When is it time to Get a New Car?

We get asked this question all the time. When should you stop putting money into your and go out and get something else, not necessarily new, but just new to you. Well, it’s not as easy to answer as you might think. There are a lot of factors to consider. Most cars can last a very long time, in a lot of cases it is the body that gives out before the mechanical parts do. That’s because the body is built from very thin steel that rusts very easily, especially here in Canada where we use a lot of salt in the winter on our roads.

That brings us to our first and most important factor to consider if it’s time to change your car. How’s the body? If your car body is in relatively good shape, then it still might be worth investing into. On the other hand if rust is everywhere, then it might be time to consider your options.

Now the second factor, what does it need? If you have been taking decent care for your car as we have always advised you to do, then it should never need more than a few hundred bucks to get most issues resolved. If you have put off your repairs, and now it’s a tonne of work that it needs, well it’s a different story. Cars that have good bodies, but need lots of parts to get them working are more valuable to the people that know how to fix them themselves, rather than costing you a fortune.

Sometimes something major will break, where the car might be a couple thousand bucks to be repaired. This is the toughest decision that you will have to make, especially if the body is good and you have been on top of all the repairs. This requires a judgement call, but in most cases we can still safely say that you are better of still making the repairs. That’s because you have already done so much, so it’s kind of like quitting half way. Not only that, but if your car needs that much work, it’s likely going to be impossible to sell in that condition, so you will get nothing for it.

All that being said, it’s always good to have a second opinion from a professional, like us. Come to Top Gear and we will help you make the decision. As always, drive safe and think of Top Gear the next time you needs some service work, or are looking for London’s best alternative to the dealers.