Understand The Lifespan Of Your Car

Reading this article, you must be one of those who drive really old cars and want to get another one, or perhaps try to buy a used car at a low budget. No matter what is your purpose, knowing thoroughly how to determine the lifespan of a car can help you in having additional knowledge in terms of automobiles even if you don’t really want to buy or sell cars.

The average car longevity

You may hear some people talking with one another about the maximum car lifespan of around 100,000 miles. Well, that is true for most of the cars produced before the 2000s. A well-and-carefully-maintained car can reach a maximum mileage of above 300,000 miles. For example, Ivy Gordon’s Volvo P1800 was recorded driving over 3 million miles, which is equivalent to travelling 116 times around the earth!

Irv Gordon - Under the Hood with Castrol

For modern cars, thanks to the aid of technical advances, they can last after up to 200,000 miles of driving. Compared with the majority of cars before 2000 which  was estimated to last for the average of 8 years, modern cars have been recorded longer. Specifically, 2001 cars were estimated to be about 9 years of well functioning, and in 2014, the number rose to approximately 11.5 years. Additionally, recent modern cars have been designed and built for 20-30 years of use with frequent and adequate maintenance.

Also read - Car Transmission Maintenance

Indeed, car lifespan is getting longer nowadays because of advanced compartments and designs. Therefore, pay attention to the production date and version of a car to precisely estimate its value. Yet, there have been ill-manufactured cars and well-made ones, so reviews of experts are also important because they can determine how good a car is. What’s more, car longevity also relies on maintenance a lot as “If you take care of something, it will return the favor". That means if a car is taken good care of, it will stay functioning excellently exceeding its recommended mileage.

One more thing about vehicle longevity is that different types of vehicles have different expected lifespan. That is to say, pickup trucks, SUVs and large vehicles often last longer than a normal car. And electric cars, which possess a huge amount of technical advancements, can reach up to 600,000 miles of life expectancy, particularly, such as the Tesla Model S cars. Briefly, you can say that the average car lifespan could be somewhere from 150,000 mileage (before 2000) to 250,000 mileage (modern cars).

Also read - How To Lengthen Car Lifespan

What reduce car lifespan

First thing first, people often think of mileage when mentioning the causes that make a car wear out. That is definitely true because mileage is directed to the car’s life expectancy. However, there are many factors that shorten car lifespan and reduce mileage of a vehicle such as poor maintenance and improper manoeuvres.

Regular maintenance prolong your car's lifespan

Simple maintenance

1. Every fueled vehicle needs changing oil on a routine basis, especially at the early state. Otherwise speaking, when buying a new car, you must pay attention to the time you need to change your car’s oil. And don’t worry! You can find this information in the car manual. Usually, it will tell you to replace the used oil when a mileage is reached.

2. You should frequently take your car to the mechanic for technical maintenance even if there is no sign of problems. This will ensure that if your car has any unseenable broken parts, leaks, corrosion, or malfunctions, they can be fixed in time.

3. One of the most important things about car maintenance is to keep an eye on the condition of your car’s tires. This will not only ensure your safety, but also give you comfortable drives. Furthermore, having a healthy tire somehow protects other parts of your car because it will reduce the shakiness when driving, especially during a long journey.

Also read - Low Cost Maintenance

Proper manoeuvres

There are many things to say about the right manoeuvres that keep traffic safe and prevent your car from damages caused by accidents. However, in this article IndianAuto will only briefly show the most prominent ways to help prolong car lifespan:

1. Always adjust the car mirrors properly so you can predict the events occuring on the road and avoid unexpected situations.

2. Don’t panic if there is a careless driver on the road, a crash happening right in front of you, or an accident involving you. Keeping calm will help you cope with the situations with ease and avoid further dangers.

3. Follow the laws while traveling on congested roads or highways. On congested roads, impatience and wrong manoeuvres can make the situation worse to yourself and the others. While, on highways, try not to move above and below the speed limits and remember to drive in the right lanes. What’s more, whenever you make a turn, open the signals.

Also read:

Car Driving Tips, Tricks, and Techniques For Drivers

How To Drive On Congested Roads

The Right Way To Drive On Indian Highways

Drive Safely With Your Infants

Verdict

You can get a decent used cars at a very low price

All in all, if you do such maintenance carefully, you can assure a long life car. However, the relative figures in this articles are just for reference. Your car’s life expectancy can differ due to model, year of production, weather conditions, etc. But you can say that modern car can stay well functioning more than 10 years, and if you take good care of it, it can last a decade more; and if you’re lucky, it may accompany with you for a half century just like Ivy Gordon’s Volvo P1800 (the over 3 million mileage car).

For those who want to buy a used car, please note that a car that has already reached 100,000 miles can be used for more than 100,000 miles more with proper maintenance. Additionally, a used car is often very cheap and you can buy it at a low budget. Repair costs are also often not too high. Therefore, when buying a used car, check its lifespan and compare its value with a new car that has almost similar specs as it. If it is still good, saves you a lot of money and you don’t need a brand new vehicle, don’t hesitate to get one!

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