A car is a long term financial commitment and, as such, it is likely that once you’ve purchased it, you’ll want to keep it for a very long time. This is a completely understandable view, particularly if you’ve used finance to buy it.. In fact, according to the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders), we’re all keeping our cars longer - the average age is now 7.7 years compared with 6.7 a decade ago.
However, even if this is your plan then your car might have other ideas, and it may actually be giving you hints that it’s time to change. Last month, AA Cars put a list together, but we think we’ve found some more…
Friends can hear you coming from miles around
You might think that it’s useful that you never have to get out of the car and knock on the door, but the fact that your friends can tell you’re coming because they can hear your engine from the next street across isn’t a positive sign.
You may think that you’ll be OK until you get to your annual MOT, and then you can get it repaired. However, with this in mind, why would you want to be on the road in a car that is illegal and potentially unsafe?
Safety should always come first when it comes to you and your vehicle, so if there’s a hum, rattle or squeak, get it checked immediately. As well as perhaps being a safety issue your car is also highly likely to breakdown, leaving you stranded in the middle of nowhere. Nobody wants to drive everywhere with that threat looming over them! The absolute last thing you want to do is breakdown on the way to a job interview.
Your odometer is now into 6 digits
Nowadays, cars are built to last. However, this doesn’t mean that they’re built to last forever, and there’s a fine line between owning a good car with plenty of mileage and one that is prone to breaking down as time passes.
With every 10,000 miles or so that you travel, your car will become slightly more prone to breaking down or picking up minor mechanical problems, simply through ‘wear and tear’. This means that if you’re well past the 100,000 miles mark then you’re more prone to breaking down than ever before.
It may be the case that your car never breaks down, but you’re running the risk, and with that many miles on the clock, it may go out with a bang.
The 'check engine' light is ever present
You may think that just because your ‘check engine’ light has been on for months and nothing has happened that it isn’t a cause for concern. This, however, is far from the case, and you’re running a huge risk by not getting the car checked out. Take it to a garage immediately and, if it really is something and nothing, they’ll tell you. But if it is something big then you can get it solved, avoiding disaster.
