During 13 years I have my car I've only changed the battery, I have no problems with the door handles to this day. However, I have heard that the opening mechanism itself needs to be replaced regularly, is this true? When should car door handles be replaced?
It all depends on whether you care about the aesthetic component as well as the technical one. I had plastic door handles on my Jeep, but at T1A Auto https://www.t1aauto.com/ I saw a textured alternative and I really liked it. I believe that a car's appearance is a reflection of its owner, so I take great care of it and do everything I can to keep it running as long as possible. It looks so much better now and it is much better for me to open the door in front of my wife to get her to sit next to me.