MAINTENANCE
B BATTERY
After 4 or 5 years (regardless of mileage) most batteries are getting weak and need to be replaced. If you are lucky, your battery might go 5 or 6 years, but average battery life is still only about four years. In hot climates like Arizona and New Mexico, three years is about all the heat most batteries can take. Absorbant Glass Mat (AGM) gel-cell type batteries typically last up to a year or two longer than conventional wet cell lead-acid batteries, so you might consider buying one of these when you replace the battery. Replacement cost for a new battery: $60 to $140 depending on the type and brand purchased.
TIMING BELTS
Overhead cam engines that have rubber timing belts require the belt to be replaced after so many miles. On older engines, the interval is typically every 60,000 miles. On newer engines, the replacement interval is typically 100,000 miles. If the belt is never changed (which is often the case), it may suddenly break and fail. If the engine is an interference engine with tight clearances between the valves and pistons, this can bend intake valves. Most OHC timing belts sell for $50 or less, but installation labor can be expensive depending on the application and how difficult it is to change the belt. Figure $400 to $800 to replace a timing belt for normal maintenance, and several thousands dollars for repairs if the belt is not replaced, and it breaks and damages the valves.
BRAKES
Brake pads are a wear item that eventually wear out and have to be replaced. The rate at which they wear depends on how often the brakes are applied, how hard the brakes are applied, and the weight and velocity of the vehicle. Somebody who rides the brakes, drives aggressively, spends a lot of time in stop-and-go city traffic, etc., will wear out their front brake pads much more quickly than a driver who stops gradually, or does a lot of open highway driving. A large, heavy fullsize SUV can eat up a set of front brake pads in 30,000 miles, while a smaller lighter economy car might go 60,000 to 70,000 miles before the front pads are worn down and need to be replaced. If only the pads need to be replaced, and you can change the pads yourself, a new set of pads might only set you back $30 to $70. But if the rotors are worn and have to be replaced, or you have a repair shop do the brakes, figure $300 to $600 or more depending on the parts that are replaced.
Owning and driving a car involves two things most motorists would rather avoid: spending money on maintenance and spending money on repairs. If you do not maintain your car (meaning regular oil changes, filter replacements and keeping an eye on critical fluid levels), you will be faced with major repairs much sooner than you should. Most people realize a car is an investment, and to get the most out of your investment you have to take care of it. But here's a dirty little secret you may not know.
Even if you are meticulous about maintenance, follow all the recommended fluid and filter replacements, and baby your car as if it were an only child, eventually certain parts will wear out and you will have to spend $$$ on repairs. Like death and taxes, you can't avoid auto repairs � unless you lease new vehicles or trade your old car before it reaches the point where things start to wear out and cost you money to fix.