Car Life Expectancy

A car's life depends on many different factors and enhancing it is possible, given that proper care is taken. The knowledge about things/factors which affect the life of a car should be useful for those who are planning on car buying. The money that one is going to spend in a vehicle can be put to good use with proper knowledge of automobiles.

Average Car Life Expectancy

The life expectancy of a car is mostly calculated in terms of miles covered by the automobile. However, range can be different for different vehicles. Average lifespan for a car in general is between 165,000 and 200,000. As per the US Department of Transportation, on an average, automobiles have a lifespan of just over 13 years. The standard specification for mileage given by the department is 145,000. The different measures and factors which play an important in determining the life expectancy of a car are as follows.

• Usage of car and its regular servicing.
• Number of miles traveled.
• Rust and wear and tear of the car body, which takes place in the course of time.

Mean Time between Failures (MTBF)
The MTBF is a time span between failures of the system of a car. The MTBF calculations are based on assumptions that a failed system is immediately repaired and that the elapsed time between the failures is zero. It is important in the measurement of the lifespan of a car.

Replacement of Car Parts and its Effect on Life Expectancy
The replacement of parts of car have an effect on the life of cars. The parts of a car which are higher in cost can be replaced and life of the car increased. However, the budget/costs incurred in such maintenance works may have an effect on the economics of the car. Vehicles that come with warranties are easy to maintain. Life expectancy of such vehicles increases automatically.

Increasing the Life Expectancy of Car
The life expectancy of a car can be increased by taking several precautions given below.

• The key fluids which play an important role in the functioning of car should be monitored on a regular basis.
• Oil should be changed regularly.
• One should never allow rust to damage the car. Quick and timely measures to keep rust at bay, should help.
• Filters of the car should be checked regularly.
• The timing belt need to be maintained on a regular basis.
• It is necessary to change the plugs if replacing them is a must.
• Reading and following the instructions presented in the user manual is of utmost importance to sort out most of the car problems that crop up regularly.
• Driving the car smoothly is necessary as it helps in keeping the parts in a good condition for a long time.

One should be aware of the lifespan of his car, based on the usage patterns. The decisions pertaining to car repair and maintenance works can be made with this knowledge. If a car is nearing its lifespan, one shouldn't spend much on the maintenance work. Junking a car directly, too is not a sensible decision. One should instead, look out for salvaging the existing components/parts of the car. The working parts of the body can be sold for good returns. In many cases, it is possible to even sell tires and body of the car. Selling these parts can fetch the owners a few bucks and save him all the paperwork for selling a car. Putting it up on car auction is also not a bad idea.

The car life expectancy is a matter of how a person uses it. It is always possible to maximize the lifespan of a car given that the owner takes proper care of it.