The Relationship between Car Mileage and Car Expenses
Cars are a part of many people’s everyday lives and you are likely no exception to this. You may use your car to commute to work, drive to the gym or chauffeur your kids to football practice. It can sometimes be hard to imagine life without your trusted transportation. However, while it’s great to have wheels, you have probably had moments when you’ve cringed whilst looking at the bill from the mechanic or after hearing the result of your car’s annual MOT test.
As a car gets older, and the number of miles it’s been driven increases, certain parts of the car need to be replaced. This is inevitable no matter what type of car you have, however being aware of what parts will need to be replaced at what mileage could help save you money in the long run. If a part needs to be replaced and you know it will be expensive, for example, you may choose to trade the car in or sell it to a mechanic for parts. Alternatively, if you are looking to buy a used car, it can be beneficial to know approximately when certain parts of the car will need to be replaced so you can plan in advance for those costs.
Spark plugs need to be replaced approximately every 30,000 miles in many cars, although this can vary greatly depending on the type of the car. However, some companies manufacture long-life spark plugs which can supposedly last until 100,000 miles so it is worth looking into what type of spark plugs you have in your car or that are in the car you are thinking of purchasing. Replacing the spark plugs can cost £75-150 so maybe not a great deal in the grand scheme of things but enough that you should be aware of it.
Damaged tyres are one of the most common MOT failures. Tyres need to be replaced roughly every 40,000 miles and can cost about £50 each. It should also be noted that it is suggested you rotate your tyres every 5,000-10,000 miles driven as the front and rear tyres wear differently.
Quality brakes are obviously of utmost importance for the safety of you and your passengers while you are driving your car. The brakes often need to be replaced every 50,000-70,000 miles although this does depend on the make and model of the car. The front breaks tend to wear out faster than the rear brakes so you may need to replace the front ones first. To replace all the brake components, including the pads, discs and shoes, it can cost you a couple hundred pounds.
Finally, another common car part that needs to be replaced over time is the timing belt. The timing belt needs to be replaced in general after 50,000-90,000 miles driven, although often more specifically around 60,000-75,000 miles. Replacing the timing belt can cost you around £300-400 however if the timing belt breaks before it is replaced it may cost you much more to fix the damage caused by it’s failure. It’s therefore worth staying on top of your car maintenance.
Thus, car repair can be costly and it’s therefore worth thinking about as you drive your car or if you are thinking about buying a new or used car. There are ways to save money however, such as getting multi car insurance in the UK if you have a couple cars or if your family has a few cars. Used cars can still often be a very good deal, especially if you find a used car to buy that has low mileage. Car repair is inevitable but knowing what to expect regarding repairs will help you manage your finances.