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Cost of OwnershipRepair vs Replace Calculator — Is It Worth Fixing?
Facing a big repair bill? This gives you a quick, honest read. Enter the repair quote, your car’s current value, and the monthly payment a replacement would cost.
How this calculator works
We measure the repair two ways: as a share of your car’s current value, and as the number of new-car payments it equals. The common rule of thumb is that if a repair costs more than about half the car’s value, replacing starts to make sense — but a repair that buys another year or two of a paid-off car is often still the cheaper path.
What changes the number
- The classic guideline: repair if the bill is under ~50% of the car’s value, lean toward replacing above that.
- A paid-off car has no monthly payment — even a big repair can beat years of new-car payments.
- Weigh reliability too: one repair on an otherwise solid car is very different from a third major failure.
Frequently asked questions
When is it not worth repairing a car?
When the repair approaches or exceeds the car’s value, the car has other failing systems, or the repairs are becoming frequent. At that point you’re pouring money into a depreciating asset.
Isn’t keeping my old car always cheaper?
Often, yes — a paid-off car with an occasional repair usually beats a new monthly payment. This calculator shows how many payments your repair equals so you can judge.
How do I find my car’s value?
Check a valuation site for your year, mileage, and condition, or use our depreciation calculator to estimate it from the original price.