That’s why there’s a maintenance schedule, though, isn’t it? You can keep your car working relatively trouble-free for years by keeping up with car maintenance. Even an old beater car can be nursed along for years, and it’s a lot cheaper than repairs.
Here’s what you should expect for car maintenance costs, as well as tips to keep your old car on the road as long as you can. After getting every last bit of value of out your old car, you can still probably junk a car for $500 at least!
What Does Your Average Car Maintenance Cost?
A new car doesn’t need much for routine maintenance. A few oil changes a year, maybe a tire rotation, and it’s up to snuff. But as a car ages, maintaining an old car gets expensive. In an average year, it’s expected that most car owners will spend around $1,200 in car maintenance. That might not seem too bad, but it adds up quickly over the course of your ownership! Plus, you'll have to see how long cars last, and when the right time to get rid of it is.
5 Year Maintenance Cost
That means over a 5-year period, car maintenance alone will cost around $6,000. It doesn’t matter if it’s new or old car maintenance, and it doesn’t account for old car repair either. What’s guaranteed is this: if you don’t do the maintenance, it’s going to cost much more in the long run for vehicle repairs or replacement. And if this happens, you'll want to know how to get cash for unwanted cars.
Most Important Maintenance Items
You can keep replacement at bay for a long time with a few key maintenance items. These car engine maintenance tips are the top items to watch for.
Engine Oil Changes
Nothing creates more problems in an engine than lack of oil changes. Dirty and low engine oil impacts your engine’s cooling, lubrication, and wear. It’s the cheapest thing to do to maintain your vehicle, and it should never be missed or stretched beyond its service interval.
Tune Up
A tune-up is more than just changing the spark plugs. It’s fuel system maintenance and a complete vehicle health check. Having a tune-up will keep your fuel consumption as low as possible, your engine as powerful as it can be, and it prevents running issues.
Timing Belt
The timing belt, if your car is equipped with one, connects the camshaft and crankshaft in sync. It degrades over time and can stretch or swell and has to be changed. Skipping the timing belt replacement interval puts you on borrowed time until the timing belt breaks and you have major engine repairs to contend with.
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Tips for Maintaining an Old Car
As your car gets older, it doesn’t make sense to spend as much in old car maintenance. When it makes sense to stop doing maintenance and simply sell the old car, you probably need to find auto wrecking yards near you. Even if you drop certain maintenance items off the radar, a few things shouldn’t be skipped. These tips will help you reduce costs.
Use High-Mileage Engine Oil
Alright, so high-mileage engine oil might be more expensive. However, it will certainly delay engine repairs if you use it. A good-quality high-mileage engine oil will enhance lubrication, reduce friction, and is the best care for cars with 80,000 miles or more.
Don’t Miss the 150,000 Mile Tune Up
Whether it’s a long ways off or just around the corner, don’t lose sight of you 150,000 mile tune-up. It contains a bunch of often-overlooked items that can keep your car healthy and repair-free for years. Change the timing belt, the transmission fluid, the engine coolant, and the driveline fluids.
Look for Used Old Vehicle Parts
When old car repairs crop up, especially for really old cars, the choice between fixing them and sending them to the junkyard can be over a few hundred dollars. When it’s hard to justify repairs, look for used parts at an auto recycler near you. The lowest-cost parts are usually self-serve, as in you remove them from a junked car yourself. But even an auto recycler that removes, cleans, and sells parts off the shelf is a fraction the cost of new. Either way, it’s a good choice to keep your car in service even longer.
When Maintenance Won’t Do It Any Longer
Eventually, old cars simply aren’t worth stringing along any further, and it’s best to get rid of them. When you reach that stage, keep DamagedCars in mind. We buy old cars, junk cars, accident cars, rust cars, or cars you just don’t want anymore.
We’ll make a cash offer for your unwanted car in any condition when you request a quote. Within a minute or two, you’ll have a quote that’s guaranteed for seven days. When you accept it, we’ll pay for your car within 24 to 48 hours. We’ll pick up your car from where it sits at no extra cost to you, and we’ll even take care of the title transfer fees. It’s an easy, stress-free, and maintenance-free way to sell your car. Get an offer for your vehicle to get started now.