You’ve probably heard the adage, “hope for the best, plan for the worst.” How that relates to auto repair is that you hope you never need it, but you know you need to plan for the inevitable problems that can and will surface from time to time. While there isn’t any definitive timeline for any potential auto repair issues, here are a few guidelines that can help you plan:
- Battery – The average life expectancy for a battery is three years, although you could get as many as five years or more from a high-quality one. Keep in mind that many things can shorten this estimate, such as not driving the car for long spans of time, weather conditions, mostly short trips, and accidentally draining the battery.
- Tires – Don’t let that tire rating fool you. Just because a tire is rated for 50,000 miles, for example, doesn’t mean you’ll get that. Mileage is also only one part of the equation. Tires age even without driving the car so expect to replace them in about six to 10 years even if they still have tread remaining.
- Timing Belt – This is an auto repair you do not want to have to make after it has broken as that can cause considerable engine damage. Plan to replace the belt according to your manufacturer’s recommendation, typically around 60,000 miles.
- Transmission – There is a very wide range on this one, with some failing as early as 60,000 miles, most making 100,000 miles with minimum care, and some standing strong well into the 200,000 range. In fact, some never need a new transmission at all. Today’s transmissions are built to last, so it is pretty rare to need to deal with this particular auto repair.
- Engine – Just as with the transmission, it is rare to need to replace a vehicle’s engine. However, that depends largely on how well you maintain your vehicle. Regular service visits and attentiveness to any symptoms should keep you from ever having to replace the engine.
If you would like to know more about common auto repair issues, give us a call at Kevin’s Car Repair & Body Shop LLC. We’ll be happy to check out your vehicle and give you a more detailed opinion about the timeline you can expect specific to your vehicle. We provide auto repair for all makes of vehicles, including being Volkswagen and Audi specialists. Call today to learn more or schedule an appointment.
