Is it worth repairing my car?

Reed_Richards

My car is getting long in the tooth, it's almost 10 years old now.  I was planning to keep it for another 6 to 18 months before buying a replacement.  But after years of not needing much work when serviced, this year it needs a lot, brakes (fair enough), suspension (unexpected), perished tyre (never heard of this before), hole in radiator (unnoticed) and some other niggles I can live with.  Its MOT is about to run out and getting it through will need a lot of work/expense (£1.5k plus).  Is it worth it?  I would have a car that is more saleable when I dispose of it but is it worth the expense or should I trade it in as an MOT failure for less money back?    

caprikid1

You need to tell us more about the make model and current mileage on the car and what you use it for.

Far too little info.

chrisw

10 years old isn't particularly old these days and none of the jobs seem particularly out of the ordinary.

Why do you think it will need more than £1.5k of work for the MOT? I would take it for an MOT first and get a proper estimate for repairs, then you can properly weigh up the costs. 

Repairing the old one is still likely to be cheaper than a new one, particularly with todays prices.

diystarter7

Hi

Make and model will make a difference to my answer

From what you said, there is not guarantee that once you spent that money you won't get a puncture and splash out on another tyre or battery goes or breakdown - so have a look at using that 1500 quid towards another car. Newer cars last ten years or so rarely rust and last well especially the smaller amnual cars and relatively cheap to fix if they go wrong

Try to buy for cash and not waste you money paying interest.

Check insurance grouping road tax rates before buying.

Good luck

daveyjp

Its always a dilemma, but none of those appear terminal.

All cars need brakes and tyres, suspension components wear and a new radiator after ten years is good going.

I'd also look for your car on Autotrader and see just how much used cars now are, for many vehicles its stupid money.

Reed_Richards

It's a Toyota Yaris Hybrid with 92,500 miles travelled. 

I use it  a few times a week for round trips of 10 to 30 miles, a few times a month for round trips of 100 miles and a few times a year for long journeys.

I've been saving up for a new car and so should be able to pay cash.  But is it a waste of some of my cash to repair my current car?  It would give me more time to shop around for a new one and boost the old ones value for sale or trade-in.  But will it boost it enough to justify the repairs? 

Herzlos

If you try and sell it with the repairs needing done, you'll lose more than the cost of the repairs from the value, and also need to sell it before the MOT expires.

So you're almost certainly better getting it repaired and then selling it, unless the repairs are going to cost more than the car is worth.

Flight3287462

Your cost of repairs sounds a little hight to me (on the limited information you have given).  Who do you take the car to for servicing etc?  Not a main dealer I hope.

daveyjp

If it does have a main dealer service in the last 12 months Toyota warranty may cover some of the work.

caprikid1

daveyjp said:

If it does have a main dealer service in the last 12 months Toyota warranty may cover some of the work.

On a 10 year old car ?

sk2402005

10 years old and 93K certainly isnt high.

If you want and can afford a new car go for it, but in terms of money saving, it would be better to do the work and keep hold of it.

Brakes all round probably £200-£250

You dont say specifically what part of the suspension.

Tyre may or may not need replacing, there is no specific rule on that only reccomendations.

If the radiator was leaking it would obviously be losing coolant, so is it? if its just the core starting to degrade, as long as it isnt overheating dont worry about it.

From what we know, around £500 would get it back on the road for at least another year.