vehicle reaches around 10 years old, you’re more likely to need repairs in addition to your regular servicing. These can also lead into big ticket items.
With some vehicle types the odds of this happening are greater, and with others they can be less of a gamble. Japanese-manufactured vehicles have a reputation for being a bit more reliable and cheaper to fix as they age, which is why they are also a popular import into NZ.
THE CIRCLE OF LIFE The new car buyer
Think about a new car and how long a particular model stays in production before it’s upgraded. The day you purchase the vehicle it will be the latest model, or perhaps the year before if you purchased it on runout. So in the next year or two the model will get a facelift, which changes features like the lights and bumpers and may add new technology.
After five to seven years, this model is superseded by an all-new version. It comes with a new warranty and service plan to see you through the next three to five years. For some buyers, this is a cycle that they want to be in and are more than happy to replace their five to seven year-old car.
The prudent buyer
The prudent buyer is happy to buy a modern car that is still reliable, but the price is far more attractive after depreciation has been absorbed by the first owner.
The bargain hunter
The bargain hunters are always on the lookout for a low cost, good working order vehicle to keep them mobile. If they don’t get a Pre Purchase Inspection before they buy, they can unfortunately discover that there are worn out items to replace before the next Warrant of Fitness. Often they are faced with little choice but to sell the car on, or scrap it.
The rule of thumb is that the newer the car, the safer and more reliable it is. At last count in 2017, the average age of a car on our roads was 14.4 years, which is one of the highest in the world.