Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Cat converters, timing chains or belts are also maintenance items. Same for bushings, hoses, seals. None of these are a big deal. Each of those are major service items that, at 200k miles, often individually exceed the value of the depreciated automobile at shop times * shop rate. (which, unless it's a appreciating car is ~ traditionally $2000). So most people don't change them, which leads to cascading failure. (i…
Well you have a different take on "major service". If maintenance is not allowed, it is true that going past 200K gets difficult. But if you're open to doing maintenance, the car will usually last a lot longer than that. Timing belts are routine maintenance (60K on most cars I've had), takes me about an hour. A cat converter takes even less, four bolts (may vary by car of course). Hoses are for the most part very eas…
Maintenance vs Value is not that strange of a criteria; it tends to be the criteria warranties (and, in case of accident, theft, or flooding: auto insurance).
But newer cars do last longer, 200k miles pretty easily for many brands (the Ecoboost head gasket and collapsing lifter issue that destroy a camshaft being the American outlier of the last decade).
Timing belt is a great example of making maintenance easier and more cost effective than a timing chain, and is one of the major factors that took automobiles from 100k to 200k miles. (Timing Chain / Timing Chain tensioner early failure was an issue on Fords for a period of time)