When do you replace your car?

[Better Half]

At what point should a car be replaced? In the past it has always been obvious. One car had a large electrical fire, with two the engine blew up. This car is 13 years old with 165k. Ive replaced the tires and struts last Fall so I could make it through the Winter.

Last month the alternator went out. I dont expect any more problems but who knows? I dont want to put any more money in this car. I figure I should sell it before something else goes wrong. I want to keep the car as long as possible but dont want to throw good money after bad.

A co-worker bought a used car for $8,0000 then put $6,000 in repairs $200 here $600 there over the course of four years. How do you know when repair costs are no longer worth it?

 

[inchworm]

Gee, I wish I new the answer to that. We tend to be the last owners of our cars. I figure the devil you know is better than the one you don't. Generally, I figure out what I want to replace the car with and shop around to find out how much it will cost to buy it. If the repair is cheaper, I do the repair. Eventually we get fed up, strip off what we can reuse or resell, and junk the carcase. At that point, the car is usually well over 15 years old and has over 250k miles on it. But we have no pride and will drive any old heap

Inchworm

 

[Wifezilla]

We replace ours when the cost to repair is more than the cost of a new used one.

I am currently driving a 97 golf with 135,000 miles one it. I has its quirks, but the engine is a great shape. It is still reliable enough to take on long trips and I just put new tires on it. I will basically drive it until it blows up, then spend $3000 and get another newer one

 

[SKR8PN]

I have been a professional auto tech for 35 years. Here is what I tell my customers when they ask me the very same question.

As long as the body is nice(NO RUST!) and fairly straight(headlight or taillight not duct taped in or dangling LOL) and the interior is still in decent shape, I can plug engines or transmissions in all day long. Struts, shocks, brakes, tune-ups, alternators, power steering pumps, tie rods, ball joints, etc. are all maintenance items and should be planned in your expenses for the car. My wife's Durango is a 1999 model with just over 145,000 miles and has a salvage title. We bought it out of the junk yard when it only had 30,000 miles on it and rebuilt it. We plan on driving it until the wheels fall off.......then I'll put them back on and drive it some more.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

HA! I'm glad I'm not the only one! I'm driving a 10 yo beat up camry & DH is going to be driving a beat up 18 year old Jimmy once we get the insurance. We literally drug this thing out of the bushes and started putting a little money into it. It looks like poo (stains from pine sap, purply window tint), but for less that we would have spent on one just like it running, we have the parts & labor taken care of and it runs great!.

I'm just cheap though, I pride myself on the fact that I've never spent more than $4k on a vehicle, usually much less than that

 

[inchworm]

My pride and joy is 17 years old. Still looks like the cream puff it is

 

[Better Half]

I have been a professional auto tech for 35 years. Here is what I tell my customers when they ask me the very same question.

As long as the body is nice(NO RUST!) and fairly straight(headlight or taillight not duct taped in or dangling LOL) and the interior is still in decent shape, I can plug engines or transmissions in all day long. Struts, shocks, brakes, tune-ups, alternators, power steering pumps, tie rods, ball joints, etc. are all maintenance items and should be planned in your expenses for the car.

This makes sense but at some point all these major maintenance items add up to nearly the cost of a late model car. I see my car having a slow, expensive decline rather than blowing up. 165k isn't a high mileage car but no spring chicken either.

I want to get every bit of use out of the car. I see cars from the 70s and 80s still on the road and wonder if these are low mileage cars or do the owners love them and spend a ton on repairs. I kept my '66 Chevy II after mechanics refused to work on it. Kept it until it burst into flames. I have no feeling toward my Nissan, just want to make the best financial decision.

 

[inchworm]

Why don't you tell us what kind of car and age and mileage? And then list the repairs you have done recently and cost and what still needs to be done. I bet by the time you finish, you'll have a clearer idea of what you need to do.

Inchworm

 

[ams3651]

when the cost of the repairs or the nature of the repair just arent feasable in relation to other repairs or the cost of buying another car. I had one engine go, replaced it once, the second time I got rid of it. One car the front wheel bearings all went out. That one caught me bad, drive my dads car for 2 years before I could afford to get another car. One car was the transmission, after only a month.

 

[Better Half]

Why don't you tell us what kind of car and age and mileage? And then list the repairs you have done recently and cost and what still needs to be done. I bet by the time you finish, you'll have a clearer idea of what you need to do.

Inchworm

1996 Nissan Altima. 165k. Since Halloween it's gotten new tires, struts, alternator and battery. One mechanic said it will need a tie rod eventually. It has an automatic transmission and doesn't shift the way it used to so I'm worried about the transmission. I've owned it since it had 11k and have done all the scheduled maintenance.

I've seen charts on when appliances should be replaced rather than repaired but I guess cars are a case by case basis.