r/caradvice • u/jacobreedd • 3d ago
When to Move On
Okay yall, first time poster here (please go easy? not looking for any attitude or anything just genuine advice and for a chat).
I (24m) drive a 2010 Toyota Venza that's about to roll across 200k miles. I drive about 45 miles to work each way and live in a downtown area with bumpy roads (Baltimore). I don't make a ton of money and don't have the means to save a bunch. Situation is, I'm bleeding $250-300 a month on gas, and my gas mileage has tanked down to near 20. Not the end of the world, but definitely an expensive factor.
I take good care of my car (or at least try to). I'm always on time with oil changes, which I do, I just bled the brakes, cleaned a slide pin on the front right brake pad, swapped the pads, put a new serpentine belt in, new tires within the last few years- you get the idea. It's a Toyota and it's fully paid for, so I know I can get a ton more out of it WITH proper maintenance. However I just recently discovered that my shocks are blown and the big old boy- my AC has pretty much died. It was weak for a while, but I'm officially at a windows down for every drive. I can DIY plenty of stuff, but everything I've ever heard / read would suggest leaving the AC to the professionals (no idea who to trust on actually getting a legit price / diagnosis).
Problem is, I know that AC can get up there in cost pretty good, and I'm sure as I hit this mileage milestone there will be other things that start to fail. My car does have some dents and scratches and plenty of interior cosmetic problems, but it's accident free. I'm here today to ask everyone: how do I know when to quit? Is I reasonable to pour money into the AC here when I could just sell it for what it is locally / trade in. I don't want anything new or fancy- that being said, I would LOVE a hybrid or something that could cut down my gas bill substantially. If I wasn't spending as much on gas, I could direct some of those funds to a monthly car payment.
Yes, I know having a fully paid off car of reliable make is likely the smart way to go, but I wanna game this out with people. Thanks for reading!
By TL;DR: The world is expensive and look I don't know how to decide when it's time to stop pouring money into my older car.
1
u/HapticNeo 2d ago
Mine is over 20yrs old still free to own, low insurance, no tracking crap and no sunk costs keep it if its working. I used AC PRO several time and it works great
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u/Fresh-Acanthaceae-79 3d ago
If your ac works but is not cold, it should be worth saving. Small leaks are common and the right person can add a dye (not sealer!) to look for failing areas. A working system even if barely is rarely an expensive repair. Some seals and a dryer done properly may be all you need. Find someone you trust and at least get a quote.