UPDATED: 6 Car parts that must be replaced (eventually)

Buying an old car often comes with two types of feelings, one of general excitement that you have a “new” car, and the other of “okay, what will break first?”. Regardless of the car you drive, most vehicles tend to have the same problems as they age, and some parts need to be replaced more often than others.

A Car Maintenance Plan through MotorHappy covers all aspects of the servicing and maintenance of your car and offers a convenient way of budgeting so you can afford the replacement of wear-and-tear parts. Contact us today for a quick online quote.

Whether you’re planning to buy or already own an aging car, here are some of the parts that you’ll most likely have to replace before too long:

With an estimated range between 100,000 to 150,000 kilometers, cambelts are one of the first components you should expect to replace on your aging car. The cambelt is a reinforced rubber component that helps synchronise the opening and closing of your engine’s valves. Cambelt replacement is covered in some, but not all, Car Maintenance Plans.

Responsible for keeping the engine cool, the radiator removes heat from coolant after it has cycled through the engine, a process that exposes it to major wear and tear as it always copes with fluctuating temperatures. Old car owners often deal with endless engine overheating issues.

Brakes are one of the most used components on a car, so it’s not surprising that they have to be replaced more often than bigger parts. When a driver steps on the brake pedal, brake pads squeeze onto the brake discs slowing down the car as a result. The friction between the two components means that they are more susceptible to wear and tear. Brake discs and brake and clutch fluid are usually covered in Car Maintenance Plans.

A main component of the charging system, the alternator is an electric generator that charges your car battery and powers the car’s electrical system when the engine is running. As the battery ages, the alternator produces more power to make up for the battery’s inefficiency and thus, as a result, gets overworked and more prone to wear and tear. Luckily, this is usually covered in a Maintenance Plan.

A shock absorber is a part of the car’s suspension system that is charged with the task of absorbing and damping shock impulses while keeping the tires in constant contact with the road.

Given the nature of South African roads, shock absorbers often have to deal with more “work” than they are generally designed to do, and car owners often have to fork out their hard-earned money to have them replaced. A Car Maintenance Plan through MotorHappy will help you cover the cost of shock absorbers.

As its name suggests, the starter motor or the starter is a device that cranks an engine so as to initiate the engine’s operation on its own power. An important component of the starter is the electric solenoid which connects the car’s battery to the starter motor. Given the nature of its work, the solenoid is likely to suffer from wear and tear and often needs replacing – work that is often included in a Car Maintenance Plan.

While there are plenty of parts that might need replacing in the lifespan of a vehicle, car owners should most certainly expect to replace the above parts as their cars age.