When Should You Not Repair Your Car

PrimeWest, a top Los Angeles auto insurance agency believes in providing our customers with as much information as possible to make informed decisions on their automobiles.  Whether you are looking for auto insurance in Santa Clarita, Los Angeles or anywhere in California, PrimeWest will always get you the best rates for the coverage you need.

Today we will analyze the decision of repairing your car vs. buying a new car.

When Is It Not Worth Repairing Your Car

Repair or replacing your daily driver is always a difficult decision.  If your vehicle breaks down and leaves you stranded, you might be wary of it happening again, even after repairs. If you’re in a collision, the damage may be costly and lead you to consider those costs against the price of a new car. Or maybe it’s been a wonderful ride over the years, but the frequent repairs is starting to get costly.

Is It Best To Buy a New Car or Fix Your Old Car

In many cases, routine repairs will likely be more affordable than buying a used car or buying a brand-new car. However, there are times when people find themselves wondering what to do with a car that is not worth fixing and can justify a new car purchase. Used car repairs might not be worth the investment if you find that your vehicle is on the wrong side of one or several of the following factors.

What To Consider When Replacing or Repairing Your Car

The Age of Your Car
Used car repairs on an aging vehicle might not be worth the costs if the vehicle has high mileage and is generally deteriorating. You may not want to keep investing in repairs to a vehicle that will continue to break down.

Cost of Repair
Been hit with a hefty repair quote? It’s time to break out your computer or calculator. Deciding whether to repair your vehicle or buy a new one is about crunching the numbers. If the cost of repairs exceeds the car’s value, it’s probably best to get a new car instead. Sometimes, when a car with high mileage needs a significant repair or if your car is totaled, you might consider replacing it with a new or used vehicle.

Installing a new transmission in an older car will run approximately $4,000. While this repair cost isn’t equal to the car’s value, it comes close and you should factor that into your decision. You will need to drive for many months without incident to justify the repair.

Repairs Have Been Frequent
You must avoid repeatedly repairing a car that has had frequent repairs over the last two years. If you’ve reached that point with your car, even a minor repair may not be worth doing because there will be another repair the following month. Frequent small repairs can be a sign of larger and more costly repairs needed down the road.

Parts Have Become Difficult to Find
If you own a classic or vintage car, finding reliable replacement parts can be challenging. Rare parts often have high costs because sellers know buyers have limited options. When searching for car parts from eras past, you should also be aware that those parts may be from other damaged vehicles since manufacturers aren’t making new ones. Even in common modern cars, some parts are difficult to repair and replace.

Costly car parts to source include the engine, a hybrid battery, transmission, airbags, and the head gasket. The engine and transmission deal the biggest blows to car owners’ wallets. The cost of an engine replacement can equal or exceed the value of a car, especially for models from a decade or more ago. Along with the engine, there’s no more complex system in a car than a transmission. Newer transmissions can have up to ten gears, making repairs and replacement parts pricey and labor-intensive.

Safety is a Concern
Once you have the financial aspects mapped out, it comes down to safety. If you can’t repair your vehicle to basic safety standards or if it might compromise your safety, your car may not be worth saving. You depend on your car not only to get where you’re going but also to help keep you safe along the way. Extensive repairs needed for an older vehicle may present the opportunity to purchase a newer vehicle with the latest advanced safety features.

When Should I Fix My Car
Once you have done the math, considered safety, and re-considered your habit of continuing to pour money into repairing your old vehicle, you can decide if your car is worth fixing. If you’ve decided to take the plunge and buy a new car, read on for tips on what to look for when buying a used car or other general new car buying tips.