Head unit Lifespan

"It's a hint that the factory stereo has lived its long and fruitful life of 7 years and it's time to look into getting a new deck and speakers. "- quoted from stevdart in another thread. It got me thinking, how long does the average head unit last? I bought my current head unit about 3 years ago and its acting up on me now.

Electronic equipment manufacturers generally do not design in a life span, but take a look at the warranty offered by the maker of your gear and you will get a good idea about how long they expect it to last.  Heads will last anywhere from "first use" to "forever" depending on the components used and the quality of the construction.