2,265 posts, read 3,960,551 times But here's my question to all you car guys: Are they on the right track? Can I reasonably expect that THIS will finally fix the problem? 224 posts, read 389,151 times 7,750 posts, read 14,728,356 times 38,693 posts, read 73,217,112 times Originally Posted by Niftybergin So basically, they're throwing parts at it in the hopes it will work, and they keep charging you for their own incompetence. Here's what I'd do going forward... 1) I hope you paid for the repairs with a credit card. 2) I hope you haven't paid your credit card bill yet. 3) Tell your credit card issuer that you are refusing to pay the portion of your bill attributable to the repairs because the service you paid for was not provided. 4) Let your credit card issuer and the dealership fight it out. 5) Find a competent repair shop that will do it right once and for all, particularly one that specializes in A/C repair. 8,293 posts, read 18,613,882 times

Originally Posted by Drover So basically, they're throwing parts at it in the hopes it will work, and they keep charging you for their own incompetence. That is EXACTLY what they're doing! 19,127 posts, read 16,605,921 times 8,822 posts, read 14,093,795 times 1 posts, read 4,196 times 38,406 posts, read 38,965,690 times 2,595 posts, read 2,849,865 timesDear Lifehacker, I love my car, but it's getting on in years. It's paid off, which is great, but even routine maintenance now runs me a few hundred bucks, and the mechanic is always upselling me on additional repairs that are hundreds more dollars. Is it time to just retire my ride and buy a new car, or should I stick it out for the long haul? Sincerely, Driven to the BrinkDear Driven to the Brink, It can seem like a fine line between when your old, well-loved car is costing you more money than a new one would, but it's not difficult to make the call here. Part of it is math, and part of it is just taking a good look at your personal situation.

In the end, both factors should determine whether a new (or new to you) car is in your future, or you should stick with your tried and true ride until the wheels fall off. The first, and perhaps biggest question you should ask is how much are you paying in repairs? Even a couple hundred dollars in regular maintenance every several months is less than any new car payment would be, even if you bought a used vehicle (assuming you didn't pay cash on it and buy it outright). air conditioner units for apartmentsIn your case, your car is paid off and completely yours, and the only costs it incurs are fuel, insurance, and maintenance. ac units for computer roomAssuming that your fuel and insurance costs wouldn't change significantly with a newer vehicle, you're probably not paying so much in maintenance that it would make sense to buy a new car.list of ac unit brands

The picture gets a little murkier if your car isn't completely paid off: if you're still making car payments and you think that your maintenance costs are higher than another vehicle with a similar payment, you may be better off getting a new car, but you'll lose any money you've already sunk into paying off your existing vehicle. It may fit into your budget, and you may save on some of the maintenance costs (since you'll certainly incur new maintenance costs with a new car), but unless you feel like you're spending so much on maintenance that your car is a lemon, you're not going to save money by trading out for another ride.If you're looking to save some cash on regular maintenance, the best way is to start doing some of it yourself. Simple things you probably pay a dealer or a mechanic for, like changing your oil, checking your fluids (and adding more when levels are low), changing spark plugs, replacing air filters, and more are all things you can easily do yourself with a little research first.

Google your car's make, model and year, or just check out your vehicle's Haynes manual for a wealth of information on how to do your own repairs. Odds are someone online has detailed instructions on how to do the work you need done, and some things—like changing oil or replacing an air filter—are so simple you'll be surprised you've been paying someone else to do them for you. Of course, bigger issues that you're not comfortable handing on your own (or that you don't think are worth your time versus your money) should be handled by a mechanic that you trust. In your case, it sounds like your mechanic is trying to squeeze you for dollars, considering every time you take your car in, they try to upsell you on more repairs that you may or may not need. One of the worst tricks I've seen—and this is usually at car dealer service bays—is the "free 100 point inspection" that comes with your vehicle's scheduled maintenance. It's billed as a favor, but it's really just an upsell opportunity for the service bay.

They inspect your vehicle (that part's fine) and then come to you with a laundry list of work they'd like to do. We've shown you some ways to avoid getting ripped off like that before, and our friends at Jalopnik have some great tips to find a good, honest mechanic, but keep your eyes open. Part of the reason you may be considering a new car over your current one is because you're just paying too much for repairs or getting ripped off when you get maintenance done.If the repairs are legitimate though, here are some things to keep in mind: If you're still weighing the issue, AGCO Auto has a detailed calculator on their site that can help you weigh the costs of keeping your car versus buying a new one. Of course, there are no guarantees that a new (or newer) vehicle won't break down or have the same repair costs that your current one has, but odds are it won't. You do have to consider some of those "softer" costs and benefits that come with owning a newer car. For example, you may get a warranty that will cover early repairs, and all you have to worry about is regular maintenance.

You'll ideally eliminate the back-and-forth to the mechanic that comes with high-mileage cars, and you'll probably get a safer, more up-to-date, more fuel-efficient vehicle by getting something new. A newer vehicle will be more dependable than your older one—and depending on how old that older one really is, you won't have to worry about it breaking down on you spontaneously and leaving you on the side of the road when you need to get somewhere. Dependability and reliability are worth a lot, at least mentally and emotionally.At the same time however, if you have a good, honest mechanic, and the repairs you elect to do add years of life to your current car, your current ride can be just as reliable and dependable as a new one. The average age of a car in the United States is over 10 years now, higher than it's ever been before, and with the right care and maintenance, yours can easily last as long or longer. Plus, since yours is all paid off, there's no reason you should be in a hurry to walk into a new or used car loan that'll result in a monthly payment.