The Sign That It’s Time For A New Car
Let’s face it; new cars are expensive. Even second-hand cars can set you back a good chunk if they are in good condition and worth buying. Not many of us can just go out and buy a new car whenever we fancy it. It’s not like buying a new shirt or a new pair of shoes.
This expense means that most of us try to get as much out of our cars as we can. We take care of them. We have work done when we need it, we take them for MOT’s and have whatever we need doing to get them to pass. Even when our cars start to struggle, when the check engine warning light is on more often than it should be, we try to get a bit more out of them.
To delay having to spend money on a new one, or to give us the time that we need to save enough money. Here’s a look at some of the signs that you might need to start looking for a new car.
You’ve Put the Miles in
Modern cars, if looked after well, can be expected to make it to 200000 miles before serious issues hit. They might need more TLC as they get closer, but new cars that are well cared for can make it. Older vehicles however often start to struggle as soon as they get past 100000. You might want to start looking into online auto loans if your car is older than ten and it hit that milestone a while ago. Especially if it gets a lot of use.
The Warning Light Keeps on Coming Back
When they check engine light comes on, it’s serious. Your warning light doesn’t just come on because you’ve hit a bump in the road or your engine is taking a while to warm up. But, studies show that most of us drive with our warning lights on. Putting off getting it checked out until our next MOT or scheduled service. This is a mistake. If your warning light is always on, you won’t know if more severe issues are cropping up until it’s too late. So, get it checked out.
If you find that the warning light keeps coming back on within a few weeks of having work done, your problems are starting to mount, and it might be more cost effective, not to mention safer, to get a new car.
You’re Always Filling Up
As cars get older, their fuel efficiency starts to decrease. A vehicle that could go for a week or two without a trip to the gas station can suddenly need filling up all of the time.
You Carry Duct Tape
A lot of minor repairs can be handled with a roll of duct tape. But, these should just be to get you through to an appointment at the garage. They shouldn’t be a long-term measure, and you certainly shouldn’t be doing it all of the time.
You’d Rather Walk
If it’s got to the point where you’d rather walk, because you are worried that your car will break down, or you are embarrassed about how it looks, it’s time to head to the dealership.
[…] of the biggest mistakes you can make. The test drive is one of the most critical elements of the car-buying process. There are lots of vehicles that look great on paper but once you get behind the wheel, it […]