Automakers won’t publicly talk about how long their vehicles should last. There are too many factors that affect longevity for them to give a precise answer — maintenance, where and how the vehicle is used and how it is stored all affect its longevity. Stellantis and Honda, for example, declined to comment for this report. But major industry suppliers know the parts they are making will not wear as quickly these days.
The automatic transmissions made by German supplier ZF, for instance, should not have to be replaced.
“Under normal treatment, our ZF automatic transmissions will survive the service life of the vehicle in which they are installed. For light vehicles, this regularly means more than 200,000 miles. In fact, even within light commercial vehicles, ZF has inspected transmissions (for study purposes) at nearly 525,000 miles without failure,” John Hawkins, ZF Group’s vice president, electrified powertrain technology, said in an email.
Federal Mogul, recipient of several Automotive News PACE Awards for such innovations as diamond-coated piston rings; advanced pistons; and long-life, high-heat gaskets, spends millions on R&D yearly on products that have extended the life of engine components.