Over years of working in a mechanic shop and shopping Craigslist, I’ve noticed here and there that people will claim that their old car is still equipped with its original factory-installed fuel pump or fan belt or water pump or whatever, despite the vehicle’s high mileage. “Pulled the brakes apart today. The car is still using the original brake rotors.”
Usually this is 3 or 4 owners in.
Unless they have access to every service record from day one, and know that they aren’t missing any, how do they know that it’s an original part? Do they just see dealer-installed OEM parts and assume they’re the original ones? Kinda confused here. Maybe I’m missing something obvious.
My truck is still on the original factory rear brake shoes; I know because I also have the replacement set (with receipt) my father purchased in 1996 but never installed because the original ones are hardly worn. The proportioning valve essentially prevents the rear brakes from ever actuating unless the bed is loaded or you slam on the brakes real hard; the shoes still have lots of life left.