Those repair prices seem low, but we may just have an expensive mechanic and no inclination to try and DIY car stuff.
Personally, I’m on my third car (bought used from a dealer, so ~3 years old) in 20 years with a pattern of replacing the previous one the second time it has a repair bill over $200 (without doing the second repair), and having a 30 minute commute for most of that time.
Location and market dependent. There are large “engine swap” shops in some metro areas with specialists who advertise low swap prices. Bigger engines are more expensive.
I don’t like your algorithm. The design lifespan of a car is around 15 years, that is most parts are designed to last that long. More if a higher quality brand or low mileage. But mistakes get made—even highly reliable vehicles like a toyota prius have a couple of mistakes in their design. In the case of the prius, it has 2 main issues:
Blown engine head gaskets
Eventually, failed hybrid battery
The engine head gasket repair costs $1-2k. The hybrid battery is $2k if you swap it yourself for a new one, it’s straightforward given it’s a battery.
Point is you can see either failure at a point where every other component is in tip top shape. Like euthanizing a 25 year old because of a broken leg.
Those repair prices seem low, but we may just have an expensive mechanic and no inclination to try and DIY car stuff.
Personally, I’m on my third car (bought used from a dealer, so ~3 years old) in 20 years with a pattern of replacing the previous one the second time it has a repair bill over $200 (without doing the second repair), and having a 30 minute commute for most of that time.
Location and market dependent. There are large “engine swap” shops in some metro areas with specialists who advertise low swap prices. Bigger engines are more expensive.
I don’t like your algorithm. The design lifespan of a car is around 15 years, that is most parts are designed to last that long. More if a higher quality brand or low mileage. But mistakes get made—even highly reliable vehicles like a toyota prius have a couple of mistakes in their design. In the case of the prius, it has 2 main issues:
Blown engine head gaskets Eventually, failed hybrid battery
The engine head gasket repair costs $1-2k. The hybrid battery is $2k if you swap it yourself for a new one, it’s straightforward given it’s a battery.
Point is you can see either failure at a point where every other component is in tip top shape. Like euthanizing a 25 year old because of a broken leg.