THE 10 YEAR CAR?

This article discusses the various economic factors which determine the desirable service life of a vehicle and its components. The author considers two basic design concepts, i.e., a vehicle intended to last only five years and a vehicle designed for a life of twenty years. The former would be of light weight construction and require less fuel to propel it, but, any savings must be offset against the more frequent replacement of worn out components. Such a vehicle designed for about 80,000 miles would not be attractive to the taxi driver or high mileage motorist, whilst the earlier onset of corrosion would need government legislation against the continued use of a vehicle beyond its intended service life-span. The twenty year vehicle is estimated to cost some 30 to 40 % extra and the author doubts whether many buyers would wish to pay this, to keep the same car for 15 years or more. The article concludes that manufacturers should aim to produce cars and components having an economic life of not less than ten years. /TRRL/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00137782
• Corporate Authors:

  Design Council

  29 Haymarket
  London SW14 4SU,   England 
• Publication Date: 1975-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 638-641
• Serial:
  • ENGINEERING
  • Volume: 215
  • Issue Number: 8
  • Publisher: GILLARD WELCH LIMITED
  • ISSN: 0013-7782

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Automotive engineering; Corrosion; Costs; Durability; Economic factors; Fuel consumption; Lightweight materials; Service life; Vehicle components; Vehicle design
• Old TRIS Terms: Economic considerations
• ITRD Terms: 1354: Components of the vehicle; 5252: Corrosion; 224: Cost; 5910: Durability; 232: Fuel consumption; 9038: Lightweight
• Subject Areas: Design; Economics; Energy; Finance; Highways; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00132309
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 23 1981 12:00AM