by Dennis Sweet, Cars for Keeps Customer Service ManagerHello again!
I hope all of you are having a great summer. Here at the shop, we've noticed a change in our customers' auto repair trends over the last several months. It seems that more people are putting more of their financial resources into fixing the cars that they already own, rather than buying new (or used) cars.
New/used cars: to buy or not to buy.
Maybe it's just because we're an auto repair shop named "Cars for Keeps", but repairing and maintaining the vehicle you already own makes a lot of sense to us. By maintaining your current vehicle rather than buying a new/used car, you can be assured you know some or all of
the vehicle's service history. You know how it has been driven and where, and you also know what its "quirks" are.
Ideally, buying a brand new car would ensure there's "no service history", but you may also be signing up for system bugs and problems (did someone say Honda brakes?) the manufacturer hasn't yet found. If you by a used vehicle, its history and quirks will be known to you little - if at all.
Most used vehicles need anywhere from $2000 to $4000 worth of work to get them back
in the shape they should be in. Maintaining the vehicle that you already have, on the other hand, keeps the repairs down and no payments or interest. New vehicles often require you service your new car at dealerships, which are famous for being overpriced, to maintain vehicle warranties.
So if you've been thinking of getting rid of your vehicle in exchange for another one, we encourage you to weigh the decision carefully. Is it going to be more cost-effective in the long run to fix up the car you own, or to start all over on new or used car?
If you have any questions about how much it would cost to fix up your current vehicle - or what kind of repairs would be needed on a new-to-you used vehicle - we'd be happy to give you a free quote. Give us a call or stop by.
Your friendly neighbor Service Manager,
Dennis
