I'm really getting bummed out after a 5k+ repair bill and questioning whether I should've just traded this car in. It was primarily maintenance work, but also a very expensive headlight assembly repair. It's a 2008 lexus is250 with 115k. I know I could've traded this in no problem as it's perfectly drivable as is. Do you think a car with this value is worth the cost of repairs? I also went to a very expensive shop in MA... However, they do great work and partly reason why I needed new calipers and tires is because my previous mechanic was terrible. I ended up getting new brakes all around, calipers, air filter, 4 tires, and the headlight assembly replaced. Last year I had done a custom exhaust and recently also did a tune-up.

Just wondering if people think this was an awful financial decision lol... I believe I'll get 300k out of this car and if it wasn't winter time I would've tried to do some of this work myself lol.

Thanks!

 

It doesn't matter now man. You already dropped 5k. Enjoy the car and don't think about it!

 

Whenever speaking with a potential customer regarding whether or not repairing their vehicle makes financial sense, I always ask them, "Can you replace your broken vehicle with a drivable vehicle within the same cost"? If they say yes, I'll suggest they do just that. If they say no, I'll ask if this is their only family vehicle. If this is their only family vehicle IL will offer to repair the vehicle and allow them to make payments over a 90 day period......sometimes longer, just depends on how I feel about the potential customers life circumstances.

 

5k maintenance work? What kind of work exactly?

what headlights did you get?


did you replace your tail lights yet or do you use the factory oem ones still?

 

Why did you have to replace your taillights? Are you saying the car had 115,000 miles?

5K is nothing once you subdivide by months you drive the car. I bought a Celica for around 5K last August and every month it runs and drives, the cost of the car goes lower and lower. Less than a car payment. I judge the average car payment at $500/month so after 10 months, you've paid off the repairs.

Finally, do you LIKE your car? I love my IS250 and def keeping it for that reason alone. I sold my RAV4 because I LIKED it, but I didn't LOVE it.

 

It is water under the bridge, move on. You spent money where it is needed, feel good about it.