With meticulous maintenance and a careful owner, most cars can last decades, however, looking at car buying habits among South Africans, we don't tend to keep our vehicles for all that long. With that in mind, here are 9 signs that it is time to start looking for a new ride.
1. It's not financially viable anymore
There will come a point in your vehicle's lifespan where one or many major maintenance parts will need to be replaced. Unfortunately, this tends to be a slippery slope, where after one component fails or needs to be replaced, it is likely that other components require changing too. It may become a case of the car no longer being financially viable to fix.
2. Fuel consumption increase
When your vehicle starts using more fuel than usual, and you cannot blame your driving style, there is very likely an underlying issue, which is sometimes expensive to repair and if ignored, will continue to cause further damage and of course, leave you with a higher fuel bill.
3. Loss of faith in the car
If you find yourself anxious about whether your car will make an upcoming journey, it is a sign that you need to start looking for something new.
4. Lifestyle change
Your car may no longer suit your lifestyle as you progress both professionally and personally. It is, therefore, a good idea to evaluate how fit for purpose your car is.
5. Your car lacks safety and tech features
The older your car is, the more outdated it becomes in terms of in-car technology and indeed, safety. Have a look at your vehicle's safety rating and features and then consider if they are still acceptable for you personally.
6. A wandering eye
Do you find yourself browsing AutoTrader frequently? Perhaps your constant thoughts of buying a new car are telling you something quite obvious about your current vehicle.
7. Your mileage is through the roof
While there are no hard and fast rules about what mileage any particular car starts to become problematic, it is just common sense to consider that the higher the mileage of your car gets, the harder it will be to sell and more likely it is to give you trouble.
8. It has lost its lustre
A high-mileage car that is used frequently will eventually begin to look well used both inside and outside. Fading paint, dents, scratches, buckled wheels, rattle-stricken interior bits and worn switchgear make the ownership experience far less satisfactory.
9. Parts are hard to come by
If your car is getting on in terms of age, the pool of spare parts for your model will shrink periodically. If your car happens to be a full import and reasonably rare, the chances are that you will encounter part sourcing issues and long waiting periods between orders, leaving you without personal mobility.
