What happens when you can’t Afford Car Repairs
There's no getting around the fact that car repairs are expensive. The days of $40 per hour shop labor rates are long gone, and many if not most replacement parts cost much more money than they used to. This poses a problem, and a rather big one at that. Once people get used to having a car, they tend to take it for granted. After all, this is the 21st century. Horses and buggies went out of style over 100 years ago. As for walking, very few are willing to make a trek across town on foot when a car will take them to their destination of choice in a matter of minutes, especially if the weather is less than perfect. So what happens when that coveted piece of machinery is in need of repair? Worse yet, what if you can't afford to get it fixed?
Of course, there are many options at your disposal, but before these are discussed, it's important to determine whether the repair in question compromises driveability and safety, or if it is simply an issue of cosmetics or comfort.
Examples of the former would be things like brakes, tires, suspension components, and many different parts needed to keep the car running. These are things that absolutely must be made right in order to safely operate a motor vehicle, and in many cases, operate the vehicle at all. For instance, if that alternator or fuel pump fails, that car isn't going to move until those items are replaced. On the other hand, you could still drive a car with bad brakes, tie rods, or an engine that burns a quart of oil every 100 miles, but not only would it be very unsafe and risky, but very likely illegal.
Then, there are the types of repairs that genuinely can be postponed or, if you're on a very tight budget, blown off completely. These would include things like that nasty dent from that time you took your eyes off the road and decided to scrape up against that guardrail. Perhaps the compressor on your air conditioner has been inoperable for two consecutive summers with record-breaking heat, but there's no law that says you have to get it fixed, either. Maybe your radio or navigation system has stopped working, but you can get by without music and revert to highway maps like your parents and grandparents did, as long as you don't try to read them while driving at the same time!
Thus, the point here is that some repairs are a must while others are not. So, if the repairs in question are needed to run the car and/or be in compliance with the law, and you can't afford to have them performed, guess what? You will have to find an alternate means of transportation until those finances improve. There's no other way around it.
In certain situations, however, finding that alternate means of transportation can actually be a blessing. Suppose that old clunker needs a major repair that will cost thousands of dollars, such as an engine or transmission overhaul. If that repair will end up costing more than what the car's resale vaule is worth, then it will probably make more sense to have that old car hauled away to the salvage yard. Provided you don't have the credit rating of a deadbeat, you can place a very minimal down payment on either a very nice late-model used car or in some cases, even a brand new car. Either way, it's very unlikely that it will need expensive repairs for several years, and while this will result in a monthy payment, which would you rather be faced with, an obligation of $200-$300 each month, or a $4000 repair bill for a car that's only worth half that figure?
Obviously, this won't work for everyone. Some people can't afford any monthly car payments whatsoever, so if that old car's repair bill exceeds your budget, you will have to tough it out and wait until you have enough cash to get the needed repairs done. This means taking a bus, walking, riding a bicycle, or relying on others to haul you from place to place. Such options are no fun, but nevertheless serve as the only alternative.
It is therefore prudent to avoid running into this situation in the first place. From the time you decide to buy that first car, regardless of how modest or luxurious it may be, it is wise to set aside a budget for not only unexpected repairs, but also for scheduled maintenance. Start a savings account just as you would for Christmas shopping or for paying property taxes, and contribute to it every time that paycheck arrives. It stands to reason that you had to come up with a way to pay for that car initially, so keep pretending that you're making payments or saving for that car even after that loan obligation has been met or you've acquired the cash to buy it outright. If it helps, think of this as another type of insurance.
Remember, nobody wants to be caught off guard, particularly with an expensive investment you've become dependent upon. If a car doesn't fit this description, than what does?
