This conversation comes up eventually. A customer has had a vehicle for many, many years. We start to see them more often and it is not for maintenance. The vehicle is no longer reliable and the car they loved for many years is starting to cost more than it should to operate. The decision has to be made whether to continue repairing or send the car to the big car lot in the sky. Some people are ready to get rid of the car. One of our customers drove her Jeep Cherokee from 1998 until 2014. It was starting to have some problems and dependability became an issue. She purchased a Subaru that was several years old and she loves it. Door handles work, heat is reliable and the young man who purchased her vehicle now has a project car to work on. If you are in this situation, there are several factors to take into consideration. If you are told that your vehicle has multiple issues that could be costly to repair, it’s time to evaluate the situation. First, what are the costs involved? Will they exceed the current value of the vehicle? Secondly, are there other repairs and maintenance on the horizon? Your goal should be to have a dependable vehicle whose value is not exceeded by the cost of repairs. Do your research and ask the person recommending the repairs some of these questions. Knowledge is power, and having the information you need to make a good decision is key. There are also many choices when getting rid of an older car. You can trade it in, sell it to a scrap yard, donate it to one of the local charities, or you can sell it yourself. If you make the decision to purchase another vehicle, bid the old one farewell and enjoy the newer gadgets in your next vehicle.