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Which car parts need to be replaced the most often?

  Tuesday, 15 September 2015

If you’re visiting our site, the chances are you know your cars!  However, we know we do attract some beginners too: beginners who want to learn more about the inside of the vehicles we all use every day.  So, first things first: which car parts are most likely to need replacing?  We’ve put together this list, in order of which parts are likely to need swapping first:

• The Oil and the Oil Filter – typically, these need replacing every three to six months, or between every 3,000 and 5,000 miles.
• Windscreen Wiper Blades – these usually need replacing every year or two (though they will sometimes wear out more quickly in hot climates, especially if the car sits outside a lot).
• Air filters – these will usually wear out every three to four years, or every 30,000 to 50,000 miles.  The exception is if the vehicle is regularly driven down very dusty roads!
• Brake pads – usually, brake pads will last for between 30,000 to 70,000 miles, or three to five years.  Again though, this can be drastically affected by variables like the type of vehicle, the type of brake linings (ceramic linings will last much longer than non-asbestos) as well as the type of driving you do.
• Batteries – these will usually last between four to five years: mileage doesn’t typically impact battery life – they run out when they run out!
• Headlight and rear light bulbs – these usually last five to seven years, depending on how much they’re used.  Conventional bulbs can also be impacted by lots of driving on rough, bumpy roads.
• Tyres – usually, tyres will last for between five to seven years.  Though of course, this will be impacted by how much driving you actually do, as well as the wear rating on the tyres (the higher the wear rating, the longer the tyre should last).
• Spark plugs – platinum and iridium plugs will normally last around 100,000 miles, or eight years.  Spark plugs will sometimes need replacing if they foul as a result of frequent short trip driving.
• Belts – serpentine belts usually last around six years, or 75,000 miles.  The timing belt (if you have one) will last 100,000 miles or 8 years.
• Brake callipers, wheel cylinders and master cylinders – these all last more than 100,000 miles typically, but will eventually succumb to internal corrosion.

Obviously, all of these figures aren’t guaranteed, but they should provide a reliable estimate.

Beyond this point, you’re looking at parts that are more major and will usually take more than 5 years of driving to start wearing.  They usually won’t be things that you can replace yourself.

Remember, you can find replacements for nearly all of these parts in the ASM online store.

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