200,000 Miles & Counting... More Preventive Auto Maintenance or Sell?
Posted by Brian England on Thu, Aug 05, 2010
I am asked many times, "Should I continue preventive maintenance and auto repairs on my high mileage vehicle or just sell the car?" Today, well maintained cars will last well over 200,000 miles. With that in mind I am often asked, "When is the right time to sell my car?" "Should I keep maintaining it and drive it for another 200,000 miles"? My answer is, you have maintained the car to keep it reliable and safe, so why sell it? Then my next comment is, but there is a good reason to sell your car and buy a new model. New cars have improved safety features; by buying new, you will upgrade to the latest features. New vehicles now have side air bags, intelligent air bags, stability control, special suspension systems, improved anti lock brakes, improved wheels and tires with low pressure warning systems, radar cruise control system, and rain sensing wipers. New vehicles are becoming safer and they are becoming smarter.
Here are some of the new features in systems that are coming in the future or are already features on high end vehicles:
Accident avoidance systems. The vehicle has sensors that are positioned outside the car that can sense if there is a car in your blind spot. It will then send an audio warning, or in some cars will flash a warning signal in the outside review mirror.
Soon cars will communicate with each other, warning other vehicles that there is a problem. For example, if a vehicle a few cars ahead has a mechanical problem or is involved in an accident it will send out a warning signal. Your car will receive the signal and warn you of a problem on the road ahead. It might even put on the brakes automatically.
How about driving your car without using you hands! Well not quite, but there are cars being developed that follow the line markings on the road and also keep track of the vehicles around you. If you begin to wander out of your lane, a warning signal goes off and the car may even steering itself back into the lane possibly avoiding an accident. BMW is going to include a night vision system on its 7 series vehicles. By using infrared technology it will illuminate any heat-emitting object up to 1000 feet in front of you, and display it on a screen in the center of the dashboard giving you advance warning of a vehicle ahead.
Automated headlights. Cars will have high beam headlamps that will automatically go to low beam on their own when approaching vehicles from behind, or when vehicles are coming the other way. To operate, this feature has a small light-sensing camera in the rear view mirror housing. It monitors the road 3000 feet ahead and will lower the beam when headlamps or rear lights are detected.
Now, if these new safety features don't tempt you to trade in your 200,000 mile car, then how about a few comfort and entertainment features.
Smart Seats and Zoned Heat & Air Conditioning. These include seats that will warm you, cool you, form to your shape adjust any way you want and then remember all your personal settings automatically. Plus, heating and air conditioning systems now have different heating zones so you and your passengers can adjust their own temperature.
Advanced Entertainment & Communication Systems. Entertainment features now include satellite, HD radio and DVD players with screens for each of the passengers in addition to the high-end music systems are now being installed. Communications will be assisted by the use of Bluetooth, a wireless standard that will allow consumers to link their portable electronics with the car, cell phones, iPods, MP3 players etc. Then, if you become lost while enjoying all these features you can speak to the navigation system in your car and ask it to show you where you are and how to get home, or where is the nearest place to eat, or where to fill up with gas.
If you are not tempted by some of these new features, and you have kept your car regularly maintained, then continue to drive your current car and enjoy the simple life. But please continue to use the best auto service Howard County has to offer (us) to keep you safe and reliable.
photo courtesy of stephenbr549