Inevitable Expenses: 4 Types of Repairs to Plan for if You Own an Older Car
If you are the type of person who wants to save a buck or two and foregoing the “just buy new” route when buying a car, there are a few things you need to know about before you give yourself the green light to buy an older model car. There are a few inevitable repairs that the old beater may need just because of its age alone. We’ll list them least to most expensive.
Here are the top 4 inevitable expenses that an older model car may need:
Minor Maintenance
There are a few repairs and updates needed to keep any car running in tip-top condition. Things like regular breaks and oil changes, tune-up, and tire rotation.
These repairs mainly depend on the mileage of the vehicle since the last time it was done.
With this in mind, of course it is best to get your older model car from someone who has taken pride in the maintenance of their car, as they are more than likely to have a record of when the last of these types of repairs were done and the expected date for the next round of maintenance on the vehicle.
If you are not so lucky with this not being the case, these types of repairs may need to be done as soon as you buy the car.
In essence, it is not a matter of if these repairs will need to be done. It is a matter of when these repairs will need to be done.
Heating and Air Maintenance
It is only a matter of time before you will need a heater core, a refill of refrigerant, or maybe even an air compressor.
These repairs can be quite costly. This is especially true depending on the make and model of a car. For example, to repair a heater core in a Jeep Grand Cherokee you may spend over $750.
On the cheaper end, you may replace the heater core in a Cadillac Deville for about $485 or more.
The same holds true for air compressor work, which may be more or less depending on the model of car.
The part itself may be inexpensive but these jobs can be labor-intensive.
It may be advisable to save money for these repairs because the life of the original parts may only survive so long until they need replacing.
Needless to say, this is especially true for older model cars with original parts.
Even on the most gentle of car enthusiasts, these parts will have a general lifespan and beyond this, they will only survive for so long until they need to be replaced.
Transmission Replacement
The transmission in a car needs to shift gears to keep your car accelerating properly.
However, once the gears have shifted so long, the internal parts will wear and that would mean it may be time for it to be replaced.
One of the most the least expensive ways to draw more life out of the transmission is to make sure that the fluid is running smoothly over the parts and is therefore not running on low transmission fluid.
This can be caused by tiny leaks that may allow the transmission fluid to drip out like a leaky faucet.
Slowly, but surely the transmission will wear on its own gears and will need replacing if this problem goes unchecked.
Also continuous stop and go will wear on the parts. This is especially true when the driver makes it a habit of accelerating hard after a full stop.
A weary transmission will show signs of sluggish shifting or none at all.
Older cars are at risk simply because of their lifespan of being driven year after year.
Engine Work/replacement
This is the granddaddy of all older car repairs. The engine is the heart and soul of a car.
When one part goes bad, it can set off a terrible chain reaction of other parts going bad if left unnoticed.
The head gaskets to the spark plugs and everything in between need to be checked periodically for wear and will need tending to every so often and especially before purchase.
There you have it. The top 4 repairs to plan for if you own an older car. Hopefully, if you are planning on purchasing an older car, this may help you in making your decision, as well.
These cars can go for a wonderful price upfront. Additionally, it may be a very wise decision to also calculate the long-term costs of ownership.
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Category: Car Repair
