05/21/12

One of the things I'm asked quite often is "Is the car worth putting money into?" As a mechanic, it's very difficult for me to answer, mainly because it's not my car. It's your car and that's something you, as the owner, have to decide. Mechanics make their living by fixing your car, it really doesn't matter too much whether the car is worth fixing or not. Sometimes the answer is obvious, the high dollar amount of a repair may answer it for you. Sometimes the answer is not so obvious.

If you blow an engine or transmission on a five-year-old car, then, most likely, you will decide to repair or replace it. After all, the car is young and still has a lot of life in it. But to make a major repair like that on a car that's 10 or 15 years old is a little harder. There are a lot of things to consider before shelling out big bucks for a major repair.

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In this case you might want to get a mechanical assessment of the car before you decide to commit to a repair.

If one of my regular customers come in and needs a major repair, I know the general condition of the car and can advise them of whether or not the car is worth a major repair. Notice I said, "advise", I will not tell a customer the car is not worth it. It is their car and that decision is theirs. I can give them an unbiased assessment of the general condition of their car, but I can't decide for them.

If you find yourself in a position where you have to decide whether or not to make a repair, have the general condition of the car checked. Most shops will charge a nominal fee for this, but it is well worth it before you commit yourself to a decision you may regret later. Knowledge is power and in this case money in or out of your pocket.

Some of the things you want to check are the basic mechanical systems. You want to make sure the brakes are in good shape. I don't mean the brake pads or shoes; I mean the base system itself. You'll have to replace these things on any car in any condition. I check the brake lines and hoses. If the lines look good without a lot of rust, the hoses are good and without cracks and no leaks anywhere, then you basically have a good system.

Another thing to look at is the steering and suspension. I check to make sure that the tie rod ends, ball joints, idler arm and bushings are tight and don't show signs of excess wear. I look at the struts and shocks and see if they are leaking or if the mounts are in good shape. I also look at the tires very carefully. By looking at how they are wearing, they can reveal any hidden problems. If the car has rack and pinion steering, I look to see if the rack boots, the mounting brackets and bushings are good and that it is not leaking. I also look at the CV joints, if the car is front wheel drive, and make sure they are in good shape.

In the case of a transmission replacement, I check the condition of the engine. Basic to this is a compression test. If the engine has good compression and is even between all the cylinders, then it's a good bet the engine still has a lot of miles left in it. If you have low compression or compression varies a great deal between cylinders, you're looking at problems down the road. Potently expensive problems. I also listen to the engine. I use my stethoscope to listen to the bottom end to see if there are any noises that would indicate bad bearings or any sound that could indicate a problem in the future.

In the case of an engine problem, I would check the transmission. If the car doesn't run, there's not much you can do to check it. About the only thing you can do is look at the transmission fluid to see if it's burnt or smells. You can also drop the pan and see if there are any big pieces that would indicate something is broken internally. You have to keep in mind that transmissions wear out, so the more miles on the car, the closer you are to repair or replacement regardless of what else is obvious.

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