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How To Gauge the Condition of Your Emergency Vehicle

Sep. 30 2022 Maintenance By Truck Defender Bumpers

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Is it time yet to replace your emergency vehicle? It can be a tough question to answer, but the following guide can help. Below we cover various ways to assess your emergency vehicle's condition.

The Age

One approach is the age of the emergency vehicle. As a general rule, newer models are in better condition.

The condition based on age is:

  • Excellent: Under 5 years old.
  • Good: Under 15 years old.
  • Fair: Under 20 years old.
  • Poor: Over 20 years old.

The Engine Hours

The more time spent on the open road, the faster an emergency vehicle will experience wear and tear.

The condition based on engine hours is:

  • Excellent: Under 800 engine hours.
  • Good: Under 2,400 engine hours.
  • Fair: More than 2,400 engine hours.

The Miles

Similar to engine hours, the number of miles an emergency vehicle has traveled can be an indicator of the vehicle's condition.

The condition based on engine hours is:

  • Excellent: Under 25,000 miles.
  • Fair: Under 100,000 miles.
  • Poor: Over 100,000 miles.

The Parts Availability

Sometimes, parts used to build a given emergency vehicle get phased out in subsequent models. These parts can become obsolete, which can make them difficult to locate (increasing vehicle downtime) and more expensive (increasing vehicle maintenance costs).

The condition based on parts availability is:

  • Excellent: Easy to find replacement parts.
  • Good: Parts are available, but becoming harder to find.
  • Fair: Parts are harder to find and are becoming obsolete.
  • Poor: Parts are already obsolete.

Once an emergency vehicle gets to fair or poor condition, it's usually time to start thinking about model replacement. If your emergency vehicle is still in good or excellent condition, however, it may be time to start thinking about upgrading its parts. A custom emergency truck bumper, for example, can be a wise long-term investment. To find out more or get your custom bumper started, contact the experts at Truck Defender Bumpers.