Why should I care about Mechanical Breakdown versus Wear and Tear?
You should care because you may be covered for one (breakdown) failure and not for another (Wear and Tear) failure with your current warranty.
A failure occurs when a component or part BREAKS. A wear and tear failure occurs when a component breaks AND/OR fails to perform at manufacturer's specifications.
For example, piston rings do not break. They wear out. This is wear and tear failure, not breakdown failure.
Another example: Suspension items normally do not break. They wear out. This is wear and tear failure, not breakdown failure.
This is a critical distinction because many manufacturer's warranties and after market warranties do not cover wear and tear failures.