Ask the Mechanic

My car just hit 100,000 miles...Is it all downhill from here?

By Dave and Katie Neer, Solomon’s Garage owners

with Nikki Burkhamer, Chronicle Staff

Q: “My car just rolled over 100,000 miles. Is it time to trade it in?”

A: I hear that question all the time.

Years ago, reaching 100,000 miles was a pretty big deal. If your odometer rolled over to six digits, you started wondering whether your next stop would be the dealership or the side of the road.

Fortunately, cars have come a long way since then.

Today’s vehicles are built better than ever. It’s not uncommon to see well-maintained cars and trucks reach 200,000, 250,000, or even 300,000 miles. In fact, if you’ve taken decent care of your vehicle, 100,000 miles may only be halftime.

That’s right — halftime.

The first half of your vehicle’s life was mostly about routine maintenance. Oil changes, tires, brakes, filters, maybe a battery or two. If you’ve been lucky, your car hasn’t asked for much else.

The second half is a little different.

Think about it this way. At 25 years old, you could probably jump out of bed and play a pickup basketball game without thinking twice. At 45? Well…you’ll probably stretch first, make a strange noise getting out of bed, and wonder why your knee hurts for three days afterward.

Cars age the same way.

Your engine doesn’t suddenly wear out when it hits 100,000 miles. Your transmission doesn’t decide it’s had enough. But all the parts that have been working alongside them for the last decade are getting older.

Rubber hoses become brittle. Suspension parts wear. Wheel bearings get noisy. Engine mounts crack. Coolant loses its ability to protect against corrosion. Spark plugs wear down. Belts and other rubber components simply age.

None of that means your car is “falling apart.”

It means your car has entered a new phase of life.

One of the biggest mistakes I see is when people assume that because their vehicle didn’t need much during the first 100,000 miles, it shouldn’t need much during the next 100,000 either.

Then reality shows up.

Maybe it needs shocks. A wheel bearing. A water pump. A cooling system service. Suddenly the owner says, “Everything is breaking at once!”

Not really.

Those parts have simply reached the point where they’ve earned retirement after years of faithful service.

Here’s another way to look at it.

If your roof needs to be replaced, you don’t tear down the whole house. If your water heater quits, you don’t put the house up for sale.

You replace the worn-out part because the rest of the house still has plenty of life left.

Your vehicle deserves the same way of thinking.

One thing we often tell our customers is, “You can schedule your maintenance on your time and within your budget, or you can let your car decide both for you.”

Preventive maintenance is almost always less expensive—and certainly less stressful—than emergency repairs on the side of the road.

So if your vehicle just crossed the 100,000-mile mark, don’t panic.

Congratulations. You’ve made it to halftime.

Now is the perfect time to give your vehicle a little extra attention so you can enjoy the second half just as much as the first. With the right maintenance and a little planning, there’s no reason your car can’t carry you another 100,000 miles.

And if it starts making a funny noise when it gets up in the morning…well, maybe that’s just another sign it’s getting older—just like the rest of us.

Until next time, keep the shiny side up, the rubber side down, and if your car starts talking to you...it's probably time to call your mechanic.

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Thank you, Dave. We appreciate your advice! You can call Dave and Katie at 937.887.0029 for questions or to schedule an appointment for your car. Visit https://www.solomonsgarage.com/ for more information.

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