Yeah, I tend to replace parts that will leave me stranded on the early side.
People don’t want to spend money, believe me I get that, but you have to factor in the things you mentioned. Getting stuck, missing work, paying for a tow, being at the mercy of the parts counter guy and his prices. And, in extreme environments like the great white north, it could leave your life in jeopardy
Is it worth it just to get a little more mileage out of a part?
One example. My SOHC made it to 215,000mi without a fuel pump issue. Ran great. But I ‘played the tape forward’ and thought about what would happen if I lost the pump at 3am on I-95 with a full tank and limited tools. I swapped in a Motorcraft pump at a great price, in my heated shop, on my time. And then I didn’t have to worry about it for another 200k. Around 400k, I’ll probably do it again.
Maybe I would’ve gotten another 15k, or even 50k. But if you extrapolate the cost of the part over that mileage, what would I potentially be saving by driving until it fails? $10? $20?
That all gets wiped out ten-fold once the flatbed arrives.
This logic all goes out the window if your Ex is a grocery getter, or strictly around town, or a secondary/tertiary vehicle. But if it’s a daily driver and especially if you take it on road trips? Scheduled, proactive maintenance is what keeps these things reliable.
Edit: I also do what
@410Fortune does. I have a whiteboard with all of my big scheduled maintenance listed—the mileage/dates at which they are due. I also keep a spreadsheet for each truck that goes deep into the weeds. That way, I can look back and see when I replaced a part, what I used, what the warranty is, when it is due for next replacement or inspection, etc.
