I have a 2009 Honda Civic that would be categorized as in fair condition due to minor body work performed from a minor accident and some dings and scratches. Mechanically it is in good condition as it is a one owner vehicle so I know it’s history. I always changed the oil, flushed and filled once or twice, started was replaced once, changed air filters. Kelly Blue Book says its value is about 5-6k as it is at 100k miles. Everything on the car is standard. It have some leaks that need fixing: valve cover and power steering. It’s time for breaks, spark plugs and a couple other maintenance items for a car this age. It also needs tires and an alignment. I have been told several times
Rt front lower control arm bushing completely broken, left side cracked and about to break completely. Recommend 2 lower control arm Assy needs to be done. All totaled about 4K. Is it worth spending this amount as the car value is almost the same? Any suggestion are deeply appreciated.
Welcome new member,
All those jobs can be done in your driveway with hand tools, except tires and alignment. DIY, probably cost you 1/3-1/2 the estimate.
I’d start with the easy ones, like spark plugs, then maybe brakes, and so on. When you get to the limit of your skills, reassess your costs.
Good luck!
Id do the work, yeah KBB might value the car at 5-6k, but what's it gonna cost to replace it? If you do that work, which isn't much more than regular maintenance, you can get alot more out of it.
with only 100k, it should still have quite a bit of life left in it.
If you think you can find another car for $5-6k that doesn't need major work, then sure, do that. But I kind of doubt it.
Sometimes it's better to stick with the devil you know.
Yes, fixing it would be the best way, remember the used car market is all crazy right now. What Kelly Blue Book and other valuation groups tell you what it is worth and what it is selling on the open market have been way off last couple of years, also Toyota and Honda sell for a high premium in the used car market because of high reliability.
plus, you will already know what is fixed and be able save money for future fixes that you know will be needed from wear and tear.
That's just ordinary wear and tear. @Dad2LM2 said, do as much as your mechanical skills will allow you to do on your own, then get another estimate for the things you absolutely cannot do.
IMHO, if the “repairs” are just basic maintenance or basic wear items, and the car is projected to still have some good life to it, it would most likely make sense to do the “repairs”.
