As the old saying goes, ‘it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.’ A quote by Charles Dickens that could easily describe the experiences we’ve nearly all had with our cars. From personal experiences, I’ve owned cars where I had to hope and pray something would break on my journey and also recall a few times I was stuck in a petrol station and on a dual carriageway waiting for an hour or more for the breakdown truck to come and rescue me. For me personally, the latter incident told me it was time for a change.
Here are a few pointers and key indicators to help you decide that maybe it’s time to think about changing your old car for a newer one.
Repair bills more than the car’s value
It’s not hard to have a sense of loyalty for your car, especially if it’s given you years of good service before reaching the point where those bills seem to be adding up and not subsiding either. So there does come a time where you have to say, enough is enough and work out that running the car is becoming less cost-effective and impractical.
Look at the fuel economy
If you can recall what mpg your car was doing on average when you first had it and compare what it’s doing now, and the results aren’t good, it’s another telltale sign that your car’s running cost is going up and with current fuel prices, as they are at present, this is another food for thought-moment. Most modern-day cars thrive on giving the best fuel economy in a highly competitive market. So when choosing a newer car, check that these criteria are on your tick sheet because there’s not much point in having an upgrade unless you are looking for a bigger engine or changing from petrol to a hybrid or an electric car.
How much is the mileage on the clock?
They say after a petrol car has exceeded 100,000 miles (160,934 kilometres), it’s coming to its twilight years, and normally means more replacement parts and higher costs to go with it. This is a great time to use what’s left of your old car as an asset in part-exchanging it for a newer one.
Engine light always on
One of the most annoying aspects of driving your car is constantly seeing warning lights on your car’s dashboard. This will never go away, no matter how much you wish for the light to go off. The warning light is normally quite a serious issue which is never good news and a sure sign to tell you, it’s time for a change.
Struggling to find spare parts
This is normally the case with old cars, the make, and model of your particular car is not widely supplied with a big selection of spare parts, meaning once again your costs of repair will go up. Plus it’s never a good sign when you have to hunt the earth for basic spare parts for your car or your trusty car mechanic who you’re now permanently on his Christmas card list because of your long term loyalty towards him, is giving you an estimate of weeks for spare parts delivery instead of days.
Not feeling safe in your pride and joy
A couple of disconcerting things you’ve noticed when driving is, you’re wincing every time you go over speed bumps or potholes due to your car’s overall condition. Or a simple cruise on the motorway turns out to be a nervous experience because you keep hearing a rattling noise and then your ears and mind start playing tricks on you.
The bottom line is, owning an old car doesn’t have to be a negative thing, you can be one of the lucky ones who just so happens to be driving carefree and life’s a dream every time you enter your vehicle with your loved ones or friends. Or on the other hand, having to wake up each day thinking, what will the next problem be with the supposed car of your dreams.
You don’t know unless you ask us
Don’t despair if it’s a case of feeling trapped with an old car you think is tied around your neck. Best Price Car Sales may have an easy solution for you. As part of our business practice, we offer all our customers the chance to trade in their old car, and just by arranging a call with one of our friendly advisors, we can ask you a few questions and give you an honest price over the phone. After that, you’ll know what you have to play with when it comes to payment terms, this is ranging from car finance or a cash transfer payment. As a licenced credit broker with some of the biggest and best car lenders in the UK, in most cases, we’re able to offer finance to customers with all types of credit ratings.
Best Price Car Sales is one of the biggest family-run used car dealerships in the UK, offering a free UK delivery service to your doorstep or place of work. With a substantial collection of 1000s of quality used cars within our network, we can surely find the right used car for you.
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To find out more about our current deals and latest offers, call us now on 0238 0225 666 and speak to one of our friendly advisors or to apply for instant car finance, click here now and get approved today.
