With the rising cost of new cars in this crumbled economy most people are keeping their older cars. A warranty is offered on a new car, but considering the high payments, one's choice is to get the old car fixed.
It is obvious that the older car will need more repairs and maintenance, but for most there isn't much choice. So your car is losing oil at a quart or two a day and the smoke pours out of the tail-pipe. You are most likely having engine problems, so now you wonder if you should have your engine rebuilt or buy a new car.
You need to take your car to four qualified repair shops that specialize in engine rebuilding. Check them out first and make sure they are highly qualified with ASE Certified technicians.
Make sure they give you a complete break-down of what they need to do to rebuild the engine. Find out how long it will take for them to start the work and how long before you can take the car home.
You need everything in writing such as the price for each part, price for the labor and a guarantee in writing. Do not wait until the work is done on the car to get a written guarantee. Always request it when you are getting estimates. After you get your written estimates, check them out with the local BBB.
Talk to others that's had car repair and find out who they used, were they happy with the service, were their prices reasonably and how long was their car in the shop. Word of mouth is always the best way to find a good auto repair shop.
After you've done your research on your old car, it's now time to check into new cars. Go to 3 different car lots. You need to decide on a good used car or a new car. Sometime buying a new car offers better interest rates and a better warranty, but you need to consider the total price of the vehicle.
You need good credit to get a low-interest rate with no down. Keep in mind when you trade in a car, they jack up the price of the car you are interested in buying. Compare the payments each month with a down payment versus getting your engine rebuilt in the older car.
If the old car is in great shape except for the engine, then the wisest choice is to keep it and have the engine rebuilt. There are good engine repair mechanics that can work out a payment schedule with a sufficient down payment. You now have enough information to make an informed choice to have your engine rebuilt or buy a new car.
