Car Purchase? When do you consider one?

My car needs repairs regularly. My brother says when the engine goes put in a new one because the tranny is newer and most of the rest of the car has been repaired.

But now the wheels are grinding, so I have to take it in again. I take it in often. Last time the wheel fell off because of rust. Under car rust is now causing problems with the car but this time I'm getting it looked at prior to a wheel falling off (hopefully) dropping it off tonight.

The car is a good car for the most part, rust has been cleaned up by my mom's now deceased husband, it drives fine most of the time. Just today heard a grinding noise, hoping it's ice but I'm sure it's the car. But these constant repairs are getting to me. I had a newer used car I was paying monthly for, the repairs are almost like a car payment. I don't think I go a month without some kind of work needing to be done.

When do you decide to give up on a car vs. keep repairing it. My brother of course won't let me give up on this car, it's his baby that he figures can be driven forever. It has 205K miles on it.

It is in my name now. New tires, new brakes, new tranny, new radio, new struts, the car honestly looks nice because sometimes I see it and don't realize is a 2003. I like the car, it's big car, can really haul stuff, though the doors freeze every morning, it's parked outside and because of the rust repairs the doors are often frozen shut and I cannot open them. Thankfully the driver's door opens for me with some effort. I don't use the rest of the doors usually just wanted to haul trash today and couldn't because the frozen doors, they'll be thawed out this afternoon and I can haul it down (tomorrow is trash day).

Hi Aviza! I wish I had a concrete answer but I don't. I have a 1991 Acura Integra (Honda) with 157K on it. The interior is pristine, one bad ding on the exterior, always runs great. My insurance and taxes are low. Nothing ever expensive has gone wrong but I will be needing 2 new half shafts soon. I have a super inexpensive mechanic. So, less than $500 for this, the most expensive repair it's ever had.

It is a little slow to go into reverse when it's chilly and sometimes the key doesn't want to come out of the ignition when it's cold. Weird one, eh? The air conditioning conked out and that's brutal being in the southern heat! I haven't had that priced to repair yet.

Still, it's cheaper than a car payment with higher insurance and taxes. But I wouldn't mind a little newer with less millage. I've been looking so I guess I'm kinda in the same boat. When is a good time to get a new vehicle? I don't want new just new to me.

I'll ask Timgt5, a PC car buff, to pop up here and answer our questions!

Well my last repair was 43 dollars, but it's super inconvenient to need repairs all the time. I lose my car for a day, my mom has to drive me around. What will I do when I'm on my own? My mom won't be there to drive me around. I can't cancel work every week or once a month because of my car. It's a good car but not all at the same time.

I had to finally give up on my car late last year. Actually, the car pretty much is the one who gave up lol. My head gaskets had blown, and the cost for repairs could have been over $2,000. I think when it starts getting to the point where you literally can't afford repairs anymore, or you are spending more money on repairs than you would a new car, that is when it's probably time to start looking for a new one.

There are two ways to approach this subject. My folks were of the mindset of keeping a car until the "wheels fall off" and that it was always cheaper to keep repairing an older car vs buying a new or newer one. When I was younger I had a similar outlook. As I have studied economics I have also learned of the concept of the "Sunk Cost Fallacy" the mental trap that people fall into believing that once they make a purchase you to get your "money's worth" since you already threw money at it in the past.

you can read more about it here

https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/...k-Cost-Fallacy

The gist of it is that people tend to believe that because they have spent money on something in the past that they have to keep spending more to recoup their "investment" this fallacy follows us in many ways, relationships, purchases, government programs etc.

Unless you have bought a car in hopes that it is a collectors items that you can get a big amount of money for or a hyper car you plan to flip (John Cena and his Ford GT 40 for example) a car is NOT an investment, it is a tool, and like every other tool you have to decide when to cut your losses and let it go.

so the questions you should ask yourself

1. Is there something newer with less miles that will effectively do the same thing as what I am driving now?

2. A engine replacement, can cost $3500-5K for a normal car, would you get that back our of your 2003-if you paid to replace said engine?

3. Are you willing to take the chance that whatever safety features your 2003 has will still function in the event of a serious accident (ABS, Airbags etc) and keep in mind that a car that old will have weakened body integrity?

I hear ya about your brother wanting you to keep the car, and that it’s his baby. But YOU are the one paying for the repairs I take it? Maybe sell the car to him and can really be his baby. My vote is that if you are paying more for repairs than you would for a car payment....it’s time to get a new car. I personally would be a nervous wreck if I was driving a car that I never knew when it was going to break down.

Well we just got a big snowfall and this car got me through the snow, a little car that I could afford would not be able to do the same thing. My mom's all wheel drive car can't even do that. So at least until I move I'm keeping this car. When I'm ready to part with it I will offer it back to my brother, thanks for the suggestion. Because he really has a soft spot in his heart for this car, and it's been a good car. But unreliable it dies periodically for no real reason. We give it a minute and it'll generally start back up but it's done that for years.

If you have a good, reliable income and can afford the payments on a late-model used car, then I would say good-bye to your brother's baby. 205K is a lot of miles. 16 years is a long time for a big machine, made largely of metal, to be exposed to the climate of the American Midwest. (Snow, ice, rain, wind, heat, humidity.)

I once decided to meticulously maintain a car I had bought and see how long it would last me. It got older and I got to where I can replaced just about everything in it. Then I had an accident, and all I had invested in parts and labor got towed off to the junkyard. I had dropped the comprehensive and collision, keeping only the mandatory liability. So I got nothing. Even had I kept insurance on my car, the car was too old for insurance to pay out anything. At that age of a car, the insurance against damage isn't worth the premiums.

So see about selling or donating that car to some mechanically inclined party that likes to work on old cars. Meanwhile, start shopping. The old car might get you by long enough to shop at your leisure. That's better than having the pressure of shopping when you have no car.

My 95 pick em up truck just died...was thinking about payments on a brand new one till a co-worker said for $2000 he can get used distributors cars all day long. I’m signed up. Staying out of payments is a must...a waste of valuable money. According to my take home....payments are hard.

Tell us more about how you get those vehicles if you can!

I buy cars brand new and drive them for 300k miles or so. Usually repair becomes a PITA and new features tempt me. I just bought a new car in March and I love it.

300k...what do you do? Most cars die at 250k. I wish that I had your luck.

Car repair and maintenance is my hobby. I only bring my car to a mechanic when I need big time work done. I don't have a transmission jack or an engine lift, and I don't weld exhaust. All the money I save in maintenance and work helps pay for those expensive jobs.

The car I just bought is pure electric so I have no idea what to do with it- will be paying the company for maintenance. Not much needs to be done on an EV though. I'm having so much fun driving it that I probably won't repair the failing turbo on my BMW and will buy a second EV.