We have a special bond with our cars. They’re not only steel and gears; they are the mute witnesses to our lives. They’ve been there for the daily commute down the Kwinana Freeway, the family trips to the Swan Valley, first dates and late-night drives. Which is why, when a trusted vehicle begins to show its age, the choice on whether or not to move on can prove difficult, laden with memories of work trips and first dates as well as love-taps from apathetic drivers and deep chasms of bank account dread.
You start to ask the tough questions. Is it worth another expensive fix? Could I rely on it now for a long trip? Am I just throwing good money after bad?
Here at WA Auto Parts we have spent well over a decade or so as Perth’s number one car wreckers, which has allowed us to speak with thousands and thousands of people just like you. We know that it’s a tough call. That’s how we’ve developed this simple guide —to help you step back and see the situation from an objective standpoint, so that you can recognize the surefire signs it’s time to retire your vehicle. The good news? Discovering your car is destined for the wrecker doesn’t mean it’s worthless. It means it’s ripe to be converted from a liability into immediate cash.
Here are the five major signals to pick up that phone for help.
The Math No Longer Works
That is the most reasonable and often, the best sign of all. It’s when you glance at a quote from your mechanic and your heart sinks. We call it the golden rule of car ownership: “the cost of the next major repair is higher than what the car is actually worth.”
I mean, it’s easy to get into this mentality of “Oh well, I’ve already sunk so much money into the thing, why not just one more fix?” But you’ve got to think like an insurer. When an insurance company says a car is a “write-off,” this means that the cost of repairing it would be more than its value. You can apply the same logic. If your car is worth only $2,500 in the outside world and you’re looking at a $3,000 bill for transmission or major engine work, you are making a bad bet.
Now, every dollar you spend is a dollar that’s gone forever. Rather than throwing good money after a depreciating asset, you can receive a guaranteed payment in cash based on what the car is worth today in parts and scrap metal. Make one fast phone call to US on (08) 9358 1392 for a free quote, and you can see the cost effective alternative that is available when deciding on the wise economic decision.
Rust Is More Than Skin Deep
Life here in beautiful Western Australia, especially near the coast but also just “coastal”, means that our cars are exposed to salty air all of the time. A couple of patches of surface rust on a piece of bodywork might appear to be nothing more than an unsightly blemish, but you need to understand what it is that you’re seeing. Rust comes in two flavors — and one of them is a death sentence for a vehicle.
Surface Rust: This is on the outside and although unsightly, can be often cured.
Structural Rust: This is the one you need to be concerned about. It’s rust wormed its way into the car’s structure, the very bones of it — chassis, frame, subframes or major suspension components. It weakens the structure of your vehicle, dissolving like an aspirin tablet and weakening the framework intended to shield you in a collision.
It’s about as safe to drive a car with this amount of structural rust, as it would be driving a burning gas station – and any roadworthy test you have in WA will surely go the way of no man! The expense of cutting out and welding in new metal is astronomical, and almost never worth it. When there’s advanced rust on the core frame of your car, it’s no longer a question of whether or not you should scrap it but when. It’s the most responsible choice you can make.
You Know Your Mechanic By First Name
All of us enjoy having a car we can rely on. But when you find yourself feeling a gnarl of anxiety in your gut every time you depress the key, something is wrong. If you’re on a first name basis with your friendly neighbourhood tow truck driver, or the mechanic’s number is already in your “favourites,” then no wonder; after all, your car can (no longer) be worth it.
This is commonly associated with the “domino effect” of an aging car. You drop a grand to repair the cooling system, and the added pressure makes the old radiator hoses blow a week later. You install the new alternator and, with the newfound power stability offered by your new component, you expose a weakness in your old starter motor. It’s a never-ending cycle of repairs that depletes not only your bank account, but also your peace of mind.
This is what’s known as your classic “money pit.” Your automobile has ceased to be transportation and become debt on wheels. The only thing that can put an end to this wearying and costly cycle is by selling it to a wrecker like WA Auto Parts.
It’s a Rolling Health Hazard
This is more than rust that we’re talking about here, it’s underlying what a car is meant to do—carry you between A and B in one piece. When auto parts get old and worn down, they can be tricky to rely on and expensive to repair. It is time to give the wrecker a very serious thought if you experience something similar to the following:
- Brakes that work one minute and not the next: Though spongy after repairs or plainly don’t stop.
- Vague or wandering steering: It feels like the car isn’t securely connected to the road.
- Airbag warning lights: If a vehicle’s airbag system is not working properly, it presents a critical safety risk.
- Compromised frame: If the car has been in a really big accident, even if it looks ok, a second one might turn out differently.
Ask yourself this honest question: “Would I have complete faith in my family using this vehicle for a long-haul trip down to Bunbury or up to Geraldton?” If you answered anything but “yes” emphatically, it’s time to ensure safety supersedes sentimentality. It’s worth nothing that there is not a dollar value of savings that comes before ensuring the safety and health of yourself and your family.
It’s Legally Off the Road (Or Will Be Soon)
The WA Government makes it easy to find out what you need to know about roadworthy cars. If your car can no longer make it to these requirements without major investment, then the time it has on the road is technically up.
This tends to come into stark relief when something goes wrong on a mandatory ‘inspection’ of your car (going “over the pits”). The list of repairs would be very costly to become compliant. Typical expensive failures are a tired catalytic converter (causing emissions problems), serious oil leaks, or a cracked chassis. It is illegal and dangerous to keep driving on a yellow sticker.
If a repair bill in the thousands is all that’s standing between you and keeping your car on the road for another year, it’s pretty clear its useful life is through.
When the Signs Are (Finally) There
If you’ve been nodding along as you read these suggestions, then you probably know what to do. The good news is, “ready for the wrecker” does not mean your car can be classified as junk. In reality, it’s a valuable commodity.
At Wa Auto Parts, we understand the importance of every vehicle. In our role as experts in Japanese, European and Australian models as well as Korean and American models, we will know which used materials can be harvested, tested and resold for the benefit of another driver in Perth. The engine, transmission, alternator, body panels as well as wheels have value. Even your old shell is weighed and sold by its scrap metal value – so every part of your car is recycled.
Here’s how we can pay you money for a car that is not worth your while driving anymore. You are turning a problem into an instant solution.
Conclusion
It’s never easy to say goodbye to an old car that has served loyally over the years, but it shouldn’t be complex either. If you strip away the fear and look at the situation rationally — take an honest evaluation of finances, safety, reliability and legality — it’s much easier to come up with a level-headed answer.
The smartest financial and safety decision you can make is realizing that your car’s time has truly arrived. It’s an opportunity to break free of that cycle of stress and expense and move on. And, best of all, you can turn that liability into immediate cash.
Our team at WA Auto Parts has more than 15 years of experience – and we’re here to ensure that this final step is as easy as possible for you, and rewarding too!
If you’ve seen the signs, do the smart thing. Call us today on (08) 9358 1392 for a free, no-obligation quote and let us help you turn that old car into cash.