7 Tell-Tale Signs it’s Time to Replace Your Car
You rely on your car every day to get you to and from work, the grocery store, and everything else. With larger city layouts and commutes being necessary just to handle the majority of day-to-day tasks, you can’t help but become attached to your car.
Unfortunately, it eventually has to go.
If you’re not sure when it’s time to get rid of your old-faithful and replace it, or give it a year or two longer on the road, here are some key points to think about.
1: Fuel Efficiency isn’t Optimal
Fuel efficiency is a big reason to replace your car. A lot of older vehicles, even when they run without any problems, guzzle fuel like it’s going out of style, and there are some big implications for that.
First, you’ll obviously be spending more than you need to on fuel and filling up more often. Then, you have to consider how low fuel efficiency can hamper travel efforts; leaving you in a constant search for petrol stations.
However, over the last decade, cars have adapted newer technology that just keeps increasing the fuel efficiency of each year’s new releases.
If you’re noticing that you’re constantly having to fill up, it might be worth it in the long run to just upgrade and get it over with.
2: Age-Related Frequent Repairs
As a vehicle gets older, the wear and tear it has been exposed to starts to really show its impact.
Typically, this becomes noticeable when parts start breaking one by one; causing a seemingly endless string of mechanic visits for little oddball repairs.
The repairs stemming from this are usually less extensive, thus less expensive, but when you’re having a new part break every month or so, the smaller repair bills add up quickly.
It can be more financially beneficial to sell your car and go with a newer option if this is the case.
3: Tech Advances Leave Your Car Obsolete
Tech advances at a pretty astonishing rate, and it’s not absolutely necessary to have all the latest technological features included with your car, there are some things that will render your old ride obsolete.
Think of the integration of on-board computers in modern cars. When those were released, they pretty much blew classic cars out of the water. Yes, plenty of people still drive the more popular cars from before that major advancement, but they're typically at a huge disadvantage when it comes to diagnosing exact issues that pop up, and they miss out on tons of other quality-of-life features onboard computers made possible for everyone else.
If there is a major advancement such as that, it’s worth selling your outdated ride to gain the benefits of a major technological advancement. One modern example is the creation of EVs and how they’re changing roadways around the world.
4: Excessive Damage
If you wreck your vehicle, depending on the extent of the damage and the value of the car, it might be cheaper to buy a new car than it is to repair the one you have. In this case, it’s definitely time to get a replacement.
Luckily, even though your car is basically unsellable at that point, you can still contact a car removal service and get paid for your old car.
5: Recalls Produce Problems
If you’ve purchased newer cars, you’re probably used to looking out for recall messages from your dealership. A vehicle can be recalled for anything from a minor issue with the headlights, to far more severe problems such as faulty brakes.
Participating in a recall once or twice is perfectly reasonable, but some of today’s cars seemingly get them every few months. Every time it happens, you can be left without your car for days or even weeks waiting for the dealership’s mechanic to perform any necessary repairs, and at a certain point, it might be better to cut your losses and buy a new car that won’t cause so much grief.
6: Outlives All Applicable Warranties
This isn’t one many people can afford to do, but when you purchase a new car, it often comes with at least one form of warranty from the dealership. Many also have manufacturer warranties. These last for several years, and they help cover expensive repair costs for certain reasons.
However, when all your warranties expire, you’re on the hook for every repair; whether it’s a known problem with the car or not.
If you can afford it, it can be useful to trade in your car when it’s no longer protected and get one that will be protected.
7: Parts Become Difficult to Find
A car can last a pretty long time if you take care of it and replace parts as they age, but eventually, your vehicle becomes so obsolete that finding those replacement parts is a pain.
This can continue to be a problem until eventually you simply can’t make the necessary repairs to keep your car in good shape without spending an arm and a leg.
At that point, it’s usually best to sell or trade your car in to get something that won’t be such a hassle to maintain.
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