The Top Ten Most Expensive Car Repairs

When it comes to vehicle repairs, nothing can break the bank faster. However, a minor repair, or something that is considered to be regular maintenance, is not such a big deal. It’s when we get hit with something catastrophic that our wallet really feels the pinch. Like one of the worst repairs needed on a car.

Then we are left to decide whether or not we are going to do the repairs, or scrap our car. It’s a much easier decision to make when your vehicle is 2007 or older, but when it’s a fairly new car or truck, you’re definitely left in a predicament. To help you decide, we’ve composed the top 10 list of most expensive repairs. You can also call and talk to our scrap car removal specialists in Vancouver for free advice too.

What Are the Worst Repairs to Do on Your Car?

To help you sort through what is considered a “major” repair, we’ve composed this list of the top ten most expensive vehicle repairs that consumers encounter. If you’ve got the news from your local mechanic, like our friends at Art’s Automotive that you have any of the following mechanical issues to repair or replace, you may want to consider selling rather than repairing.

1.Engine & Cylinders

It’s no surprise why an engine replacement is on the top of the list for most expensive vehicle repairs. Aside from it being the beating heart of any vehicle, the labour involved with replacing an engine is quite extensive. And the larger and more powerful your engine is, the higher the price to replace or repair it. Given the number of hours it takes to do this repair, it’s almost always better to simply replace the engine, rather than repair it. Especially if the cylinders are gone on it too.

On average, the cost of this repair (including labour) will run you between $4,800 and $10,000, depending on the engine. If your mechanic ever says the dreaded words, “engine damage”, you can be sure that a big bill awaits you in the future. Unless it’s a brand-new vehicle, your best bet is to simply scrap it and buy something new (or new to you).

2.Car Battery Replacement for a Hybrid Vehicle

You wouldn’t think that a single battery could be an expensive replacement, as it’s a pretty common part of regular maintenance on a vehicle. However, if the battery belongs to a hybrid car, you’re looking at one expensive battery. A hybrid battery costs around $6,000 to replace because replacing the battery means replacing the vehicle’s entire computer system.

If you’ve been having any sort of mechanical problems related to your battery with your hybrid vehicle, you may want to consider selling it instead. If you have a scrap hybrid that you want to sell for MORE cash, talk to our team of scrap car buyers today to get a free and instant offer. You might be surprised just how much cash for scrap cars we pay for hybrids!

3.Transmission

This is a replacement all of us have become familiar with at least one point in our lives (if you aren’t, you will be, trust us). When you first get your driver’s license, the majority of people are gifted or purchase a used vehicle; something they can beat up and not have to worry about replacing if the transmission or engine finally tank. Well, when it does go, and it will, the cost of your repair bill can be between $4,000 – $8,000, depending on the type of vehicle you are driving.

Not only is it a vital part of your car to replace, the labour involved with doing a transmission replacement is part of what makes your bill skyrocket.

If your mechanic is telling you that you need a new transmission, you should contact our team of scrap car buyers today. We buy cars, trucks, SUV’s, and vans with blown transmissions, and we pay MORE cash for them than any other junk car removal company in Vancouver.

4.Airbags

Getting into an accident is never a good thing. Aside from it being quite nerve racking, the damage your vehicle endures afterwards is a lot to deal with. When you have things like a bent frame, you know your vehicle is a write-off, but when it’s something like your airbags have been deployed, depending on the age of your vehicle, it may be something ICBC wants to repair. If you don’t have the proper insurance on your vehicle, you may be the one that gets the bill.

Airbag replacement runs between $2,00 – $4,000, which if you’re driving a fairly new vehicle, that’s not a nice bill to have. If it’s an older vehicle that isn’t really even worth $2,000 itself, you’d be better off to sell it to us, and get yourself a new commuter car that you can beat around in.

5.Suspension

This really is a part of regular maintenance on a vehicle, because as your vehicle ages, so does your suspension. And if you spent a lot of weekends driving up dirt roads or 4×4-ing in the country, you’ll be needing suspension work done sooner than most. Things like tie-rods, control arms, shocks, and struts can bring your bill up in an instant.

If your mechanic tells you that you’re in need of a full suspension replacement, you’re looking at between $2,000 – $5,000 minimum. And if you have a custom suspension on a 4×4, you’re looking at even more. This is one of the reasons why so many people scrap their car for cash when they find out that what they thought was something simple, is actually a full suspension replacement.

6.Camshaft

It’s the worst when you get shafted by a camshaft, isn’t it? All jokes aside, a camshaft replacement is not our friend, especially with it being one of the most vital components of a vehicle’s engine. It’s responsible for how our engine takes in air, and over time it can become dirty and clogged with debris, causing it to fail. When it goes, you’re looking at a sticker price of at least $1,500 and up to $3,000, depending on the vehicle.

If you get hit with the bad news that your vehicle needs a new camshaft, consider what your car is actually worth, because you may want to scrap your car for cash to a professional junk car removal company like More Cash For Scrap. We’ll pay you MORE cash for cars with broken camshafts than any other scrap car buyer in Metro Vancouver.

7.Head Gasket

Let’s be honest; a head gasket repair gives you nothing but a headache and a very large mechanic’s bill. It always seems like the most important parts of our vehicle cost the most money, but that’s not just because mechanics are trying to capitalize on our misfortune. It’s because the labour and parts are both responsible for making our bill climb sky-high. The most vital parts of any car seem to be the one that is buried the furthest, or attached to the most components, making it time consuming to repair for anyone, and a head gasket is no different.

When people say they’ve “blown their gasket”, it’s literally a reference to a blown head gasket. Nothing makes more of a mess when it goes than these. Smoke, coolant, oil, and everything in between literally comes bursting out when a head gasket blows on a vehicle, leaving behind it one big mess to clean up.

The head gasket itself is not overly expensive, but the labour involved with replacing it and cleaning up the mess it’s created, along with any other damage to neighbouring parts, is what causes the bill to be around $2,000, if not more.

8.Catalytic Converter

This one you would think wouldn’t be so expensive to replace because it’s so easily accessible, that thieves all over the Lower Mainland have been running rampant stealing them from parked cars, left, right and centre. However, the reason they steal them is because they contain precious metals that are worth a pretty penny at the junkyard, and if they can’t get cash for them there, they sell them online and get even more for them.

A catalytic converter costs around $1,500, plus the cost of labour, and if you’re driving something like a 1990 Honda Civic, it’s not really worth the cost to replace it. That’s why many people choose to sell their vehicles once the catalytic converter is stolen or broken, because it’s easier to get some quick cash for their junk car now, and put it towards a newer vehicle. If you’ve been one of the unlucky victims of catalytic converter theft in Metro Vancouver or the Fraser Valley, talk to our team today and find out how much cash you can get for your junk car.

9.Brake Line

Give me a brake! Literally, if you need a brake line, you’ll want a break…. from the bill. When it comes to being safe on the road, nothing is more important that your brake line. You can spend all the money in the world on replacing your brake pads, rotors, and calipers, but if your brake line goes, none of those matters. Most mechanics will push for you to replace the entire brake line instead of patching a hole, because it is so critical in ensuring the safety of your vehicle when stopping.

A brake line replacement will put you out around $1,000 minimum, so if you find yourself in the position of having to replace it, consider what your vehicle is actually worth before doing so. You may be better off to scrap your car to us and get some cash in hand to put towards a new vehicle that doesn’t have any sort of braking system issues.

10.Air Condition Compressor

As many of us know, air conditioning is a luxury, not a necessity. But when you live in a place that gets heat waves with a staggering temperature of 44 degrees Celsius, it sure feels like a necessity, doesn’t it? That’s why there’s no bigger drag than losing your vehicle’s A/C in the dead of summer. It’s not a catastrophic repair, but it will run you a minimum of $500 to replace the air conditioner compressor. If you have to add freon as well, you’re looking at an even larger bill.

Why We Are the #1 Scrap Car Buyer in Vancouver

Since 2005, we’ve been the leaders in the scrap car removal business. This is because we take great pride in what we do, and we firmly believe that you get out, what you put in. We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional customer service in each and every junk car removal transaction we do.

Plus, we offer free junk car towing services, same day scrap car pickup, we handle all the paperwork, and we pay MORE cash for scrap cars than any other scrap car buyer in Vancouver. If you’re looking for the best way to get paid MORE cash for a junk car, truck, SUV, or van in Metro Vancouver, look at using our scrap car removal services over any other!

Contact Our Team of Junk Car Removal Specialists

All we need are a few basic details about the junk car that you want to sell. Just give us the make, model, year, kilometres, and condition of your vehicle. Then, give us the location. That is all the information our junk car removal specialists need to make you and instant CASH offer on your scrap car.

If you accept the offer, we’ll dispatch our free towing service that same day, usually within a few hours. If you want to book a specific day and time, we can do that too. Our junk car removal team works 7 days a week, day and night. Unlike most scrappers, we are here to better accommodate you, our customer. We even work most statutory holidays too!

Contact our dedicated and friendly scrap car buying team today to find out just how much MORE cash for scrap cars we pay than the other guys!

Check out our Google profile for updated statutory holidays hours and our complete list of services!