What's "Typical" Life of a Car Part? An Exhaustive List of Parts & Their Life Cycle!

[Figoian]

As we all know, wear & tear of parts is inevitable in a life cycle of an Automobile, be it Alto or Audi! However, the point of concern is when it's uneven, premature or abnormal.

IMHO, the replacements due to wear & tear typically starts about or after 3 years of ownership. Some maybe minor whereas the others are painfully major. Almost all brands today, don't believe in fixing anything, but just replace with a new one. In that case, do we really know whether it's a replacement of a need? appropriate? and optimally utilized?

Thus, I thought of initiating this discussion to make ourselves aware of the "Typical" Life of any part which may help us while are in need to replace one. Many atimes, the ASS gives us a different picture by understating the life of a given part to save their sides and also to give us a feel of satisfaction. Eg: A strut gave up by 50K ODO can be said to have a normal life of 30-40K and you have managed to get really about 10-20K more than the normal. But, is that the reality? Would be glad if "Yes"!

Hope that gives a clear picture of the idea behind this thread. This is an attempt to create an exhaustive list of parts and it's life cycle for the benefit of all!

Trust the below format would make it much more clear.

• Brand - Ford
• Product / Model / Fuel Type - Figo ZXi Diesel
• Part Name - Brake Pads (Front)
• Actual Life (As you know or ASS) - 20 K
• Life Served - 60 K
• Reason for Replacement - Worn
• Repair Possible? - No
• Remarks - Was told the pads served thrice of it's life. Not sure though!

 

[allhyundaicars]

Re: What is the "Typical" Life of a Part? - An exhaustive list of part & it's life cy

The very first part you mentioned , it's durability depends on the driving style.

And i think it might confuse another figo owner. I mean if he's an aggressive driver , accelerate and apply brakes more than normal , his break pads will worn out much before 60.

And checking your reply he will doubt why his pads didn't last much longer.

Parts durability even of the same cars can have a huge difference just because of the driving style.

 

[Figoian]

Re: What is the "Typical" Life of a Part? - An exhaustive list of part & it's life cy

And i think it might confuse another figo owner. I mean if he's an aggressive driver , accelerate and apply brakes more than normal , his break pads will worn out much before 60.

And checking your reply he will doubt why his pads didn't last much longer.

Parts durability even of the same cars can have a huge difference just because of the driving style.

That's one of the very ideas of this thread, right? When a part didn't serve it's optimal life, it can be due to many reasons as -

1. Abnormal / Pre-mature Wear
2. Manufacturing Defect
3. Malpractice by dealers
4. Driving Conditions / Style

If we know the optimal life of most of the parts, we can try to save ourselves from being taken for a ride, at least in the first 3 cases. Whereas, the the last one is in our hands, which can be corrected by ourselves.

 

[ADSA]

Re: What's "Typical" Life of a Car Part? An Exhaustive List of Parts & Their Life Cyc

All of the wear and tear products also indicate their age provided you know how to read them.
Most likely, A brake pad should not feel very thin or in approximate not less than of 1/4"
Usually, one gets Screeching or Metal Rattling Noise from front side which is an indication for the end of brake pads usable life.

Life of Wear and Tear Product depends upon usage.
A Car with its commute on nice wide Highway will see it's first set of brake pads to last with six digit figure on ODO.
Those who spend time in B2B traffic, i believe 20K kms is fine.

I am attaching a pic just for illustration. Copyright respective owner from google images.

P:S Those who found wear on Brake pads non uniform, get your Calipers and related area checked.

 

[bhvm]

Re: What's "Typical" Life of a Car Part? An Exhaustive List of Parts & Their Life Cyc

Brand - Toyota
Product / Model / Fuel Type - Fortuner Diesel
Part Name - Tyres 265/65 R17
Actual Life (As you know or ASS) - 55 K
Life Served - 80 K
Reason for Replacement - Worn
Repair Possible? - No
Remarks - Apollo Hawkz AT

Brand - Toyota
Product / Model / Fuel Type - Fortuner Diesel
Part Name - Tyres 265/65 R17
Actual Life (As you know or ASS) - 55 K
Life Served - 50 K
Reason for Replacement - Worn
Repair Possible? - No
Remarks - Dunlop GrandTrek

Brand - Tata
Product / Model / Fuel Type - Marina LS Diesel
Part Name - Tyres 175 R14
Actual Life (As you know or ASS) - 55 K
Life Served - 25 K
Reason for Replacement - Worn
Repair Possible? - No
Remarks - Bridgestone, Bogus car, Bogus product

Brand - Toyota
Product / Model / Fuel Type - Fortuner Diesel
Part Name - MT clutch
Actual Life (As you know or ASS) - ? K
Life Served - 100 K
Reason for Replacement - Worn
Repair Possible? - No
Remarks - cost 28k with Fitting.

Brand - Mahindra
Product / Model / Fuel Type - XUV 500r Diesel
Part Name - Infotainment and touch screen
Actual Life (As you know or ASS) - Lifetime?
Life Served - 0k K
Reason for Replacement - Faulty
Repair Possible? - Not sucessful
Remarks - Replaced thrice under warranty but required over 8 visits and headache.

 

[ameyam]

Re: What's "Typical" Life of a Car Part? An Exhaustive List of Parts & Their Life Cyc

Why is there a difference between the A S S life & actual life figures above? What exactly are you referring to?

Ameyam

 

[bhvm]

Re: What's "Typical" Life of a Car Part? An Exhaustive List of Parts & Their Life Cyc

Why is there a difference between the A S S life & actual life figures above? What exactly are you referring to?

Ameyam

ass is projected or assumed life.
real life is what we experienced.

 

[ameyam]

Re: What's "Typical" Life of a Car Part? An Exhaustive List of Parts & Their Life Cyc

Ok. You will notice that in most cases, expected life is lower than actual. Partly its our tendency to drive with parts that need to be replace till they fail completely. But also, most manufacturers test their systems at far more difficult conditions that they encounter in real life. The exception to this are suspension parts. Indian roads are such that they always fail earlier than designed for.

In general, engines and gear boxes generally hold together very well. Even where they go wrong, its usually because the external factors (gear linkage / cables for example) cause discomfort to the driver rather than actual failure of the hardware itself. That was the case in my old Wagon R- when I bought it used I had intermittent gear changing problems. The box was fine but the shifter and linkage needed replacement. This is also why certified car companies always offer warranties on the engine and gear box. In the last couple of years I saw a number of old cars, including mine and my friends' (mainly Marutis), just fall apart after about 6 years of use- the engine and gear box remain perfectly usuable but the body suddenly brings up one issue after another

Ameyam

 

[incarnation]

Re: What's "Typical" Life of a Car Part? An Exhaustive List of Parts & Their Life Cyc

@ Ameyam the suspension doesnt fail early if you handle the car in the right way when approaching a hump and or a Depression on the road . if u get your speed below 10kph and nicely go over a hump or lower your car nicely in the depression the suspension would give u a life of 75k kms there are instances where if the driver is carefull and cautious the car serves the master very well.

 

[VISHNUCARCRAZY]

Re: What's "Typical" Life of a Car Part? An Exhaustive List of Parts & Their Life Cyc

Most ASS replace part accordingly with the interval specified in the manual.
Say suspension- usually the manual specifies 30000-40000
the car may be going still fine till 50 k,but ASS will insisit to replace.
One thing is suspension set up won't be best as a factory fit thing, still improvements can be predicted,if customer is ready to spend some bucks.

 

[VISHNUCARCRAZY]

Re: What's "Typical" Life of a Car Part? An Exhaustive List of Parts & Their Life Cyc

Part- Clutch set
cost -2500
reason- Vehicle stalled in a uphill ascent.
odometer-55000

condition imroved a lot.now nice clutch play,easier to drive in traffic too.takes up short ascents even in 4th -5th gear.

 

[Releesh]

Re: What's "Typical" Life of a Car Part? An Exhaustive List of Parts & Their Life Cyc

In the last couple of years I saw a number of old cars, including mine and my friends' (mainly Marutis), just fall apart after about 6 years of use- the engine and gear box remain perfectly usuable but the body suddenly brings up one issue after another

Ameyam

+1
i agree on this and i am experinace ing this in my just 8 year old Esteem. though engine & gear box is still feel like new, body parts especially parts in the doors like glass beeding,winder assembly,center lock actuator.. most of them had replaced in last 2 year. Also changed Ac condenser & clutch disc too.Still running on stock suspension @74 k km.