Cars are so well-made we're keeping them longer; the average age for cars on the road these days is twelve years. But with that comes aging tech and grime.
KTRH car pro Jerry Reynolds says it doesn't take long for tech to age, even in some very expensive luxury cars. He says cheaper cars with newer tech can embarrass the high-end models.
"I'm in a Volkswagen this week. That system works like a charm; I mean, it's just instant when you hit a button."
Reynolds says one aging factor for many Texas cars is the dashboard.
"It seems to be more in Texas than anywhere else -- the dash is cracked by getting beaten down by the Sun."
Reynolds says all you can do is be vigilant about taking care of exposed plastics and leather. He says car leather can fall victim to the Sun and even your clothing.
"If you wear blue jeans, and I've heard this a million times, your blue jeans, on certain leather seats, the blue of the blue jeans will get onto the seat and there's nothing you can do except replace the seat."
Car tech is the first thing to age. 20 years ago car tech pretty much only differed based on the stereo. But now most new cars come with a tablet computer of some sort and all kinds of safety features like adaptive cruise control and lane change assist.