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For what it's worth, my dad's diesel Nissan Patrol is about 20 years old now and still running fine. I mean, it's a bit clunky, but it does the job - and the 4w
by swombat 12y ago
For what it's worth, my dad's diesel Nissan Patrol is about 20 years old now and still running fine. I mean, it's a bit clunky, but it does the job - and the 4wd has got me through some snowy roads, too. Good car. Beyond fuel economy, I don't see why that car needs to be decommissioned any time soon.
So today's cars already last for "decades".
- mikeash 12y agoAny car will last for as long as you're willing to pour money into it. There becomes a breakeven point where maintenance costs increase such that it's cheaper to buy a new car than to keep the old one running. There's a good deal of variety in where that point occurs, due to different models having different reliability and different maintenance costs. Whether you're willing and able to do your own work on the car is also a big factor. It may not have happened yet for that Patrol, but most cars are at that point by then, and it will probably happen soon on that one. Lots of cars are kept beyond that breakeven point too, either for reasons of nostalgia, or because it's more palatable to spend your money in a continuous stream of small maintenance costs than to put down a big chunk up front.
- tim333 12y agoAlso though we have not had decent electric cars for long we've had electric golf carts for a while and googling the recommended life for accounting purposes it is 5 or 10 years. Just because a vehicle is electric doesn't mean it will last for ever.