New car expectations.

Sometimes people expect too much out of a new car.

A while ago I listened to someone gripe about having to have a brake job at about 45000 miles. I said that sounds about right to me, depending on someone's driving habits. I know a guy that gets about 15,000 miles out of a set of pads but he uses the brakes too much and I believe he rides the brake pedal. Still, one has to remember that brake pads and shoes are wearing parts. The friction involved in slowing and stopping wears on pads and shoes. 

He looked at me and protested, "But I bought it NEW!"

I kept my tongue in my mouth. I wanted to say, "It's not new anymore." I didn't say it but I should have.

I reminded him that he had plan on a new timing belt down the road and he gave me the look of a man that had been cheated out of a million dollars. Timing belts should be changed at intervals between 60 and 100,000 miles, depending on the model. If the engine has a timing chain then it will generally last the life of the engine.

This guy didn't understand maintenance which surprised me. I sure don't want to buy a used car from him!

I knew a man that maintained a fleet of vehicles and SOP was that at 100,000 miles every rig got a alternator, water pump, and clutch assembly. That sounds about right. Alternators and water pumps are reliable for about 100,000 miles and depending on if the vehicle is driven in city or highway miles, a clutch replacement is probably in order.

I sold a pickup with 170,000 miles on it and it still had the original clutch in it and it was still in pretty good shape but I drive a lot of highway miles which means clutches don't wear out nearly as fast as they do being used in the city.

Depending on what the state does with salt, that's probably pretty close to time to replace a muffler and maybe some exhaust pipes.

Things on cars wear out over time and when something decides to go you have to look at it and see if it's a fair expectation.

New cars today should be reliable for at least 150,000 miles with basic maintenance. This means oil changes and lubrication of various things. Over the years I have seen people practically destroy a new car in under 20,000 miles. I also inspected a badly torn up clutch in a car with 10,000 miles on it and it was obviously abused. I found out the parents had bought their kid a new car and he had promptly torn it up. The parents carried on about how the car was under warranty but the warranty doesn't cover obvious abuse.

When  the father asked what to do I suggested he make his son get a job and earn the money for the repairs. For this I got a dirty look from the mother.

Tires generally last anywhere between 15,000 to 60,000 depending on a lot of variables. On my present rig I generally see about 50,000 miles on a set of Grand Treks.

The internals of the engine and running gear should last for at least 150,000 trouble free miles in even the most inexpensive of vehicles. This doesn't cover generators and water pumps, brakes and other wearing parts and assumes that the owner does his job in the maintenance department.

You still have to maintain the vehicle. Oil changes at manufacturers stated intervals are a must and you have to understand normal wear and tear or you're going to be angry and disappointed.
















To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY