How to know when let go your car

Late last year, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufactures (SIAM) asked the government to ban all cars over 15 years old. But many car owners find it difficult to let go of an old workhorse. So, what is a good time to scrap your car? Here are some guidelines:

The cost of maintenance is higher than the value of your car

How much do you spend to keep your car in good shape? Each individual service job or replacement may not cost much, but add up all your car-related expenses for the year and the annual total could be burn a hole in your pocket.

Is your average monthly car spend higher than a new car’s EMI? Is the annual maintenance cost more than the current market value of your car? If yes, it may be time to bid farewell to your car.

Your car has outdated safety features

Most car models made in the past two or three decades fall short of current safety standards and could be a risk for you, your family and others on the road.

Do an assessment of your car’s safety features, such as the brakes, tyres and seatbelts. If these are broken or need to be replaced, you need to reconsider holding on to your ride. Also do a quick scan of your car to check for airbags, ABS and driver and passenger seat belt alerts. If your car doesn’t have these, then it may be time to junk your vehicle and upgrade to a new one.

Listen to your car

You check your engine oil, coolant, fuel levels and tyre pressure regularly. But do you glance at the “check engine” light on the dashboard, or the warnings given by the multi-information display on the instrument panel?

These indicate your car’s health. If your car is giving you warnings every few days or weeks, pay attention. If car warnings become a regular state of affairs, you need to consider letting your vehicle go.

You need to replace your car’s engine and transmission

The “big two” components of your car—the engine and transmission—are crucial and costly. If you’ve already replaced them recently, then you may be in the clear for now (considering other factors). But if you’ve got an old car with plenty of miles already on the odometer, you may soon need to replace these.

As a thumb rule, the transmission and engines generally last around 15 years so if your car’s age is close to this figure, you may want to scrap it before the big burden falls on you.

Your ride is rusty

You may not see rust on the body of your car, but it may be present in places hidden from view. Get a trusted car expert or workshop to check on the status of the rust. Rust generally begins as a minor issue but builds up over time, depending on your usage, location and weather conditions in your region. Just a little bit of rust on the body is not harmful, but if it begins to affect your car’s undercarriage, it may be time to call in the recycling experts.

No one wants to buy your car

Tried selling your car but got no interest from buyers? That may be because your car is either too old, has too many current or expected problems, or it is just not in a decent enough condition to be driven.

If you are facing such a situation with your current vehicle, the writing is on the wall – let it go.

Once you decide to let your car go, choose to do it responsibly. Call 1800-267-6000 to find out how.