Why fix that old car over buying a new car, with financing?

Yes it may take $500 to fix that car, buying a new car is only going to cost $150 per month but after 12 months we are now at $1,800 for the year and another 6 years to go. It is usually better to fix your old car than to buy a new one.

There are several reasons to keep driving an old car: you get cheaper insurance and owning your car outright. Before you make the decision, you need to determine a few things: what is wrong with your car and how much it will cost to fix?

If your car doesn't start, there are a few checks you can do that won’t be a huge cost: check the battery, see if the alternator is running smoothly, see if it was bad gas causing the issue and if the fuel pump is operating properly.

A few facts about repairing your old car:

• It is almost always less expensive to repair a car than to buy a new one.
• Insurance and registration fees will go up with a new car.
• The depreciation value of a new car is significant, your old car already has had its most significant hit.
• If you need to buy a little more time to save up and get your finances in order.

A great way to fix your car and not have it cost you an arm and a leg is to buy used car parts. A great place to do this in the Greater Vancouver area is Ralph's Recycled Auto Parts. It is Western Canada's largest volume dismantler of insurance salvage vehicles. They have five locations in Greater Vancouver: two in Richmond, two in Surrey and one in Abbotsford. Ralph’s operates on approx. 30 acres in total with almost 5,000 vehicles in stock at all times. They purchase about 150 insurance salvage vehicles every week, as well as additional vehicles from auctions, towing companies and private individuals.

A few quotes from Ralph's on their used car parts (the prices will change depending on the type of vehicle):

• $35 for a used battery: thoroughly tested, water levels are proper and there are no shorts in the battery.
• A used fuel pump is anywhere from $125 to $150 while a new fuel pump is estimated to be between $500 to $1,000.
• An alternator costs $65 used and approximately $180 to $350 new.

Not only does Ralph's Recycled Auto Parts have great prices for quality parts it also has a great warranty. Ralph’s has a great return policy. They have a four month or 120 day conditional warranty which assures you that if the part is no good they will replace the part at no cost, or refund your money if a replacement part is not available.

Along with a valuable warranty, Ralph's has a lot of information to give its customers. They are also open 7 days a week, have knowledgeable staff, the drive to give great customer service to each and every customer, a stake in the lower mainland since 1961 and is the recent recipient of the Abbotsford Environmental Leadership Awards, Green Leader Award.

Ralph's will help you get your old car fixed at a lower price than you anticipated. The decision to fix your old car instead of buying a new car, is a little easier to make, thanks to Ralph's Recycled Auto Parts.