A Brief History
On August 31, 1869, the world’s first recorded road traffic death involving a motor vehicle occurred when Irish scientist Mary Ward fell out of her cousins’ steam car and was run over by it. Today, motor vehicle accidents are but one way in which automobiles might require repairs. When it comes to vehicles, repairing them can get expensive. Read here to learn the most expensive car repairs and how much they cost.
Digging Deeper
Some car repair jobs will cost you next to nothing. For example, if you need to have the windshield wiper blades on your car replaced, you can do it for under $20 in most cases, but some costly car repair jobs could put you in a tough spot if you are ever forced to make them. You could end up paying more than your car is worth to make these repairs and get your car back on the road.
Check out several of the most expensive car repairs and what you can to avoid them.
Replacing an Air Conditioner Compressor
Is there anything worse than riding around in a hot car in the middle of the summer? It can make you uncomfortable and even put your health at risk.
Some people have to do it, though, thanks to the high cost associated with replacing an air conditioner compressor. It can cost upwards of $500 to put a new AC compressor into place in a car.
The good news is that the AC compressor is not always to blame when your car’s AC stops working. Other more affordable repairs could fix the problem.
If you ever have to replace your AC compressor, it is not going to be fun. It will put a strain on your bank account and make you consider spending a few months driving around in a hot car.
Putting in a New Mass Air Flow Sensor
The mass air flow sensor in your car has an important job. It is in charge of calculating how much air enters your engine and how much fuel should go in your engine’s direction.
If you do not maintain your car’s air filters, there is a good chance you’ll run into problems with your mass air flow sensor at some point. When you do, it can cost at least a few hundred bucks to replace it.
You’re better off making air filter replacement a bigger priority. It can prevent you from having to spend a small fortune replacing your mass air flow sensor.
Completing Catalytic Converter Replacement
Do you live in a state that requires an emissions test as part of an inspection every year or two? You need to have a fully functioning catalytic converter in your car.
Catalytic converters are responsible for taking the carbon monoxide that your car produces and turning it into carbon dioxide. Your catalytic converter can eventually go bad, and when it does, it’ll stop doing its job and cause your check engine light to come on.
Catalytic converters are simple enough to replace, but it can cost you between $1,000 and $1,500 to have a mechanic do it.
Installing a New Head Gasket
A head gasket is between your car’s engine block and your cylinder head. It is designed to seal the cylinders in your engine so that oil and coolant do not leak out everywhere and make a mess.
When you have a blown head gasket, it won’t be hard to tell. Oil and coolant will spray out all over the place. Your engine will also start overheating and sending white smoke out into the air. You will have no choice but to replace it.
Head gaskets themselves are not that expensive, but they’re difficult to install, which is why it can cost over $2,000 to replace one.
Swapping in a New Suspension
Does it feel like you are off-roading every time you get behind the wheel of your car? It’s a pretty clear sign that something is going on with your suspension.
You might have an issue with your shocks or your struts or a problem with your control arms or tie rods.
There is also a chance that your entire suspension might need to go. If that turns out to be the case, it can be one of the most expensive car repairs. It’s not uncommon for auto repair shops to charge more than $3,000 to replace the suspension system in a car.
Taking Out a Bad Transmission and Replacing It
You cannot talk about expensive car repairs and not mention transmission repair. If you ever experience problems with your transmission, you might as well crack open your checkbook and get ready for what comes next.
Replacing the transmission in a car can cost $5,000 or more depending on how bad the problem is. It is always advisable to get a few opinions on the condition of your transmission since it costs so much to fix or replace.
You might also want to Google “junk car buyers near me” if you do not feel like dealing with a bad transmission. It might be a better idea to take whatever money you can get for your current car and buy a new one rather than repairing your old one.
The same goes for other major engine problems on this list, too. Instead of spending thousands of dollars repairing or replacing your car’s engine, you should think about moving on and getting a new car.
Steer Clear of Making the Most Expensive Car Repairs
Are you doing enough to maintain your car at the moment? If not, change that right away!
By performing routine maintenance on your vehicle and making minor repairs to it, you can avoid almost all of the most expensive car repairs. You will not have to worry about things like your engine or transmission breaking down on you when they are well-maintained.
You will also make your car safer and more efficient when you maintain it. It is why you should get into the habit of doing maintenance to your car as often as you can.
Learn more about cars and car repairs by clicking on the other articles on our blog.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Sclar, Deanna. Auto Repair For Dummies. For Dummies, 2019.
The featured image in this article, a photograph by Damnsoft 09 at English Wikipedia of the front end of two vehicles after an accident, is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
