Maintenance « AAMCO Transmissions of Venice

Factoring in the Cost of Auto Repair

By Dallas Council on September 11, 2012 / Do It Your Self, General Interest, Repair & Maintenance Advise / Leave a comment

When you buy a car, you consider things like cash or finance, you include finance fees and auto insurance and the cars mileage into the total cost of ownership. However, it is the rare buyer, who also considers the cars need for maintenance and auto repair.

Auto repair isn’t cheap and we shouldn’t expect it to be. The cost of repairing a vehicle is based on several factors. The make, model and year of the vehicle affect the cost of auto repair. Of course, the type of auto repair needed determines how much it will cost. Some repairs cost more because the parts involved are more expensive. The cost of auto repair is also determined by the labor rates in your area.

According to one recent study, the average American household spent $5,477 on gas and automotive expenses last year. Of that, $2,208 was for gasoline, the rest a monstrous $3,269 — was for expenses like dealership maintenance, service station fixes and body shop repair. That comes out to $272 a month, which is almost a second car payment [source: Paskin].

Understand that figure is an average, which includes cars of all different makes and model years. Most of us are not paying that amount per month. How much you pay in the end depends on what you choose to purchase. Buy a brand-new Honda Civic or Jeep Grand Cherokee, and your repair costs will likely be lower than if you invest in a 1960s Jaguar sports car or something similar. Remember, buying a brand new car means that a warranty will cover the cost of many auto repairs for a set time.

If you take care of your vehicle, you’ll prevent serious problems down the road. Everything from oil changes to brake pads and tire rotation could save you thousands of dollars down the road, be sure to consult your owner’s manual and your mechanic frequently to see what’s next on your car’s maintenance schedule.

There are benefits to controlling your auto maintenance costs, similar to those you experience when gaining control over any area of your money. Proper budgeting for auto repair and maintenance will allow you to:

* Have a better relationship and better communication with your auto mechanic

* Prepare/plan better so you don’t have to race to get oil changes before your next trip

* Reduce your maintenance expenses going forward

* Relax in the knowledge that you’re prepared

You can achieve all of these things simply by setting aside enough money to cover your expenses. That way you won’t have to stress or worry about where the money Your mechanic can help you know ahead of time on repairs that can be expected early or here are a few tools to help you figure out exactly how much you’re spending so you can budget.

* The Total Cost of Ownership Calculator from Edmunds

* The Car Operating Cost Calculator

The Edmunds tool is only for current car models, the other one works in all situations. Note these tools are very comprehensive, even taking into account depreciation. Have fun, save

The 4 Keys to a Healthy Car … And Life

By Dallas Council on September 4, 2012 / General Interest, Repair & Maintenance Advise / Leave a comment

According to Dr. Walter Bortz, a professor of medicine at Stanford University there are four key areas to the health and vitality of both you and your car.

There is DESIGN:

Designed improperly with little thought or care a car will quickly fall apart. Look at the Honda Civic, a best seller for many years. This vehicle was designed with very strict standards. It was tried and tested many times over before it was made available to the public. Now take the Chevrolet Vega, a poorly engineered car notorious for rust and breakdowns. By its third recall, ninety-five percent of all Vegas manufactured before May 1972 had critical safety flaws.

For your Human design, it is mostly concerned with your inherited genes. Genes are something we can generally do nothing about, however they only add up to about 15% of our total health. Knowing what you have inherited knocks that percentage down even more.

Then there are ACCIDENTS:

These unfortunate incidences happen and you have little or no control over them. When your car accidentally leaves the road and hits a tree or is rammed by another run away driver your car will be hurt or mangled and its health will suffer. This is similar to the human body. You fall from a tree, are hit by a thrown rock or catch a virus or bacteria your body will hurt and your health will suffer. However today there are many advancements and an accident doesn’t have to mean death. A highly trained mechanic can repair your car and you can have it for many years as well.

Now we look at MAINTENANCE:

For your car this means having a good mechanic do oil changes, tire rotation, fluid checks, engine tuning and replacing the worn parts. Ignore these things or do them poorly and you will be significantly lessening the life of your car. Our own human body needs regular maintenance as well. This means eating healthy, not under or over using the body and having regular check ups to maintain your health.

Lastly, we look at AGING:

We’re eventually going to die no matter what we do. Same with our cars, although you could theoretically replace every single part with a new one and still think of it as the same car. However, how well we do maintenance can have a big impact on the rate of aging of our cars and our bodies.

Compared to a car our bodies are far more complex systems and experience much more complex lives. With good care and maintenance both car and driver can have a long healthy life.

5 Things Every Woman Should Know About Their Car

By Dallas Council on May 22, 2012 / AAMCO Venice, Do It Your Self, General Interest, Repair & Maintenance Advise, Uncategorized / Leave a comment

While you may never have a flat tire, having a working knowledge of your car and what do to when the check engine light comes on can save you both time and money in the event of an auto emergency.

1) Know how to change a tire

Flat tires are the number one cause of auto emergencies. Whether a blowout at 70 mph on the freeway or a slow leak caused by a nail imbedded in the rubber, a flat tire will derail your trip faster than you can say, “what happened?” The key to changing your own tire is to have the proper equipment. Most importantly, keep your spare tire properly inflated and know where to find the jack and iron.

You should always loosen the lug nuts on your tire before you raise the car with the jack. It will be easier to exert force on the nut while the car is planted firmly on the ground. In the event your car has a hub cap that hides the lug nuts, keep a flat head screw driver in your cargo area as well.

Learn where to place the jack in order to properly lift the car. Your owner’s manual should have both a description of the process and an illustration. Putting the jack in the right place makes all the difference when you begin to lift. Follow the directions in your manual and you will be surprised at how easily you can raise the car to the right height.

After you have removed the damaged tire and put on your spare, tighten the lug nuts as much as you can with your hands and then give them a little turn with the tire iron. Follow a star pattern when tightening instead of going around the tire in a circle. This will help balance the tire and prevent one side from being over-tightened. After you have secured the tire, lower the car slowly to the ground. Once on the ground, use the tire iron to tighten the nuts as much as possible.

If your spare tire is smaller than your other three tires and only intended to be used as an emergency spare, it is important that you follow the directions in your manual and only drive at moderate speeds until you have the full size tire repaired and placed back on your car.

2) Know how the read both the gauges on your dash and the owner’s manual

The second most common auto emergency is a warning light on your dash board. Examples of warning lights are the Check Engine light, Oil light, ABS brake light, or Airbag light. A sudden illumination of any of these lights can mean a serious problem is occurring and you should have your car checked as quickly as possible. However with the modern computers in vehicles today sometimes the lights come on without a serious underlying problem. Sometimes the lights come on due to a faulty switch in the dash or a circuit that isn’t properly functioning.

The most important thing to remember about warning lights is that they are your car’s way of talking to you and you have to be able to understand what it is saying. Read your owner’s manual. Review the section on troubleshooting. Familiarize yourself with what the different warning lights look like when they are illuminated. Know that when the ABS light comes on you might need to have your brake fluid checked. Know that when the Airbag light comes on you could be driving with the risk that your airbag may not deploy in the event of a collision. Have it checked by the proper technician as soon as possible.

By knowing what your dash gauges mean and how to interpret them using the owner’s manual you can catch problems before they become serious, saving yourself money and potential lost time in the process.

3) Know how to check the oil and radiator fluid

Keeping your engine running smoothly is often as simple as making sure it has enough oil and radiator fluid. Automobile engines are made up of lots of little parts. These parts move interchangeably against each other thousands of times a minute and build up friction. Find where the dip sticks are for both engine oil and engine coolant. In many cars they are yellow in color and marked with a picture of either a drop of oil or some sort of liquid. Using your owner’s manual, determine the proper levels for both fluids. To get the most accurate reading, have your engine running when using the dip sticks.

Check your fluids once a month. In warmer weather you may need to check it twice a month. While it is normal to lose some fluid periodically between oil changes, if you find yourself having to add oil or engine coolant regularly to your car you should have it checked by a technician as soon as possible. This can be a sign of a more serious problem and having it repaired quickly will prevent further damage to your car’s engine.

4) Know how to jump the battery

Ever leave your head lights on accidentally? How about leaving the overhead light on all weekend? If so you have probably experienced a dead battery and have had to jump start your car. Jumping your battery requires jumper cables and another car that can start its engine. The key to jumping your car is to know that there is both a positive and negative cable which corresponds to the positive and negative posts on your battery. The posts are usually covered with a cap however once you remove the cap, the posts are marked with a + sign or a – sign. The cables will be marked as well. With both engines off, clamp the positive cable to the positive post and the negative cable to the negative post. Do this to both cars. Start the engine of the other car. Wait a minute or two to allow the charge from the running engine to flow through the cables into your battery and then try and start your car.

Once your car starts you can disconnect the cables and close the hood. Allowing your engine to run for about thirty minutes, or driving to your destination, will recharge your battery and you shouldn’t have trouble starting it again.

5) Change the wiper blades

Depending on the area you live in, having properly functioning windshield wipers can be critical to safe driving. Getting caught in the season’s first rainstorm with dry or brittle wiper blades can happen to anyone. Knowing how to change your own wiper blades however can get you quickly back on the road.

Many models have different size blades for each window. Determine what size blade you need and keep an extra pair on hand in the car. The manual will tell you how to remove the wiper blades and replace them.

Whether your car is five days or five years old, spending time getting to know the ins and outs of the owner’s manual, practicing some basic maintenance techniques, and purchasing just a few basic tools and supplies will keep you safer and keep your car on the road longer.

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Social Shout Out Testimonial – Venice, FL

By Dallas Council on May 11, 2012 / AAMCO Venice Testimonials / Leave a comment

Check out what Angela shared on our Facebook page about her experience at our shop! Thanks Angela, and make sure to check out her website www.laydbacklivin.com for great LOCAL apparel!

When Your Transmission Fluid Should & Should Not Be Serviced

By Dallas Council on March 12, 2012 / General Interest, Repair & Maintenance Advise, Uncategorized, Videos / Leave a comment

Transmission Fluid Video

Does your transmission fluid need to be serviced? Click Here to schedule a free fluid evaluation.

Hello again. Dallas Council back from AAMCO Transmissions of Venice and today, I want to talk to you about when it is a good time to change your automatic transmission fluid and when it is not OK to change your automatic transmission fluid.

Like all the other fluids and oils in your car, you want to change them as part of a routine maintenance schedule. Never do you want to wait until you are encountering a problem, a breakdown or a mechanical failure of some sort and then decide it’s time to change your fluid. In most cases, that would just be a waste of money because the new fluid is not going to correct or cure the existing mechanical hydraulic problem, whichever the case may be.

So today, we want to talk specifically about the transmission fluid and when it is a good time to change the transmission fluid. As a rule of thumb, every 20,000 to 30,000 miles is when you want to change your transmission fluid. Transmission fluid is a little bit different than engine oil because it has to not only lubricate, it also has to disperse heat.

So clean, healthy transmission fluid should be cherry red and translucent. It should look something very similar to this. In this bottle right here is a brand new transmission fluid that we’ve pumped out of our wheels here at the shop. It doesn’t have zero miles on it and that’s what healthy transmission fluid looks like. This is what your transmission fluid should look like as you’re changing it. Keep in mind it is going to get a little bit darker than this as you use the transmission and it builds up heat. The fluid is going to lose viscosity and will begin to darken just a little bit and that is natural. That is why you need to change it every 20,000 to 30,000 miles.

Samples of Transmission Fluid

Transmission fluid that should not be changed or at least the transmission should be looked at very closely by an expert is when the transmission fluid looks like this. This is dark, over-extended transmission fluid. What happens is as it builds up heat, this fluid will begin to varnish and turn this color. Once it has turned this color, it may be too late. It may not be a good idea to change your transmission fluid. It could also be indication of a problem.

So I would highly advise you to have a specialist look at the transmission before you consider changing the transmission fluid when it’s in this condition and I will just show you both of them. This is the healthy transmission fluid. This is the dark and burned transmission fluid. You can see the clear difference between the two there.

A third condition that we see sometimes is transmission fluid that is contaminated. Transmission fluid can become contaminated in one of two ways. Either it gets a substance in whether it’s water or something mixing from outside of the transmission in which case the transmission fluid will develop a real milky look like this. This transmission fluid here has been mixed with water or if you have a mechanical failure or hydraulic failure inside the transmission, it will generate contaminants which will be fine metal particles.

What I have here that I wanted to show you are two magnets and you can kind of see them there. I’ve taken these magnets out of the bottom of a transmission pan that has failed. You can see that they’re highly contaminated with a sooty-looking substance and that is what happens when metal parts make contact with metal parts and there’s no lubrication there. It creates that metal substance.

At that point, you definitely, definitely do not want to change your transmission fluid. What will happen is that new fluid is highly detergent. It’s going to wash all the particles free, get hung in various working components and cause you some additional trouble that you definitely don’t want to deal with.

At that point, what you need to do is get to the bottom of what is causing that material to come in your transmission and then take the correct course of action at that point.

So I hope this video was helpful. It’s a very common question that we get. Should I flush my transmissions? Should I just drain and fill it? Should I take the pan down and change the filter and gasket?

All those questions we can answer for you on a case by case basis but I highly advice you, before you just take the recommendation from a Jiffy Lube or a Quik Stop, get the opinion of an expert. It could save you a lot of time and money and aggravation.

So again, from your friends at AAMCO Transmissions of Venice, thank you and have a great day.

4 Things You Must Know to Keep Your Car Past 100,000 Miles!

By Dallas Council on February 2, 2012 / Do It Your Self, Repair & Maintenance Advise / Leave a comment

While the average American still replaces his or her car every three years, there are plenty of reasons to hold onto the keys a lot longer. Modern cars are built to last well beyond 100,000 miles, if properly maintained, and can cost very little in maintenance and repairs over that period.

Whether finances are tight or you just aren’t ready to get a new set of wheels, follow these four tips to help ensure your used car lasts longer without expensive repairs.

Stay on schedule

All cars require regular maintenance, and you’ll make an old car last longer if you stay on top of the manufacturer’s recommendations. Follow the maintenance schedule that’s listed in your owner’s manual to keep your used car in tiptop shape. For most drivers, it’s not necessary to increase the frequency of the maintenance (such as more frequent oil changes). Nor is it critical to have other services performed that are not on the manufacturer’s list of recommendations for that specific mileage. Doing either is often a waste of money.

Give it a once-over

At least once a week, spend a few minutes walking all the way around the car to make sure all the lights and turn signals are working. Check the tires for uneven wear and other damage. Lift the hood, checking the battery connections for corrosion and the hoses for cracks or wear. Check the fluid levels.

Watch the tires

Your car’s tires are the only part of your car that actually touches the ground, and those four patches of rubber need to be in top-notch shape in order to provide optimum safety as well as fuel economy. In addition to inspecting tires regularly, check tire pressure once a month and add air as necessary. The proper tire pressure (written in pounds per square inch, or psi) is listed in the car owner’s manual as well as on a label on the driver’s side doorjamb. Maintaining proper tire pressure will help prevent issues that could require expensive repairs, such as excessive wear on suspension components or blowouts that can result in accidents. It will also help your fuel economy — a nice bonus with today’s rising gas prices.

Drive wisely

Your driving style can affect an old car’s life span. Leaving a traffic light like you’re in a race, jamming on the brakes at a stop sign and taking turns at high speed are all very hard on your car’s engine, brakes, tires and suspension system. This type of driving can lead to excessive wear and tear on these parts of your used car, requiring pricey repairs or replacement. While you don’t need to drive like an frightened new driver, taking a bit more care will help increase the life span of your car without expensive repairs that hurt your wallet.

3 Key’s to Keep Your Car Running Strong!

By Dallas Council on January 30, 2012 / Do It Your Self, General Interest, Repair & Maintenance Advise, Uncategorized / 2 Comments

The majority of us wish that after we bought a car it would just run perfectly for the next ten years without needing any maintenance whatsoever. Unfortunately, buying the car is the easiest part of owning one. There are many parts that wear out and need replacing. A factory warranty covers some of them, but others are considered normal wear and tear parts and are therefore up to you to replace.

Here are some tips to help prolong the life of three normal wear and tear parts.

Motor Oil

First of all, what is the exact purpose of motor oil and why do we have to change it so often? Motor oil is used to clean and lubricate all the moving parts within a vehicle engine, as well as cool it, improve the sealing, and minimize corrosion. As the oil moves through the engine, it picks up particles such as combustion soot and dust from different parts rubbing together. The oil is then circulated through an oil filter, which catches everything picked up by the oil. As the oil continues to circulate it gets more and more dirty, causing it to become sludgy. This is why frequent oil changes are important. In order to have a clean engine, you must have clean oil running through it.

Now that we’ve got that settled, how often should your engine’s oil be changed? Unfortunately, there is no definite answer to that question. Different engines require differing degrees of maintenance. The factory recommended oil change schedule, as well as what grade of oil to use, should be located in your owner’s manual. Any time you go to a service department for an oil change, the technician should place a little rectangular sticker in the upper left-hand corner of your windshield detailing both the date of service and the suggested mileage of the next service.

And now it gets more complicated. There are many, many, different types of motor oil available. You can choose between single-grades and multi-grades, with many different options to choose from within those two categories. The American Petroleum Institute has set some minimum performance standards for oil, which can be divided into no less than five groups, and two classes. And, as if there were not enough options already – now you can get synthetic oils, and bio-based oils.

Many people think that because synthetic oil is more stable than conventional oil it can be left unchanged for a greater period of time. It is true that a synthetic oil is more stable, however this does not mean that it has the ability to clean itself – synthetic oil gets just as dirty as conventional oil and therefore needs to be changed just as often.

Tires

Every driver dreads showing up at their local mechanic for a scheduled maintenance, and being told that their tires are completely worn out and must be replaced. We are all in the same boat. Heat, cold, sunlight, ozone conditions and even your driving style contribute to tire wear and tear. However, there are a few things you can do to improve the life of your tires.

Rotate your tires frequently, get a wheel-alignment whenever your car does not drive exactly straight, and make sure all tires are properly inflated. This can greatly reduce uneven wear, which in turn prolongs the life of the tire. If you bring your vehicle to a service center quickly after noticing an under inflated tire, the chances that it can be patched or salvaged in some way are greatly increased. If you wait until the tire blows out on the freeway, there will be no way to avoid having to replace it.

Brake Pads and Rotors

Unfortunately, just like oil and tires, both break pads and rotors are parts designed to wear out and need replacing. But there are a few things you can do to make them last as long as possible.

First, try to avoid heavy or sudden braking. Sometimes it is unavoidable to make a sudden stop, but when at all possible try to brake smoothly. Some drivers with standard transmission vehicles will downshift to slow the engine instead of braking. This will cause more wear to the transmission than to the brakes, but a transmission is more expensive to replace and I would not necessarily recommend it.

Second, replace your brake pads when your technician recommends that you do so. Neglecting to replace your brake pads before they’ve completely worn out will result in damage to your rotors. When the brake pads are completely gone, all that’s left to clamp onto the rotor when you hit the brake pedal is the metal backing plate. Without the brake pad, the backing plate will cause significant damage to the rotor.

Third, make sure that you have the right amount of brake fluid. Every two years or so, your mechanic should change your brake fluid, but check in between those flushes to make sure that it is at the correct level. If your brake fluid is low, this means you have a leak and if it is not taken care of right away, you could have a problem.

Fourth, ask your mechanic to clean your rotors whenever you get a tire rotation or tire replacement. He should do this even without your asking, but to be on the safe side you should just mention that you’d like it done.

How to Change Your Cars Air Filter!

By Dallas Council on January 26, 2012 / Do It Your Self, Repair & Maintenance Advise / 2 Comments

For your engine to run, it needs air just as it needs gas. The air mixes with gas, the spark plug gives a spark, and-presto! You have internal combustion. In order to keep your engine running efficiently, the air that it takes in needs to be as clean as possible. Problem is that the air outside is full of things that doesn’t burn cleanly or evenly at all. Dirt, pollen, salt, and bird feathers are just some the things your engine will suck in to create the controlled explosion that moves your motor. You don’t want that stuff in your engine. That’s where the dependable air filter comes in.

Air filters are connected to the engine’s intake manifold. Most filters are rectangular (older cars that have carburetors use a donut-shaped air filter) and are made of a porous, paper-like material, folded like an accordion.

Changing the air filter on your car is one of the easiest things you can do to maintain it, short of filling up your gas tank. Even if you don’t know anything about cars or how they work, you can complete this task in less than 10 minutes.

The air filter is typically enclosed in a black plastic casing near the center-top of the engine. It should be the largest non-metal assembly you see, about the size of a breadbox. On most modern cars, you don’t even need tools to do it! Just make sure that the replacement filter you buy is designed specifically to fit the make, model and year of your vehicle, and you’ll have no problems.

Check that the car’s engine is cold. Pull the hood release latch, open the hood and prop it up. Locate the air filter compartment. This is frequently very easy, but it can be hard to find in some cars or if this is your first filter change. The air filter compartment is black plastic and is connected to the engine block with a large, firm, black plastic hose.

It is often on one side of the car rather than in the direct center. On modern cars, the compartment is often kept closed by shiny metal clips, which can also give the air filter compartment away when just looking under the hood. You can always refer to an under-hood diagram of your car in your owner’s manual.

To open the air filter compartment, loosen the hose clamp that seals the air conduct. Undo any securing clips holding the air filter cover. Some models have wing nuts; other air filters are just clamped on with a quick release system. (Keep screws and other parts together and in a safe location so you can find them later). Pull the cover out of the air conduit and lift it up so it comes off the lower part of the housing. On some cars, the cover may be held on with screws instead of clips. You’ll have to use the appropriate screwdriver, usually either a flathead or Phillips-head, to remove the screws. Some European cars may even require a specialized wrench to open this panel.

Inside you will find a round or rectangular filter made of cotton, paper or gauze. Filters have a rubber rim that seals off the unit’s interior. Simply lift the filter out of the housing. Depending on the design of the air intake on your car, there may or may not be additional clips holding the filter in place. These clips should not require any tools to remove, however.

Put the new filter in place. If you had to undo any clips, close them again after installing the new filter.

Replace the cover on the air filter compartment and lock it back down. It is suggested that you change or check your air filter at least every 15 to 20K mileage.

How to Check Your Cars Coolant Level!

By Dallas Council on January 19, 2012 / Do It Your Self, Repair & Maintenance Advise / 1 Comment

Antifreeze or coolant is used to keep your car cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It also helps prevent rust, scale, and acid from forming; which can overheat and damage your engine. You should check that your car has enough coolant or antifreeze every time you change your oil.

1. Open the hood.

2. Find the coolant/antifreeze reservoir. On newer cars, this is usually a semi-transparent plastic container toward the front of the engine.

3. Check the level of coolant inside using a flashlight. There may be high/low markings on the side of the reservoir to help guide you.

If your coolant or antifreeze is low, check with the owner’s manual on the proper type of fluid to use to replace it. Many cars need a coolant/water mixture, usually one that is 50 percent antifreeze/coolant and 50 percent water.

Remember, do it yourself projects are designed to save you money, but they will require an investment in time. Most only take a few minutes, but some can take much longer. The more experienced you become the faster you will be able to complete the project. Although not all car maintenance is a project for the backyard, most can be easy to accomplish and save you a few dollars along the way.

A Simple Guide on How to Check Your Cars Engine Oil!

By Dallas Council on January 18, 2012 / Do It Your Self, Repair & Maintenance Advise / 3 Comments

You should check your engine oil level every time you fill your car with gas. Cars low on oil can become seriously damaged. Here is how you check the oil level in your car:

1. Open the hood.

2. Find the oil dipstick located underneath the hood, usually toward the front. (Most will have a Yellow handle)

3. Pull out the dipstick and clean it off with a rag.

4. Replace it all the way into the chamber and pull it out again.

5. Look at the dipstick. The oil level should fall in between the upper and lower limits.

If your oil level is low, you will need to add more. Check with your car’s manufacturer or in the owner’s manual for the correct grade of oil. Here is how to add oil to your car or truck:

1. Locate the oil filler cap. It should be near the dipstick and clearly marked “oil.”

2. Unscrew the cap and set aside.

3. Carefully pour in a small amount of new oil. You may want to use a funnel.

4. Recheck the oil level using the steps listed earlier.

5. You will want the oil level to fall halfway between the maximum and minimum marks on the dipstick. If the level is not between the guidelines, repeat steps three and four until it is.

Is my Car Worth Keeping Past 100,000 Miles?

By Dallas Council on January 17, 2012 / General Interest, Repair & Maintenance Advise / Leave a comment

You probably have a list of reasons to buy a new car. They might include the newest safety features, modern styling, you just want a new car. The list goes on. Still, with all the good reasons to buy a new car, there is a very compelling one to consider holding on to the old car: Cost! There is the common consensus that most don’t follow that says buy a car outright with no credit debt and then drive it until it dies completely or until it is no longer practical or safe to keep driving it.

It is true that older cars generally cost more to maintain, and are more likely to break down, resulting in an expensive and aggravating repair. In other respects, older vehicles are cheaper to own and operate. There does come a time when every vehicle is just plain exhausted, when it becomes more trouble than it’s worth. Moreover, when will the typical car or truck reach that point? Not too many years ago, the furthest reach of a vehicle’s useful life was 100,000 miles. By then, if the mechanicals weren’t worn out, then the body, chassis and interior would be a conglomeration of squeaks, rattles and rust.

Today, many modern vehicles can breeze right past that 100,000-mile mark with not a great deal more than a tune-up and maybe a new fuel pump or timing chain.

Chances are you have paid off the loan on your current car or at the least, are close to making your final payment. Freedom from car payments is one of life’s nicer pleasures.

Buy a new vehicle, and unless you’re rolling in cash, you’ll be facing several years more of monthly principle and interest payments on a loan. Finally, annual taxes and license fees should be lower on your old car, depending upon the state where you live.

Brand new cars cost more than they are actually worth, so it’s best to let someone else take the financial hit of being the first buyer of a car. Some people buy brand new cars expecting to “save” on maintenance costs and repairs, but all cars require occasional maintenance and repairs and parts for new cars tend to be more expensive.

You are wise in considering a newer “used” car when you replace an older car. Usually, you get the best buy on a car that is new enough to need few repairs, but old enough to be relatively inexpensive. You have to shop around to make sure that you find a good used car with no signs of trouble and have your mechanic check it out before you sign anything.

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