When to buy new car?

ROCKETMAN007

MEMBER
2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA
2WD
AUTOMATIC
140,000 MILES

Recently had an oil leak. My engine got really hot so I pulled over and got towed to the shop. I think they replaced the engine valve cover. I was really worried the engine was going to give up on me, but the mechanic assured me the engine wasn't damaged.

How can a mechanic know the condition of the inside of the engine?

And do mechanics generally assume a person knows the costs of keeping a car beyond a certain number of years/miles and don't suggest shopping for something newer?

Is there a way to calculate the amount of money a person can only make by having a car up against the cost of keeping it to a point?

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Thursday, May 29th, 2025 AT 7:35 PM

3 Replies

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
54,137 POSTS

That is the million-dollar question, everyone must decide when the car has had enough, there is no set way to do this. You must look at the condition of the car and how you feel about it. If it is super clean and you have taken care of it, and you don't want car payments then I would keep it, (It has 140,000 on it so there is some life left in it), but if the repairs are getting too much to bear then it could be time to move on. It is up to you.

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Friday, May 30th, 2025 AT 10:40 AM

ROCKETMAN007

MEMBER
59 POSTS

How does one calculate it assuming there is no sentimental value? Go against resale value versus car costs over a certain amount of time, or the value any car would offer financially against costs over a certain amount of time? Someone must of formulated this? Probably statistics on when people typically sell or donate what was their new car?

Does the check engine light indicate well if the engine is damaged when due to overheating? My light didn't go on. Just the heat meter. I wasn't sure if the check engine indicator wasn't working or something.

Have the tariffs hurt foreign car prices much? I'm worried about paying like 25% more for a new car.

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Friday, May 30th, 2025 AT 11:16 AM

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
54,137 POSTS

Luck has a lot to do with it, sometimes people have nothing but problems with the car and then sell it, the people that buy it can have no problems whatsoever and say it is a greatest car ever, it is a machine. You need to do some research on the used car value and go from there, I don't know about the tariffs.

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Friday, May 30th, 2025 AT 1:27 PM