How do you decide to get rid of your car?

[Willis Jackson]

My car is a 2002 Subaru Impreza wagon. DH bought it before we were married. We found out later that the '02 is kind of a dud year for the Impreza, apparently.

Now it needs 2 separate repairs, totaling $4k. We've gotten multiple estimates. It only has 100k miles.

It's worth around $5k if we sold it on craigslist or wherever, according to Kelley Blue Book.

I mean, this is end, right? I feel like I'm losing a loved one. Please make this decision for me.

[definitelyO]

My car was 10yrs old and ~ 120K miles and sometimes wouldn't go in reverse (would act like it was in N). the mechanics couldn't figure out what was wrong with it... that combined with a bonus from work convinced me to trade it in for a new to me car.

IMO $4K in repairs on a 10yr old car - even if it is a subaru is time to trade it in...

[limey]

My last car was 11+ years old. While the transmission was technically ok, the seal on it was cracked. Unfortunately, both the engine and the transmission would have to be dropped to access the seal.

It needs lots of minor/moderate work - brakes, timing belt, body damage after a small collision, upholstery was starting to go.

I got the timing belt fixed and had my mechanic add transmission fluid, but not fix the seal. Then, I started working 2nd shift and had to drive through a bad neighborhood at 11pm on the way home. H put his foot down and said I needed a reliable vehicle.


Go into the light car of Williasaurus...go into the light....

[Susie]

That sounds iffy to me.

When it gets iffy, I decide based on whether I still LIKE the car and WANT to drive it, plus what condition it'll be in (reliable? or still quirky?) once that work is done.

I needed to put about that much into my '97 Jetta a few years ago. (It was around 147k miles.) I decided not to mostly because we had 2 Jettas, and I really wanted to trade one in for something with a cargo space for the dog to ride. I wasn't going to trade in without a good reason, but when the good reason came, I took it.

[CloudBee]

Is it worth $5k when you take the repairs into account? If it needs $4k in repairs and you're open about the work needed, I doubt you could get that much?

[M]

I had an old Avalon in college that needed $4k in repairs and was worth $6k. Toyota was only going to give me $2k for it knowing the repairs that needed to be done so I went to Honda and they gave me $5k for it and I got a new Accord.

We decide when we get tired of our cars. My problem is I get attached.

Eta: if it has to have repairs done then its likely that more repairs will be needed later. You should get rid of it.

[Deleted]

Dec 20, 2012 17:12:20 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Is it worth $5k when you take the repairs into account? If it needs $4k in repairs and you're open about the work needed, I doubt you could get that much?

I agree.

Either way, I would say it's time to get rid of the car.

The only car I have ever sold, I did because I moved to a building in downtown Chicago where it would cost $250/month to park it and I opted for a $75/month unlimited CTA pass instead. This was a 1995 Jeep Cherokee in the year 2006, so it was still in decent shape.

[Deleted]

We sold DH's old car because over the previous year the repairs were averaging $300/month and it was coming due for some additional repairs. We figured we could buy something newer for a $300/month payment and wouldn't have to deal with it being in the shop and only having one car on so many occasions. His car was a 12 year-old civic with 130,000 miles.

[mccallister84]

Mine was an easy choice - it needed a new engine. Even then I asked how much that would cost and both places had to call me back because they had no clue, they just expected me to buy a new car.

So I feel your pain with not knowing when to let go.

[lys]

4K in repairs should get you another 100K miles on that Subaru. What kind of repairs are we talking about?

[daydreamer]

Wow, what a timely post. A relative just got rid of her 2000 Impreza at a mere 65000 miles because it needed $3000 in repairs. She's pretty happy with her new Impreza. Even basic cars have come a long way in the last decade. FYI - The dealership wouldn't give her any trade in on it because of the repairs needed.

[Willis Jackson]

Dec 20, 2012 18:48:31 GMT -5 lys said:

4K in repairs should get you another 100K miles on that Subaru. What kind of repairs are we talking about?

New head gaskets and exhaust.

It would be worth $5k-$6k after the repairs.

[cahabalily]

I have an 03 Nissan Altima, and we put $2k in repairs into it a few weeks ago.

Yesterday we ended up stranded (visiting family for the holidays), but luckily were in a safe place.

H doesn't trust the car not to leave me stranded, so even though this repair is only $300, we are no longer confident in reliability. As soon as we return home we will start looking and will likely buy soon.


ETA: it has 155k miles and I commute sixty miles a day.

[LoveTrains]

Huh, that is crazy that it needs all that stuff after only 100K miles. I am at abotu 99K miles on my subaru and I fully intend to drive it for another 100K miles.

If you really like the car I would probably put the 4K into it, but can you get a second opinion or estimate? That sounds really expensive for that repair.

ALSO - if you are only at 100K miles, have you replaced the timing belt yet? That is like a $500 or $600 repair and needs to be done around 100 - 105K miles on most subarus.

[wanderlustmom]

I agree that's looking iffy, we drive our Hondas until they die. We just donated my 98 Civic and it had 260,000 miles on it, what a great deal, it barely had issues. We have a 2005 CRV that we hope to drive at least until 2016.

[chessie]

I would let it go at that point, sounds like it slowly going to drain you. I thought my last car be fine after the tranny, I should of learned my lesson and sold it and bought another car right at that point..2 weeks later, the engine blew up. I was out 2k.

[magdala9]

Is your emotional attachment to a vehicle worth the investment in repairs? When that answer is no, the car should go.

[Willis Jackson]

Dec 21, 2012 7:59:03 GMT -5 @songforyou said:

Is there a CarMax near you? When my husband's car needed repairs, they still gave him an amount pretty close to his post-repair value, which shocked the heck out of us. I would sell at this point. I don't have a formula, just a gut feeling. My last car was totaled in an accident, but before that, I'd done 3 repairs, nothing really major, but 3 back to back repairs on a car that was worth very little. After that, something minor happened and I was fed up. I got out. Similarly, I wouldn't put $4K into a 10 year old car. I think this seems like a good time to get out of it.

Oh that's interesting. We do have a CarMax. A lot of my hesitation is because I don't want to deal with the hassle of buying a car. But I think there isn't any negotiating at CarMax?

I keep going back and forth. I think DH is leaning toward getting rid of it. We brought our babies home in that car!

[Deleted]

DH's car was a 2000 Intrepid. Within two months we had struts go while he was driving on the highway piercing a tire, and after that repair a ball bearing went and he almost lost a wheel turning up onto our hill. It was about 3K in repairs and we just didn't trust it anymore, especially with our son on the way that summer.

[simpsongal]

I've put about $1500 into my 1998 pontiac this year. If the next repair bill comes in over $500, I might have to pull the plug.
We've put as much or more into DH's 2000 Mercury - but it's in better condition so we'll try to keep that one going.

[stephm0188]

I got rid of my car when I was spending more on repairs than I would a car payment. It wasn't reliable anymore. I got $500 on a trade in after dumping in thousands on repairs. Yeah.

We traded in my husband's car earlier this year. It was a 7 year old Dodge Stratus RT, and it had just under 200K on it. We had done some repairs, but it was reaching a point where we knew we were either going to have to get rid of it or spend a few thousand to keep it running. I couldn't justify spending that much on a Dodge with 200k on it, so away it went.