How TO MAKE YOUR CAR LAST LONGER.

A fact of life for vehicle owners is that some car parts last longer than others and, like a chain's weakest link is its strength, the least durable parts dictate the lifespan of the car. To increase the car's years, therefore, it seems logical to beef up its weak spots. And that's exactly what an amazing new plastic will be doing from now on.

Plastic bearing specialists, Railko, have begun manufacture of high-precision plastic parts with properties that make them far more advanced than the familiar plastics found in a vehicle's trim, fenders, body panels and some moving parts. The manufacturers are confident that the new components will keep reliably on the move throughout a rigorous working lifetime that could stretch to two decades and a million kilometres.

Railko's latest plastic is not only tough enough to last the whole hardworking life of a modern vehicle, it is also self-lubricating, enabling the subassembly in which it fits to function efficiently and reliably, whatever the rigours of the road.

Technically known as an acetal copolymer, this new breed of plastic contains millions of tiny micro-pockets throughout its structure, each encapsulating a minute amount of mineral oil. The plastic ensures a controlled level of self-lubrication for life to cut down on friction and wear.

Ford, Jaguar, Massey-Ferguson and Rover are among UK-based vehicle makers that have started using Railko's plastic for pumps and self-lubricating bushes.