Many of us wonder if the time has come to change our car, and most of us are not sure of the answer — so, what aspects determine that our car should be replaced?
Taking the step to change your car not only depends on technical aspects, but also on your financial situation and ability to afford the purchase of a new vehicle, which plays a very important role. Below, we explain in detail all the points that determine if your vehicle should be replaced.
What factors determine the lifespan of a vehicle?
Buying a car is one of the most common family investments, one that, as time goes by and the mileage increases, loses value. It is often said that older cars, which didn’t have as many electronic components and therefore less planned obsolescence, lasted longer than today’s cars — which is partly true, as it is estimated that modern cars have a lifespan of about 14 years compared to 16 years for older cars.
However, both older and newer cars require maintenance such as glass repair or urgent car window replacement in the event of an unexpected incident on the road, as well as complementary treatments such as car ozone disinfection or headlight polishing.
In addition to these types of expenses, over time a vehicle entails other recurring and cyclical costs. If you find yourself repeatedly having to solve the same problem, it may be time to consider whether to change your car.
If the cost associated with regular servicing and repairs, plus the insurance, equals 80% of what it would cost you to buy a new or second-hand vehicle, that means you have reached the end of your car’s lifespan — and it would be a sensible idea to go ahead and buy a new one.
According to experts, once a car is over eight years old, you should start calculating how much it costs to maintain and whether it is worth keeping it.
Another important factor in calculating a vehicle’s lifespan is the mileage. As everyone knows, the more kilometres on the odometer, the less life it has left; the more it is used, the more it wears out. Experts therefore recommend that no car should exceed 320,000 kilometres.
What can be done to extend a car’s lifespan?
Keeping a vehicle in good condition is easy if you know how to do it, and urgent car window replacement (in the case of an incident), headlight polishing, or car ozone disinfection to keep it clean and free of germs and odours are some of the actions that will help keep a car looking like new for longer. But if you want to keep your car as good as new for as long as possible, you should strictly follow these points:
- Change the engine oil regularly.
- Periodically check and replace all vehicle fluids when necessary.
- Keep the transmission in good condition.
- Replace the air filter frequently.
- Carry out glass repair whenever necessary, and if a crack is larger than a two-euro coin, opt for urgent car window replacement.
- Replace spark plugs when needed.
- Change the timing belts if necessary.
These are some of the measures you should take if you want to keep your vehicle in perfect condition for longer. And remember, if you need glass repair for any type of vehicle, trust Ralarsa to do it.
