Should I Give Up on My Car?

A fantastic mechanic can repair just about anything, however, once in a while it’s not worth the expense because either it will cost a lot of money or you might be left with a “poor investment.” Here are a few examples: 

1 Noisy engines 
Today’s engines quietly run.  It is not like the old days when you heard valve trains clicking away and making rattling noises.  We suggest that if your old friend has a noisy engine, it might be time for a trade. OK, occasionally engine noise only needs a valve train adjustment, which is not a super expensive affair but other times it’s rod knock, piston slap and other stuff that means a complete overhaul is needed. 


2 Bent frames 
If your car gets hit hard enough by another vehicle or you plow into something at speed, chances are that your car’s frame will get bent.  Sure, you could take it to a body specialist and get it fixed, but it has been weakened and compromised by the strain that was placed on it in the accident. 

3 Lots of rust  
There’s “surface rust” and then there’s “rust perforation.”  If the old vehicle has some surface rust starting to show, a body repair person can sand off the rust and paint it like new.  However, rust perforation is a serious situation.  When there are holes in your car’s body, they need to be filled, typically with a patch panel.  That kind of repair when done correctly can last a while but not usually a long while.  Vehicles with rusty holes in them are great candidates to sell or trade. 

4 Electrical problems
Some vehicles as they get older simply start to develop electrical problems.  The bottom line is that a few manufacturers simply do wiring better than others.  The problem is that when wiring starts to go, it can be devilishly hard to diagnose and fix.  Be careful if you find yourself dealing with many electrical problems in a vehicle.  The money can add up quickly and, in most cases, the problems reappear! 

5 Blown head gaskets  
The gasket that separates the engine’s “head” from the engine block is the “head” gasket.  For a number of reasons, head gaskets might leak and while this sometimes is not a major problem, sometimes it may be. Sometimes when a head gasket leaks, the engine overheats. When this occurs it may “warp” the head (an aluminum unit that may warp easily) and this is a costly repair.  In fact, some mechanics junk the old engine and find a fresh, low mileage one to replace it.  

We realize that it might be easier to just bring the car and get “band-aids” for the issues, but you might only be able to go so far. At some point everyone needs to get a new car! There really are occasions when perhaps it’s best to part with your old buddy!

Thank you to the Sales team at Bosak Motor Sales, a full-service Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM car dealership in Merrillville, IN for sitting down to talk with us about when it’s best to buy a new car!