Should You Repair Your Car or Buy a New One? | Autotrader

Where do you draw the line with car repairs? That is an excellent question, and one that is asked on a daily basis at my shop. I constantly run up against this quandary, and finding the solution can be tough. There are many variables in this equation, and the outcome can become a delicate balancing act. Let's go over a few of my experiences and maybe help you determine when it's time to give up on repairs and start scanning Autotrader.



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Should You Repair Your Car or Buy a New One?

[robertforce]

I have the sentimental value issue with my cars

[dstarr]

Car repair bills vs. car loan repayments. Pick your poison. You'll be spending money on at least one of the two your whole life.

[BryceLovesTech]

Given the financial advice that you gave him this video can you please explain Hoovie

[joelkatla]

part of me was waiting for that car wizard intro music

[jakeable]

My opinion is: if you have a historically reliable car (bought new 2007 Honda Civic) & low miles (85K) and car runs line new and you know for a fact you drove it sensibly & properly maintained it... Then I have no issue spending 1/4 to 1/2 of the value of the car repairing it ( if needed) over next 7 years. Because I expect the car to easily give me another 85k or more over the next 7 years or more, while a new car is $20-30K and a used car is a gamble with unknown risks. Each situation is different. So, though I respect the Wizards advice, it is not applicable 100% of the time. If I sell my Honda maybe I get $3-5K? And someone else gets a great deal, not me? Not in my world.

[Alexzw]

Im still driving my first car. i have had my 2003 Mitsubishi outlander since 2010. the engine and trans have been very reliable. other issues have been popping up over the past 18 months and i have put over 3 grand into it since mid 2022. how ever with 223, 000+ miles its still going strong.

[MyLifeThai]

Well said. Nothing lasts forever. Everything eventually wears out.

[moesizlac]

New cars are a nightmare. In the past, only expensive luxury cars were so complex that "they should never be owned outside warranty". Now any new car today (2020) is so full of proprietary computer gubbins (thankyou can-bus networks), that in a few years the only people who should ever own a car outside of warranty are car mechanics with an extra YouTube income stream.
For the rest of us, we will simply be swapping out our leases like the rolling cellphones they are, just to keep from having a worthless brick that will cost more than a year's lease payments to get back on the road.

The ground is shifting under our feet. If you want to keep costs down, hang on to your old car, get very familiar with it, and start doing your own repairs. Otherwise it's off to the car store for a car-contract--and you never get off that mary-go-round.

[dafff]

the "small" repair costs are the worst ones.
400 here, 2 months later 300 there, if i was lucky maybe 4 months without issues, then boom 500, 2 months and another 200 etc.
i initially payed for my first car 2500€.
i had to "invest" about 1000€ A year in repairs.
multiply this by 6 years and bye bye money.
so, how much was the trading price when i finally decided to get a new one?
400€..

[Gearhead]

I DONT CARE HOW MUCH I SPEND ON MY RANGER. I WILL NEVER SELL IT.

[becbusman]

Any car is not going to be worth the repairs at times needed, I have a 2001 Toyota Camry, I don't want any car payments, and my car payments are just keeping my car running well, I'm on the OCD side, yeah, IV spend much more than my car is worth, I just don't want a car payment, just to keep moble gives me peace of mind, thanks for all you do,

[joselbazcom]

Thanks a lot for the advice. That is what I have done with the cars I've owned. I do get attached to them, but once it begins the decline of wear and tear as you say, it is not worth keeping them. Not to forget the amount of time the car will have to spend at the garage and one without a car for hours or days.

[jeffzekas]

Best advice: buy a used car THAT SOMEONE ELSE did all the repairs on. This is especially true with classic and special interest cars.

[Ermy]

You love your car? you repair over the vehicle value.
Is it an appliance to you? you don't.
Thats about it

[rdkirk]

We just had a 2010 that our insurance company totaled because it needed $3, 000 to repair after an accident. They decided it was worth $5, 000 book value, so it wasn't worth it to them to pay $3, 000...so they settled with me for $5, 000. The problem was that I'd been meticulous with the maintenance for the life of the car...I'd have kept the car another five or ten years with $3, 000 to replace the bumper cover and other cosmetic repairs it needed. That $5, 000 would not come close to buying another used car with the same _known_ level of maintenance.

[thug_]

i feel like it also depends somewhat on the car, like id way rather put 4k into a 4k Landcruiser or something if it means ill get it absolutely sorted (obviously no quarantees) and drive it for over 100k miles than buy a new car for 30-40k and drive it the same amount and possibly already have same 4 grand into repairs outside of maintenance, but depends alot on if you buy a toyota or a bmw

[jimflaherty]

Nice XJ Cherokees have doubled in value in the past couple years. I have no regrets rebuilding the engine for the rust free one I just acquired.

[wiggumo]

What about a golf mk6, 2011. 94, 000 miles. Gearbox and clutch gone, cost to repair 2.5k. Repair or buy used new?

[jermainerobinson]

Love this guy comes across as a genuine guy, who knows his stuff about cars. I have also see some of the cars he’s had in He’s garage on YouTube videos Lamborghini. So he must know he’s stuff 👏🏾👍🏾

[marksmith]

On the flipside, sometimes, the pile of crap you know is better than spending money on someone else's pile of crap.
I always tell everyone to never buy a used vehicle without thinking that they are going to have to do $1000.00 worth of repairs.