Service life of vehicles: standard, warranty and real

Vehicles are durable goods. Long-lasting, but not eternal - the service life of a car is on average 12 years. No one knows the exact timing of actual use. Much depends on operating and storage conditions, road conditions, mileage, maintenance and even the environment. Another thing is the standard period of operation.

About warranty, regulatory and real terms

When a car comes with a long warranty, that's great! But that's not all. Usually it is given for 2-3 years. Meanwhile, the service life (aka shelf life) of the car according to the documents is much longer - about 8 years.

According to the law, during the standard service life, the manufacturer undertakes to provide the consumer with the opportunity to use the product for its intended purpose and is responsible for existing shortcomings. That is, the car owner has the right to contact the manufacturer with a demand for a free fix for problems discovered during this time.

But how then does the warranty period differ from the standard one? It's simple:

• Under warranty, it is much easier to repair a car for free. You do not have to prove the seriousness of the defect and the guilt of the manufacturer (that the defect already existed before the car was delivered to the client) through court.
• When the warranty has expired, litigation and all kinds of examinations cannot be avoided.

Now from documentation to reality.

The car can last much longer than the years stated in the documents. Everything is the same as with other products. For example, a tablet has a 1-year warranty, its shelf life is 5 years, and it can last 10 years or more (especially if it is left untouched).

Some manufacturers keep statistics of machines whose operating period exceeded the standard indicators. Mercedes and Volvo even introduced rewards for owners of cars with mileage over 250–1000 thousand km.

Warranty period

On average, the warranty is valid for 2 years without mileage limitation or 3 years for mileage up to 100 thousand km. In rare cases, it is provided for 5 years and a mileage of 150 thousand km.

During the warranty period, the manufacturer undertakes to eliminate any breakdowns that occur using official dealers. To obtain the right to free repairs, the car owner must follow the rules for operating the vehicle and maintain it on time.

It is important to understand that this is a general warranty and does not cover all parts. Some components have a limited shelf life.

The warranty against through-rotting of the body is written on a separate line and is 10–12 years for modern cars and 6 years for domestic ones. But for it to work, you need to undergo inspections at the dealer and have the appropriate marks in the service book.

Regulatory period

Each manufacturer sets its own limit. For example, AvtoVAZ limits the shelf life of its cars:

• all-wheel drive – 6 years;
• rear- and front-wheel drive – 8 years.

As a rule, mileage restrictions are also indicated (up to 60–100 thousand km).

If the manufacturer does not set these restrictions himself, they are regulated by law.According to Article 5 of the Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights”, the service life of a car is 10 years.

Beneficial Use

When talking about the service life of a machine, one cannot fail to mention the period when it can be useful. It is important to take into account depreciation (wear and tear expressed in monetary terms). Over the years, car costs tend to increase.

You can calculate the useful period of use based on the group of cars. There is a special classifier that is used in accounting to calculate depreciation charges.

For the first three classes, useful use is 3–5 years, for the 4th class - 7 years, for the 5th class - 10 years.

Expiration date

Any car is not eternal. However, not every car owner understands this. Old, worn-out vehicles pose a danger on the road. Therefore, Russia is considering a bill banning the operation of cars that are 15 years old or older. For trucks over 3.5 tons, the deadline will be 20 years.

For violating the restriction, civilians will be fined 30 thousand rubles, officials - 50 thousand rubles, legal entities - 200 thousand rubles.

So, speaking about the service life of a car, it would be correct to focus on the standards established by the manufacturer. They are usually specified in the technical documentation of vehicles. If the time frame is not specified, then according to the law the standard shelf life will be 10 years. Whether the car will last longer depends on the owner. Careful attitude, timely maintenance and the use of high-quality fuel will increase the chances of long-term useful use of your favorite “swallow”.