Friday Five: 100,000 Miles
by M Mayder
Drive a car long enough and you’ll see the odometer creep toward that 100,000 mile mark, which means two things: first, by this time your car loan is long since paid off, and a paid-for car is a beautiful car, and two, there are going to be a whole lot of issues that even the best insurance doesn’t cover, because it’s normal wear and tear. Here are five common complaints for cars nearing the 100,000 milestone:
- Catalytic Converter will fail: This happens on many models, especially Subaru, but the good news is that even though a “check engine” warning will be triggered, it’s not an issue that makes driving the car particularly hazardous. Do get it fixed. Don’t stress if you can’t afford the roughly $1000 repair bill right away. However, remember that it must be fixed before you have an emissions inspection.
- Ignition Lock gets sticky: A known issue on some versions of the Ford Focus, as the car ages, the ignition lock on the steering wheel gets stubborn. The good news is that a good locksmith can fix it, generally for under $500.
- Transmission slipping: On Honda Accords from the late 90’s, down-shifting will start to get rough, and it may feel like the transmission is slipping. It’s common as the car ages - have it looked at by a transmission specialist.
- Interior lights and displays stop working: You may be driving along and suddenly realize that the clock is dark, or the map lights no longer work. These little annoyances aren’t serious, but they will start to happen more and more frequently.
- Head gaskets: The most serious complaint, occurring with many cars with serious mileage is that the head gaskets go bad. While repairing this isn’t difficult, it is time consuming. Expect a good ten hours of labor on your mechanics bill.
Remember, unless there are major drivetrain issues, modern cars should last well past 100,000 miles, but you need to be vigilant about regular tune-ups, and fixing problems as they occur.
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