Hi Everyone!

I have a 2002 Chevy Impala with 69,000 miles on the ODO and I have a couple of questions about maintenance on old but low mileage cars.

1. Should struts be replaced every so many miles or should they be replaced when needed?

I was told by a car repair shop today that both front and rear struts should be replaced every 60000 miles which sounds a bit bogus to me. Right now I do need to replace the front struts as one of them is making a scrunchy sound when I go over bumps but I don't see replacing the back struts if they are still functioning well.

2. Should tires be replaced if they are old? My tires have 6/32s of tread and no dry rot, however they date from 2010. I was told I should consider replacing those too... but is that necessary??

Struts every xxx,xxx miles? No. Bogus. 60,000 miles of Kansas is different than 60,000 miles of New York City. 60,000 miles of grandma is different than 60,000 miles of her granddaughter and three kids.

"Scrunchy sound": Usually not from the struts, but probably from a bushing or somesuch. I wouldn't replace the struts just for the sound.

Replacing one end and not the other: If you replace the front struts only, the rear will seem to bounce a lot more. This isn't because the rear is bouncing more than prior, but rather because the front is not. Depending on how bad this phenomenon is, you might want to replace the rear at the same time.

Tires: My rule of thumb is five years if it is a daily and/or my loved ones are primary drivers and/or it is about to drive far far away. If it one of mine, I'll let them go longer but will also keep an eye for rot/cracks/etc. . . . and I know what I'm looking for. The depth of snow and ice and water that it is about to play in over the next few months also helps me decide.