Driving has many costs associated with it.  As we drive our cars year after year, the mileage adds up and requires replacing many TDot Performance Auto Parts of the vehicle. Although different car brands have various maintenance costs, many replacement parts are expensive. If you are considering a used vehicle purchase or maybe scrapping your old vehicle, you should know about these expensive car parts. They could help you decide if its worth it to buy a certain vehicle or keep an older one.

Car Transmissions

One of the most expensive car parts, automotive transmissions cost between $1,000 and upwards of $4,000 to replace. On a used car that might have a total value of $8,000, you might want to reconsider if the transmission is not good. Do your research when buying a used vehicle. The cost to replace a major part like the transmission could cost you 50% of the entire vehicle cost. On top of that, you could end up spending more than 50% of the car’s value to have this part replaced and still have to deal with other issues down the road. Anyone who is thinking about a used vehicle or keeping an older one should account for the car transmission repair costs as insurance won’t always pay for repair.

Engine’s Alternator

Next, the alternator is an expensive car part. If the alternator stops supplying power to the battery, it could create issues with your vehicle’s electrical systems. Moreover, the cost to replace the alternator is above $500 plus labor. You can expect to spend upwards of $1,000 to have a replacement alternator installed. Surely, you will want to look for signs of your alternator working properly especially during the winter driving months. If not, it might be a good idea to move onto that next car.

Broken Camshaft

Another engine related part, the camshaft is a costly car repair. It normally doesn’t break down over time. Rather, it can get damaged due to lack of maintenance and oil changes. Or, it can break due to other reasons involving the valve spring pressure. For most vehicles, the recommended pressure ranges from 85 lbs to 150 lbs. Since the part controls the air intake of the engine, a replacement is very important. However, it can cost over $2,000 to completely replace the camshaft. Take your time to see if there are any signs or issues with your camshaft.

Catalytic Converter

Located between the engine and the muffler, the catalytic converter is an easy part to replace. However, the since the part converts chemical fumes into less harmless emissions, it is not cheap. The replacement catalytic converter cost is upwards of $1,500. In most cases, the part can not be repaired and must be replaced if there is an issue. Similar to most key components to your vehicle, it will not function properly without the replaced part. Thus, you will need to take care of any catalytic converter issues if you plan to buy or keep the vehicle. It is an important part that needs to keep working well to protect the environment.

Fuel Pump

Furthermore, the vehicle’s fuel pump is another expensive automotive part. These parts supply the correct amount of pressure to the injector. Over time, it can get damaged due to particles in low quality fuel. These particles can be metal shards or build up from the fuel.The cost of replacing a fuel pump itself is $400-$800. However, once you factor in the labor costs, you could end up spending more than $1,000 on this part as well. In older cars, you should expect that you have to change the fuel pump after crossing 100,000-200,000 miles. This is another important replacement to consider with used vehicles.

Maintaining a used car can get expensive if you have to buy and replace any of these parts. As you might learn at the DMV, they are all important to the functioning of your vehicle. If you are planning on buying a used car, make sure these parts are working properly. Car transmissions are some of the most expensive parts to replace. Then, you should watch out for the other engine related parts like the alternator and camshaft. Finally, the catalytic converter and the fuel pump are other expensive repairs to watch out for.If you find that you need to replace one or multiple of these parts in your current car, it might be time for a new one. Otherwise, you can pay for the replacement in your current car. In either case, watch out for these expensive car replacements.

Written by Rajiv. He is writing content for Serpwizz. You’ll find me playing with my dog Gizmo in between copious cups of coffee and even the odd donut or three 😛