Repair or Replace Calculator
Compare the cost per year of keeping your car with the cost per year of changing it. All numbers are yours to edit.
A simple comparison, not financial advice. Keep cost assumes the car then loses value at the same yearly pace; the defaults are examples only.
How Do You Decide Whether to Repair or Replace a Car?
Compare future costs only. Add the repair, the expected upkeep and the car’s loss in value, then divide by the years you would keep it. Compare that with a replacement’s loss in value, interest and extra insurance per year. A repair above about half the car’s value deserves a closer look.
Repair or Replace Questions
Is a car worth fixing if the repair costs more than it is worth?
Usually not, unless you value it for other reasons or a similar replacement would cost far more. A repair above about half the car’s value is a common point to stop and compare. Check for other problems likely to follow, and ask a shop for an honest view of the rest of the car.
Should I count what I have already spent on the car?
No. Money already spent is gone either way. Compare only future costs: the repair and expected upkeep against the cost of owning a replacement.
Next: the full guide · check the repair quote · find a shop for a second opinion