The New Math of Driving Your Car Till the Wheels Fall Off

[Best_man23]

5. I always drive mine till parts become hard to get

Disclaimer up front: I'm a former auto technician, I have the tools at hand and the skill set to keep my cars longer than most.

Availability of repair parts is usually the driving factor in my decision to replace a car. In 2012, I traded in a 1996 Escort that still ran, but had airbag issues that I couldn't get parts to replace outside of a salvage yard. In Virginia, they have annual inspections, and will not pass a car that has the airbag light on.

Couple of secrets for vehicle longevity:

1. Do the maintenance, and don't follow the recommended maintenance intervals on newer vehicles. Cars built over the last 12-14 years have seen increased recommended maintenance intervals (8-10K for oil changes, 50-100K miles for coolant changes). I change my oil at 5K and coolant at 30K. Don't let the driver information center oil change reminder be your cue to change the oil.

2. Go OEM for maintenance and replacement parts to the maximum extent possible. This is especially important for electronic parts like sensors. There is a quality difference between OEM and a lot of the parts you get at AutoZone and Advanced Auto. In the auto repair world, there is this phrase: "Dorman: Stranding motorists and pissing off technicians since 1918."

3. Monitor the NHTSA website (link below) for recalls and issues specific to your vehicle. Often, they will post Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) that are sent to dealership service departments. If you find any that pertain to what seems to be persistent issues, especially for engines and transmissions, download and save a copy of the TSB. In some cases, you may want to talk to your repair shop about doing a "preemptive repair" on such issues. One of my vehicles was part of a TSB for the fuel pump fuse burning out.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwKOsrPXuhQMVNE1HAR1gFQ48EAAYASAAEgKTavD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds