Believe it or not, cars are becoming better built and more reliable.
Having serviced cars for 30 years I’ve seen many items which once commonly wore out last much longer: examples are exhaust systems, timing belts and spark plugs.
We can now add CV boots to the list. CV boots are located on all front wheel drive axleshafts (and on some rear axleshafts) and serve to protect the CV joint and retain its lubricant. CV stands for Constant Velocity. The CV joint’s function is to ensure that your engine’s power is smoothly transmitted to the drive wheels.
A decade ago many CV boots would break around the 100,000 kilometer mark; now we see cars with twice that mileage with the boots intact. So while parts still continue to wear on cars you can be thankful that your CV boots are one item that requires less service and cost to you.
IF your vehicle is a bit older, it is important that these joints be checked out.