Car repairs...ugh

[disneysteve]

I don't know what the average car payment is these days, but I'd guess it's $4-500? for the average American?

My buddy always drives beaters and his philosophy is ...... so I have to put $500 in repairs 3-4 times per year. I'm still coming out way ahead of the average guy that's making big payments every month, plus my insurance is cheaper.

The average new car payment is $479.
So that's $5,748/year.
I figure even if I spend $2,000/year on car repairs for my old car, I'm still saving a bunch of money over replacing it.

[rennigade]

The average new car payment is $479.
So that's $5,748/year.
I figure even if I spend $2,000/year on car repairs for my old car, I'm still saving a bunch of money over replacing it.

^this. I dont understand why people get so hung up on what a car is worth vs what it costs to maintain/fix it.

If the car is worth $100 and you have to spend $400/year to keep it running for the entire year...whats the issue...and or why wouldnt you just have it repaired?

Its odd to me that people are more willing or think its better to buy a replacement car and have a car payment then spend some money to keep their current one running. I dont understand that logic.

Of course non of this applies to your auto hobbiests or people who want a new car all the time. There isnt anything wrong with that either...this more applies to people like me who will drive a car until it will cost a small fortune to keep running.

[disneysteve]

^this. I dont understand why people get so hung up on what a car is worth vs what it costs to maintain/fix it.

If the car is worth $100 and you have to spend $400/year to keep it running for the entire year...whats the issue...and or why wouldnt you just have it repaired?

Its odd to me that people are more willing or think its better to buy a replacement car and have a car payment then spend some money to keep their current one running. I dont understand that logic.

I think the issue is that people worry that they'll spend the money for the repair only to have something else go wrong that will cost them even more money and before they know it, they've spent so much that buying another car might have made more sense. I don't think that happens nearly as much as people fear it will though.

We actually have a situation right now along those lines but not with a car. The rack on our dishwasher is rusting. I fixed it once, grinding it down to clean metal and coating the exposed ends, but now it is even worse than it was originally. I figured I'd buy a new rack but it turns out that a replacement rack is about $250. Now if I had a crystal ball and knew that the dishwasher would last a good long time, I'd buy the rack. However, I don't want to spend that much for the rack and have the unit fail in a couple of years. So we're thinking about just replacing the dishwasher. We've had it for quite a while.

[bjl584]

I think the issue is that people worry that they'll spend the money for the repair only to have something else go wrong that will cost them even more money and before they know it, they've spent so much that buying another car might have made more sense. I don't think that happens nearly as much as people fear it will though.

Yes. You can start to experience cascading problems. But, no one can know for sure. It's definitely a guessing game. It probably comes down to people growing tired of constant nagging repairs. Eventually, they throw in the towel and opt to purchase something new.

[TexasHusker]

Yes. You can start to experience cascading problems. But, no one can know for sure. It's definitely a guessing game. It probably comes down to people growing tired of constant nagging repairs. Eventually, they throw in the towel and opt to purchase something new.

I was born to throw in the towel.

[msomnipotent]

^this. I dont understand why people get so hung up on what a car is worth vs what it costs to maintain/fix it.

If the car is worth $100 and you have to spend $400/year to keep it running for the entire year...whats the issue...and or why wouldnt you just have it repaired?

Its odd to me that people are more willing or think its better to buy a replacement car and have a car payment then spend some money to keep their current one running. I dont understand that logic.

Of course non of this applies to your auto hobbiests or people who want a new car all the time. There isnt anything wrong with that either...this more applies to people like me who will drive a car until it will cost a small fortune to keep running.

The average monthly payment is a lot higher than I would have guessed. I would have assumed $300 or less was the average, especially since they offer 7 year car loans now.

I would spend $400 to get a car fixed. That is just yearly maintenance for us unless we need to buy tires. But it isn't just the dollar amount that is the issue. There is also safety and longevity to account for.

I'm getting rid of our current car within the next year. We haven't spent more than $200 on repairs and it is only a 2015, but I don't feel safe in it. Even though the dealer says nothing is wrong with it, there are so many computer glitches and it just shuts itself off without notice. It happened twice while I was pulling onto a major highway and people had to avoid hitting me. I really could have been killed. It also happened a few times when I was on side streets. The car is unreliable, the dealership is unreliable, so the car goes. The same for all the other cars we have had. My experience is that they become unreliable after the first $1,000 in repairs and then the repairs just keep coming.

[disneysteve]

it is only a 2015, but I don't feel safe in it. Even though the dealer says nothing is wrong with it, there are so many computer glitches and it just shuts itself off without notice. It happened twice while I was pulling onto a major highway and people had to avoid hitting me.

Have you researched if that is a known issue that others have experienced. Clearly there's something wrong. That sounds like something worthy of a recall.

[msomnipotent]

Have you researched if that is a known issue that others have experienced. Clearly there's something wrong. That sounds like something worthy of a recall.

Yes, I have had several known issues and both the salesman and the service manager have told me that they have never heard of it, and then I have to say, "Really? Because it is all over the internet when I google the problem so I can't believe that you don't know about it." The dealership is a joke. No matter what problem I have, whether it is a coolant leak that is filling the cabin with fumes, the car disabling itself, or the infotainment center freezing, the guy demands to know if I am sure that the gas cap is on correctly. Really! And then they say that they can't replicate the problem or it is normal. I can't stand them.

Ironically, this is the first car that I actually sat down and researched everything, and looked at cars for 3 months before buying. Normally, I just decide that I want a minivan or a sedan, take something for a test drive, and then order the features I want without much thought.

[disneysteve]

Yes, I have had several known issues and both the salesman and the service manager have told me that they have never heard of it, and then I have to say, "Really? Because it is all over the internet when I google the problem so I can't believe that you don't know about it." The dealership is a joke.

It sounds sleazy for sure. Why do you continue to go there? I'm sure there are plenty of other places you could have the car serviced.

[Starry436]

The average monthly payment is a lot higher than I would have guessed. I would have assumed $300 or less was the average, especially since they offer 7 year car loans now.

I would spend $400 to get a car fixed. That is just yearly maintenance for us unless we need to buy tires. But it isn't just the dollar amount that is the issue. There is also safety and longevity to account for.

I'm getting rid of our current car within the next year. We haven't spent more than $200 on repairs and it is only a 2015, but I don't feel safe in it. Even though the dealer says nothing is wrong with it, there are so many computer glitches and it just shuts itself off without notice. It happened twice while I was pulling onto a major highway and people had to avoid hitting me. I really could have been killed. It also happened a few times when I was on side streets. The car is unreliable, the dealership is unreliable, so the car goes. The same for all the other cars we have had. My experience is that they become unreliable after the first $1,000 in repairs and then the repairs just keep coming.

We're having the same issues you are. Newer vehicle with multiple issues that make it unsafe. Had it to the dealer several times for weeks on end and they won't acknowledge any of the issues. Not one thing has been replaced, turned, flipped, they have done absolutely nothing. Filed complaints everywhere, also with the maker, took it to a different dealership, and still nothing has been done. We're done trying. I'm just driving a ticking time bomb basically. We figured since they say nothings wrong with it and continue to avoid us then we'll sell their junk back to them and buy elsewhere.

[TexasHusker]

When I get the “new car” bug, i try to find one with 10,000 or so miles on it, as I assume that whatever defects it had have been sorted by then.

[msomnipotent]

It sounds sleazy for sure. Why do you continue to go there? I'm sure there are plenty of other places you could have the car serviced.

I've stopped going there. I have decided that I'm going to bring it to the dealer when I'm ready to sell and then when they come back at me with a list of things that are wrong with it, I'm going to tell them to fix it since it is still under warranty. I haven't decided if I'm going to sell it back to them so they are stuck with it until they find a buyer (and then listen to the other buyer complain) or shop it around to see who offers the best price. I'm not selling it myself because I don't want the buyers coming back to me if something else goes wrong.

[msomnipotent]

We're having the same issues you are. Newer vehicle with multiple issues that make it unsafe. Had it to the dealer several times for weeks on end and they won't acknowledge any of the issues. Not one thing has been replaced, turned, flipped, they have done absolutely nothing. Filed complaints everywhere, also with the maker, took it to a different dealership, and still nothing has been done. We're done trying. I'm just driving a ticking time bomb basically. We figured since they say nothings wrong with it and continue to avoid us then we'll sell their junk back to them and buy elsewhere.

It sounds like you have a Subaru!

[disneysteve]

I've stopped going there. I have decided that I'm going to bring it to the dealer when I'm ready to sell and then when they come back at me with a list of things that are wrong with it, I'm going to tell them to fix it since it is still under warranty. I haven't decided if I'm going to sell it back to them so they are stuck with it until they find a buyer (and then listen to the other buyer complain) or shop it around to see who offers the best price. I'm not selling it myself because I don't want the buyers coming back to me if something else goes wrong.

I agree with not selling it privately if it's a lemon. You could get in trouble for that.

Have you reached out to the company? Or even contacted a Lemon Law attorney?

[msomnipotent]

I agree with not selling it privately if it's a lemon. You could get in trouble for that.

Have you reached out to the company? Or even contacted a Lemon Law attorney?

I found a website devoted to our make and model after I bought the car and started having trouble. The people having the same trouble really didn't get anywhere after jumping through hoops and I am already too close to the point of doing something stupid because I'm so frustrated. We talked, and we both think it is best for our sanity if we just traded the car in. I looked into lemon laws before and our state dictates that the law only covers new cars within the first 12,000 miles, and it has to be the same problem 4 times. The dealership would say either there wasn't a problem or the problem was caused by something different each time. And there was more than one problem with the car, so they knew how to get around it.