Some car part problems may not be worth repairing after they show signs of disrepair.

What would it feel like to repaint cracked walls in your house every two months? Downright frustrating, right? This is the same kind of frustration we set ourselves up for when we repair certain damaged car parts. Everyone knows that once your walls crack, you're better off breaking down the entire thing and building from scratch. This is the same perspective we ought to have about some auto parts.

Some repairs are just not worth it! And should you choose to be stubborn frugal, you'll find that you'll spend much more in the long run. 

Maybe, you didn't know when to "give up". Unfortunately, that’s not a problem exclusive to a few car owners. In this article, we teach you to recognise the signs that repairing a car part is not going to be a practical solution. 

Some Car Part Problems Not Worth Repairing

1. A Bent Frame

The vehicle frame holds every other part of the vehicle together. When your car takes a hit that affects its shape, there is a high probability that the vehicle's frame will change in balance. Putting the automobile back in order would require expert attention and would invariably cost a lot of money.

Apart from the financial cost, the stress and strain the vehicle framework experiences can weaken its structural integrity. With time, this could cause more problems for the vehicle even after the initial repair has been completed.

If your frame ever gets bent, consider it a red flag. You're possibly better off selling the car in parts.

2. A Faulty Transmission

A bad transmission is one car part problem that'll render the car useless. Often, you won't be aware your vehicle has a faulty transmission until it leaves you stranded in the middle of the road and hassled by the need to get the car to a repair shop. From towing the car down to the repair shop to repairing and in most times replacing the transmission system, these solutions are expensive to manage.

Here's the major setback though: even after successfully replacing the transmission, it may never be as efficient as it once was. Rather than spend a fortune on repairing damaged car parts that may or may not be perfect, maybe its high time to dispose of sold that car.

3. Power Control Module Failure

The automotive brain box as referred to by some is a powerful onboard computer that manages the engine's emission system, ignition system, fuel injection, transmission, and some other functions related to the operation of the vehicle. Once the PCM develops a fault, everything that depends on it is almost sure to begin to malfunction as well. 

Sometimes, all that's required is a reprogramming of the PCM. But, once a major fault develops, a total replacement is, in most cases, the only option. It's definitely a car part problem not worth repairing.

Selling off the defunct car as auto parts and investing in a new one might be the best option in this situation. You would spend more, yes. But you’d have guaranteed yourself the rest of mind that you desire and deserve.

4. Air Conditioning Repair or Recharge

Have you noticed that many car owners overlook the need to get their A/Cs repaired? It’s because, more often than not, the repair is outrageously expensive. What’s more frustrating, it’s continuous – this is one car part problem that once it starts showing up never stops recurring.

Repairs on A/C can cost close to $1000 on average, if it is merely a recharge you are probably spending close to $200 - $300 which, if it continues, is no small chunk of money to keep throwing away.

Repairing anything related to your air conditioning is a money sink. You'd better start enjoying nature's gift—natural air— in your old ride. Then put together the money you'd have otherwise put into repairs and save it towards getting a new car instead.

5. Blown Head Gasket

Imagine oil and water mixing - impossible! When the head gasket of your engine is blown, the combustion process of the engine is hitched because your engine oil and coolant (water) mix in the combustion chamber. It results in clouds of smoke following you around as you drive around. And you aren't the ghost rider.

Fixing the engine head gasket can be a tough job, even for the most experienced technicians. If you decide to start repairing this car part problem, you better be ready for all the trouble that may ensue. In my experience, if you do get the gasket fixed, it won’t be long before other engine problems start springing up. 

If your gasket ever gets blown, I recommend that you replace the engine entirely or you buy yourself a new car.

6. Main Wiring Problems

Your car wiring is like strings of Christmas lights wrapped around a tree. Therefore, the moment there is a fault, it can take a long time to figure out the cause. The wiring is not just a strand but a maddening array of wires bound tightly together and routed throughout the vehicle to make it all work. If one wire goes bad somewhere along the line, it is most likely the entire wiring will be replaced, which is not a cheap process.

7. Dead Hybrid Battery

A hybrid car is a joy to own. As your e-ride comes right off the lot, you feel like a king. But down the line, hybrid cars can become quite an expensive burden to carry. The idea of replacing a faulty hybrid battery is time-consuming, costly, and most times requires the removal of the majority of the car interior. It always results in the recalibration of vital electrical parts of the vehicle, which results in another fault most times.

8. Rusted Car Parts

When the parts of a vehicle decide to leave its engine by rusting out, repainting and patching can't save the dead from dying. Older cars especially tend to rust faster as surface corrosion eats into the panels and walls, while the exhaust and tanks bear the brunt of road smut underneath. 

When your car has a large section lost to corrosion along its frame rails, it's a reminder that your car is old and that perhaps it’s time to change it. Don't start thinking about repairing a few damaged car parts, it's going to take more than that.  

Final Words

Car part problems and failures are of various kinds and different causes. Some of them are deceptively expensive to manage. As a car owner, you’ve got to become a detective, an expert at sniffing out those money thieves. You've got to know when it's okay to spend on repairs and when a car part problem is not worth repairing. 

By Damilare Olasinde