When you own a car, there’s an inevitable question you’ll eventually have to ask yourself: “Is it time to trade my car in for a different, newer model, or should I pay for repairs and keep it just a little while longer?”
If you’re the kind of person who always looks for bargains and holds on to things for years and years, chances are you’ll pay the repair fees and keep your vehicle for as long as it runs. You don’t want to pay an increase in insurance or registration fees. You have a sentimental attachment to your vehicle and don’t ever want to give it up. Or maybe you don’t have enough money to get a different car, so repairing the old one will have to do.
However, paying to repair a car that is old and breaking down may not be the most prudent long-term investment. Often times, it’s more of a Band-Aid solution, and before you know it, you will be back at your mechanic’s shop, unleashing your check book for yet another costly repair.
These days, it’s possible to get a newer car that fits your budget, looks good, rides nice, won’t break down, and is safer than the older car you’ve got. Quick: would you rather drive an old car that’s falling apart and breaking down in the parking lot of the local shopping center, or would you like the peace-of-mind that comes from a newer car that does what it’s supposed to do all the time?
It’s time to use a specific example to see why buying a newer car might be a good idea. You own a 2002 car that’s got 130,000 miles on it. The air conditioning hasn’t worked in years, and summers where you live are hot. For some odd reason, your tires wear down quickly because the car easily goes out of alignment when you hit big potholes. The brake pads have worn down and the rotors need replacing. It’s time to get a new serpentine belt. Something’s wrong with the windshield wipers. The stereo won’t play CDs anymore—you have no idea why. And the exterior has several small dents, with paint chipping away making the car look less-than-attractive.
If you take a look around, it seems like your friends and neighbors all have newer cars than you do. You know what? It’s probably time to trade in your old car, and get a newer one.
You don’t have to break the bank and buy “brand new.” 443 Auto Sales of Lehighton, PA, has more than a hundred pre-owned cars in stock worth checking out. Why not take a test drive and see what you’re missing?