We said on the Home page that we work mostly on cars with over 75K miles. Why is that?
Cars are better made these days than they used to be. Not only are engines incredibly more efficient—thus running cleaner and causing less wear of key parts like spark plugs—but manufacturing processes are tighter too. It’s unusual to need much more than regular oil changes, a brake job, and a change of tires on a car before 75K miles.
But between that mileage and around 125K, a lot of work comes due even on the best cars. Some of that work is so fundamental that there’s a schedule for it for each model—replacement of the spark plugs and timing belt, for example. Other work varies with the individual car, but in general, most cars will need a new alternator, starter, muffler, and set of shock absorbers before 125K miles. Front end parts like ball joints and tie rods often wear out by then too. The normal lifespan of a battery is five years, so that is usually replaced sometime after 75K miles as well.
So that’s why our mission at Long Life Auto is to be an honest servant to people in keeping their middle-aged cars running well. Moreover, we’ll help you prioritize your repair needs. If you’re on a budget, we’ll tell you what you have to do right away and what can be put off for a while.