Is it Time to Ditch Your Clunker?
We’ve all got items we can’t bear to get rid of. There’s that comfy college sweatshirt and the pair of Nike high-tops that went out of style twenty years ago. You have a yearbook dogeared to the page of your high school girlfriend. And you’ve got your first car, an honest-to-goodness clunker, sitting in the driveway. Eventually, the time comes to move on. You can finally turn the page, moving on with your life and tossing that ratty sweatshirt. Even your car — you know it past due to be retired. Here are just a few signs it’s time to ditch your clunker.
- More functions are broken than work. If your air conditioning hasn’t worked for years, you have one or more windows that no longer open, or your radio only works on AM, your car has probably overstayed its welcome in your garage.
- Your car leaves stains. Cars develop leaks over time, there’s no way around it. Engine oil, transmission fluid, engine coolant, power steering, even brake fluid — they can all spring a leak. If your car leaves stains on the pavement everywhere you park – especially if there’s more than one color – it’s time to retire your ride.
- You won’t drive long distances. If your car is relegated to a small radius close to your home or the service department, you’re missing out on things in life. When you no longer trust your car for long-distance drives, it’s time to buy something new.
- You spend more on repairs than a car payment. With any car, there comes a time when repairs are necessary. However, if your repair bills for the year tally up to more than a year’s worth of car payments, you might want to reconsider your choice of vehicles.
- You don’t want to be seen in your car. If you always wear a baseball hat, sunglasses, and a sweatshirt with the hood up while you drive, you’re probably embarrassed by your car’s appearance. Time isn’t kind to cars, it’s true. So if you don’t want to be seen driving your car anymore, if there’s no pride left in your vehicle, it’s time to move on.
