Why do people replace cars that can be repaired?

[gedcruise]

Not really, it is enjoyable to allow a car to grow into a trusty old dog. I can well afford new, but our newest car is now seven years old. Our oldest (my old MGB, used for actual transporatation occasionally, but not really needed) is thirty-one years old. I have had it 28 years.
I think there are a few reasons people buy new rather than repair.
1. Almost anyone who can sign their name can drive away from a stealer in a brand new machine. For the average cashless American, financing a repair is a little more difficult.
2. Ignorance, of the function of the car, repair options, and servicing alternatives. There is always the possibility of working on the car ones's self, but few people do so. There are also many good, talented and honest indie mechs out there. Few people are sophisticated enough to find them. Their idea of vehicle service is Sears, Jiffy Lube, and the stealer. In many cases, their idea of vehicle service is to ignore it.
3. Most owners don't really like their cars, and are thus willing to discard them like worn out underwear.
4. Most owners lack the understanding to see that the car may go through a repair/replacement cycle at 120-150K, after which it will settle in for a number of additional reliable miles. A really good, trustworthy mechanic can help with this, by pointing out those parts which are pattern failures for a given vehicle. This is also why brand or model specific websites are valuable. If you know what to expect to break, you can take care of it before it does, and you are not left in the dark as to what you should expect.

 

[Jett Rink]

My experience with cars it that you have a choice. You can make monthly payments for a new one, or pay for parts/repairs for older ones. 9 times out of 10, it is cheaper to just do repairs. Going the repair path with older cars is going to inevitably lead to down time and diagnostic time. Probably most people can't afford to not have a car that may not get them to work, certainly not very often. Or they just don't enjoy the challenge of dealing with them.

I drive two older cars. One is a 1995, the other is a 1989. One of them is always in good condition. Often times, one of them will need something. Usually not major, but something to keep it running how I want, or just basic maintenance. This is just not the kind of thing alot of people want to deal with. They may not even have space to deal with a fleet. But hey, I just like cars and driving,so I think it is a bonus. Counting my wife's car, which is a 2003, that makes three in our carport/courtyard.

If your car is just an appliance to you, then this sounds nuts. Sort of like having 3 older refrigerators or toaster, perhaps.

My cars, old as they may be, have ABS. They have disk brakes. The BMW doesn't have an air bag, which is either a positive or negative, depending on how you view the airbag safety issue, in general. I don't lust after the fancier electronics on new cars enough to make me cull the fleet. I don't need Onstar, satellite navigation, iDrive, or what have you.

Call me crazy, but I just sort of dig the older cars. I prefer the styling. I also tend to like the lack of isolation from the driving experience. Most people feel differently, see the success of Lexus. To most, a great driving experience is akin to sitting in a Lazy Boy chair, with just a silent film of the road going past them. Older cars tend to be a rawer in comparison, although they didn't seem that way at the time.

 

[ShiningArcanine]

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because in northeast the body rots away.

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I live in the northeast and to my knowledge, my car does not have this problem. How do you check for it?

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Volvohead is right - to many people, new equates with nice. People who think their car "says something" about themselves are going to want to be seen in something reasonably new and shiny and stylish (or jacked six feet off the ground with fake test*cles hanging from the trailer hitch).

To me, nice means a car that's paid off, and that I can fix everything on myself, which is probably why the newest car I own is 13 years old and has 175K on it. People who replace cars frequently are probably a lot less likely to have a "parts" car in their back yard or a "project" car in their garage, as I do. I suppose in that sense, my cars "say something" about me, too.

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To me, nice means a reliable car that has a logically designed (and therefore aesthetically pleasing) leather and wood interior, an automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, power seats, good acceleration, good fuel economy and an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

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Being new does not make a car nice.

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Actually, to a lot of people, it does. New cars are clean, have no dings or dents, the paint job is not faded, the body is not rusted, NVH is little or none, things don't break down (as often), and if they do, there's warranty to fix them.

Maybe we should define "nice."

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You have a point regarding certain aspects of new cars. I am not here to argue with you. I know many people will buy new cars and that is fine. My purpose in making this thread is to understand why people buy new cars instead of repairing their old ones, as I do not understand why; I now have a better understanding of why they buy new cars when their old cars only need to be repaired.

 

[ScottB]

Because time is money.
Once a car gets to a certain point, I'm done with it.
I live in a place where I drive minimally, 70 miles per day.
I can't afford shop/rental/down time.
I also feel that with the time I spend in a car, I want it to be not only reliable, but nice to enjoy.
New=nice.
Nice=enjoy.
New=not (hopefully) spending time at dealer.

Simple.

 

[gedcruise]

Maybe you should consider some proactive upkeep. We have had three cars beynd 200K, and we have never hesitated to take any car we own anywhere anytime.

 

[JakeR22]

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people will spend a lot of money on status items, fads, and changes in style. It is all a part of the need to keep up with the Jones's. It is not about being practical or logical.

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Sounds like someone is jealous.

Because I choose to work hard so I can afford nice things,that makes me impractical or illogical?

If you want to drive around in a POS be my guest.

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Who are you to assume he too doesn't work hard, make a good living in which he could buy a new car if he wanted to and drives around in a POS? He just asked a simple question.

Maybe he does work hard, have money to buy new, but chooses not to, and then invest his money in something that's not a guarantee loose. So if all thing were equal, he'd have more money then you,

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[HawkeyeScott]

Great topic...I think I fall somewhere in the middle here.

Something about caring for an aging - but still reliable - car makes me feel good. I think that speaks to the bond I can form with a car that treats me right. (I used to pat my old Jeep on the dash after a long road trip, like I was thanking my old dog for his companionship.) We have a 2001 Jeep Cherokee I plan on relying on for a long time. Therefore, it gives me good pleasure to give it good care. I almost see driving that vehicle to 200K miles as a challenge.

But on the other hand, I can't wait to buy my wife a new (or near-new) car that won't need that same type of attention for several years. I want her to be in something totally reliable. While the Jeep is great,several aspects of a newer car appeal to me too.

The best of both worlds I guess...

 

[JakeR22]

I think those that can't or don't want to fix the issues with their car, would be more apt to dump them when those problems become a reliability issue.

I usually fix my vehicle issues, but if they got to a point where it was beyond my capabilities, I'd dump them too. I hate buying a new vehicle, it's like throwing money out the window. Depreciation, sales tax...

 

[javacontour]

I suspect most people who buy new cars really can't afford them, and most people who buy used cars, or keep cars a long time are really the ones who can best afford a new car.

It goes back to that idea that the rich do things that keep them rich and the poor do things that keep them poor.

Frequent new car purchases are often one of those things that can keep you poor.

 

[road_rascal]

I've seen very expensive 'newer' vehicles (2005+) in my area that look like absolute sh1t because the owner doesn't give a #@$%! about wash, wax, etc. I cringe when I see $50+ cars with brake dust on the front wheels so bad I could scrape off chunks with a wooden spoon.

 

[ebc]

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Because time is money.
Once a car gets to a certain point, I'm done with it.
I live in a place where I drive minimally, 70 miles per day.
I can't afford shop/rental/down time.
I also feel that with the time I spend in a car, I want it to be not only reliable, but nice to enjoy.
New=nice.
Nice=enjoy.
New=not (hopefully) spending time at dealer.

Simple.

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Agreed. Just getting my car to a shop is a major hassle. It usually involves some unpaid time off from the job and cab fare since my mechanic does not have shuttle service. I can handle that occasionally, but not as a routine. When they get untrustworthy, its time for a change.
bc

 

[andyd]

It is often simpler for me to maintain my cars on my schedule than it is to pay a shop to fix it at their convienence. Besides, I enjoy working on them.

 

[ScottB]

^^^ Frankly, I can't wait for the day when my life slows down enough where I can do those things again.
As it is now, with job, family, house, etc., I just have little to no time to do car work, sans detailing and basic maintenance.
It's fun, but I'm not in a place to do it now.

 

[Sparkman]

For most people I think it's a combination of their concern for what others think of them, and their inability to make a vehicle last without forking over megabucks in repairs. I find most peoples' reasons for having new cars to be rationalizations of their vanity and desire for status.

I also find some truth in the fact that people who have money invest in appreciating assets. I can think of a few friends who have assets orders of magnitude more valuable than their vehicles and no car payments. That's smart.

Chances are I don't like the Jones' so impressing them is of no concern to me. Driving a beater is a rather interesting social experiment, tells me a lot about peoples' priorities.

I've done everything from new car to $200 beater. I think the sweet spot for me is a beater that has some life left, yet is broken in and I won't worry about dents and dings, say $2000 - $5000. I can fix anything and to me a warranty is a liability as it means that I'm compelled to let someone touch my car.

 

[LouDawg]

There are probably almost as many reasons as there are people.

It all boils down to what motivates us.

* Some like to stretch a dollar as far as it can go, so they hold on to their cars as long as possible.
* Some like to tinker with cars so they keep them.
* For some, cars are a hobby.
* Some consider a car an investment.
* Some consider it just a piece of machinery, an appliance, a means to an end. They couldn't care less how new or old it is as long as it runs.
* Some consider it a status symbol.
* Some just have more money than they know what to do with and they're bored, so they experiment.
* Some do it out of fear of something going wrong with an older car because they don't have the knowledge, resources, time, or inclination to mess with auto maintenance.
* Some gamble that it will cost them less in the long run.
* Some just want a new car because with all the other #@$%! they have going on in their lives, it's one less thing they have to hassle with.

I could go on all day, but one thing is for certain: it can't be reduced to a simple matter of dollars and cents. Like it or not, cars are nearly a religion in this country, in a million different ways.

Me? I like to drive nice cars...just makes me feel good, makes me happy, makes me smile, like a good steak. I could save money and always eat hot dogs and bologna too, but it's hard to beat a good steak, eh? But on the other hand I also like to have an old hobby car to tinker around with, and I like to have a hot dog or a bologna sandwich from time to time.

The answer to the original question is there is no single answer.

 

[K-Man]

At some point, a motor vehicle turns into an unreliable dog. If you rely on it, you might end up stranded somewhere once it reaches that point. Been there, done that; being stalled on the side of the Interstate is never any fun. Don't forget that age takes a toll on a vehicle just as mileage does. Rubber parts decay, bushings wear out, fasteners rust, electrical connections corrode and loosen, etc.

When that point hits, and you're afraid of what might be ready to break down just around the corner and you're sinking big bucks into keeping the old thing running, it's time for something else. Most people just don't have time for the constant repair cycle that begins then.

Don't forget that a replacement engine or transmission costs thousands these days, even for older cars. Most people have one or more jobs and need some kind of transportation to get there, so having their only vehicle laid up for major work is out of the question. Also, most people simply don't have the time to do major work on vehicles themselves, and the automakers have made a great deal of work difficult or impossible for the average owner to do himself. Overhauling your own engine is going to cost almost as much as simply dropping in a rebuilt unit, you'll still have to farm out work such as block cleaning and reboring, and you'll have to redo your own work with no warranty or recourse if you screw up somehow during the rebuild. And forget rebuilding today's transmissions—I doubt that Einstein himself could figure them out these days. As previous posts mention, the quality of mechanical service and replacement parts is iffy too. The factory alternator or starter might last 150,000 miles and 10 years, but after you replace it with a rebuilt unit, it will typically become an annual replacement item.

Most people want and need reliability from a vehicle. If the vehicle has ceased to deliver that, especially with high mileage, relative age, or corrosion problems, it's time to cut the losses and move on.

 

[LouDawg]

Oh yeah, one other point. Most people are used to having a car payment, and they usually trade before the old one is paid off. So getting a new car is usually not a big change to their budget. But if they need to spend $5K for a new engine, transmission, etc., lots of people can't afford it without borrowing more money, so their budget takes a hit, even though in the long run it's less expensive. It's a cash-flow thing rather than a P&L thing.

I'm not saying it's the right way to do it...I'm just saying that's the way many Americans live.

 

[rokky]

I have no time for, and I hate, car trouble.

I may be one of the few here who buys cheaper vehicles. No frills and no airconditioning. I've only just started buying auto transmissions because I really am tired of shifting gears.

Cars are not a status symbol to me. They are necessary. They are transportation. If I ever get to the point in life where a car is unnecessary, I will not own one. I don't even like to drive.

I have bought used cars if I was able to find something suitable and fairly priced. This is hard to do so I end up buying something new just to avoid overpaying for a POS.

My current car is a Chev Aveo and it does the job just fine.

 

[RedDart]

I will second what ekrampitzjr said. We have a 1995 Taurus and the AX4N transaxle failed at 80K even though I changed the fluid and filter every 30K and the car was not abused. After the transaxle failed my wife wanted to get rid of the car. I replied that the car was otherwise in good condition and a car without a transmission was not worth much. So we had a reman transmission put in. Several months later one the rear brake calipers froze up. Then the fuel pump relay failed. On a Ford when you replace one relay, you replace them all (stupid design). Finally the power steering pump was going bad and we traded it in. All of those problems occurred within 4K miles! Now that I am older, wiser (and poorer) I will never do that again. The trick is to figure out when to dump a car before it takes a big dump on you.

 

[Quattro Pete]

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My purpose in making this thread is to understand why people buy new cars instead of repairing their old ones, as I do not understand why;

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Another view point is that most people treat cars as appliances or work tools. Would you hold on to a microwave that would require fixing before you could heat up your dinner?

Fixing a car cost not only money, but time. And to many people time means even bigger money. If you have a job that requires you to be there on time, every time (like many of us), you simply can't afford any downtime "because I need to put in a new transmission." Aferall, if you lose your job, you won't be able to afford and fix up that old car either. The older the car, the higher the risk that something will need repairing, thus screwing up your schedule. With a new car, this risk is as small as can be. And if something does happen, many dealers will offer complementary loaners while your car is being serviced/repaired, so your downtime is close to nothing.

So, in a way, it's kind of like buying insurance. You want to protect yourself from an unexpected downtime and unplanned expenditures - you buy a new car.

Maybe in the end, a 'nice' car is the one that runs, whenever we need it to run, not whenever it wants to.