Buy a New Car... or Revamp Your Current One?

The sales of new cars have been on the decrease for some time now. Don’t get me wrong: the car industry is nothing if not a thriving, successful business. But the young are less and less able to afford new cars. And many older drivers are simply less willing to buy a new car.

Of course, when we say new, we mean brand spanking new. People are looking more into used cars these days. (Although even that is on the decrease due, again, to young adults having no money.) But if you’re a car owner who’s looking for a different ride, we have to ask: do you really need to buy a new car?

Cars are supposed to last a long time. Just because you’re having a bit of difficulty with your current car, it doesn’t mean you have to get another one.

Deal with the cosmetics

Of course, if your current car does work really well, then it seems bizarre that you’d want to look into a new one already. (Unless you’re a millionaire. In which case, knock yourself out, I guess.) Of course, we do understand that people want their car to look nice. But you should probably focus on trying to make your current car look new before actually getting a new car! Cleaning, hot wheel replicas, and new lights can help take the age from your vehicle.

Get some more technology in there

It’s not as difficult as you may think to “upgrade” your car, technologically-speaking. But depending on what it is you want to do, it might work out pretty expensive. If your car is still only playing tapes in its radio system, then that’s something that can be easily changed. Getting hooked up with MP3 and streaming capabilities is surprisingly simple and cheap. Getting a complete, Bond-Esque overhaul might not be that realistic, though. Just remember to keep it practical, because technology isn’t everything.

But what if it doesn’t work very well?

If your current car is actually giving you a lot of mechanical bothers, then that doesn’t mean you should be replacing it just yet. Some people get scared that once a car starts playing up, that’s it. It will never be the same again. Even if the immediate problem gets fixed, it will still only be a matter of time before something else happens. But this isn’t true. There are plenty of ways you can get a car running back up to its original capabilities - sometimes, you can ever make it better. You could look into something like increased engine performance, for example.

Know when it’s time to give up

Of course, there might be a point where it might be cheaper to simply replace your car than to fix it up. I would put a priority on making sure the mechanics are up to scratch, instead of worrying about the further costs of tech and cosmetics. But repairs aren’t always cheap. If you need extensive repairs, and you need them often, it might be worth replacing your vehicle altogether. Be sure to weigh up your options!