1. A Bad Battery. If you're having trouble starting your car (and it may not be because the weather's 20 below zero) and your car's clock and radio presets frequently get wiped out, you may have battery problems that could lead to a dead silent engine.
Poor compression of both fuel and air inside a car engine is a recipe for disaster. The most common reasons for poor engine combustion is due to broken valve seals, holes within cylinders and overused piston rings, forcing air to leak out.
Battery. The battery's job is to provide all of the electrical components in the car with a jolt of electricity so that the car can start. Most batteries become weak and need replacement after 4 to 6 years.
1. Chrysler. Chrysler vehicles are some of the most unreliable on the market. They've been ranked as the least reliable car brand for three years in a row by Consumer Reports.
The report found that Lexus and Toyota make the most reliable cars, while Jeep and Mercedes-Benz make the ones you can depend on least. But those rankings reflect an average of all the cars each manufacturer builds. There can still be variation within any one brand.
Be Cautious With Anything Older Than 12-15 Years Or 150,000 Miles. Now that we have the variables out of the way, it's time to dive deeper into what “problems” your car can run into as it ages and accumulates miles.
The first big thing that's likely to wear out in most vehicles is the camshaft drive belt. If it fails, the pistons can smash into the valves, resulting in a big repair bill.
For some time, the average lifespan of a car's engine was eight years, or 150,000 miles. New designs, better technology and improved service standards in recent years have increased this average life expectancy to about 200,000 miles, or about 10 years.
With petrol cars, you'll find that once a car reaches about 200,000 km, it will begin to knock a little, as the rings loosen up. It's at this stage that it probably needs an overhaul.
If the cost of repairs exceeds the car's value, it's probably best to get a new car instead. Sometimes, when a car with high mileage needs a significant repair or if your car is totaled, you might consider replacing it with a new or used vehicle.
