Four Important Signs It’s Time to Get a New Vehicle

Drivers around the country feel attachment and loyal to their vehicles, but sometimes these feelings aren’t necessarily good. If you’re hanging on to a car because you love it so much, but it’s experiencing a lot of problems, you’re putting yourself, your passengers, and other drivers around you on the road at risk. These signs may mean it’s time to put your beloved vehicle to rest and move on to a safer, more reliable option.

Constant Need for Repairs

Getting your car repaired is rarely cheap, and when you’re constantly in the shop, you may wind up spending more than anticipated on your beloved car. In fact, some major repairs, such as transmission and engine work, could cost more than the real value of the car if you’re driving an older model. Before you decide whether to go ahead with a repair, do some research on the estimated value based on the car’s condition to make sure it’s worth it.

Dashboard Lights are Always On

The lights within your dashboard typically illuminate for a reason, so if yours are constantly turning on, you may want to reconsider driving the vehicle. Some of the lights aren’t as concerning, but the check engine light and tire pressure monitoring system light are ones that you shouldn’t ignore. Continuing to drive with a check engine light on could cause further damage, which will be expensive to repair if it’s even possible. Similarly, driving on a flat or deflating tire may lead to a blowout or damage to the wheel.

If you hit a bump in the road and new lights come on or illuminated lights go off, this is also a clear sign that something isn’t right within the systems.

The Odometer Reading is Over Six Figures

More than 100,000 miles on a vehicle is often a sign that it will soon venture downhill. Some cars are built to last, but most vehicles on the road today won’t continue to perform at the same level as they did when they were new. Many cars will start to have more problems after hitting the six-figure mark on the odometer, so you could end up spending a lot to keep up with the increased need.

Decreased Gas Mileage

There are a few ways to improve the fuel economy of your car, but if you’ve tried these and you’re still stopping for gas more often than you should, now is the time to upgrade to a more efficient car. Modern cars have new technological elements and components that make them much more efficient, and older models simply can’t compete. The fuel economy in cars also goes down as certain components stop working as efficiently. Not only will you spend more than you need to in fuel costs, but your car will also have a negative impact on the environment as a result.

If you get another hefty repair estimate or your car isn’t performing the way it should, take some time to look into the newer, more efficient, and affordable options available.

 

Image by David Sorich, Licensed via CC BY-SA 2.0

Posted in Car Buying Tips | Comments Off on Four Important Signs It’s Time to Get a New Vehicle