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When should I sell my car?
I've a 2014 Alfa Guiletta on 107k miles, which has had replacement front and rear suspension arms in last 18 months, new battery two years ago. It's reliable and I've not had any breakdowns.
In a year I'll have to get the timing belt changed for a cost of £500ish.
Question is, do I get it changed, or sell before? I doubt the car will be worth much more than £1.5k by that time.
If can get another 2-3 years out of the vehicle I'd rather do that than buying something newer. But could this car become a money pit?
In a year I'll have to get the timing belt changed for a cost of £500ish.
Question is, do I get it changed, or sell before? I doubt the car will be worth much more than £1.5k by that time.
If can get another 2-3 years out of the vehicle I'd rather do that than buying something newer. But could this car become a money pit?
Asked on 8 November 2023 by Don Sutherland
Answered by
David Ross
Deciding whether to keep or sell an older vehicle is a common dilemma, as you need to balance the cost of maintenance with the value of the vehicle, or decide to switch to a different car which could come with its own set of problems.
If you are happy with your current car then this is a good reason not to change. It is difficult to anticipate what problems you may encounter in future, but the fact that it has been reliable in your care so far is a good sign. Although you say it will be worth around £1500 in a year from now, it is unlikely to lose a great deal more value from that point onwards. If you do wish to change to something else then now is the best time to sell in order to maximise its value.
If you are happy with your current car then this is a good reason not to change. It is difficult to anticipate what problems you may encounter in future, but the fact that it has been reliable in your care so far is a good sign. Although you say it will be worth around £1500 in a year from now, it is unlikely to lose a great deal more value from that point onwards. If you do wish to change to something else then now is the best time to sell in order to maximise its value.
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