8 Costliest Car Parts Repair & Replacements Every Car Owner Should Know
According to a study done by the American Automobile Association, the average auto repair cost lies between $500 to $600, and 1 in 3 car owners find it difficult to pay. The researchers also observed that the average maintenance and repair cost could be $0.09 per mile, so if the car owner drives 10000 miles in a year, the maintenance cost will be around $900. This cost goes up with more running miles.
One might get shocked by this number as many car owners do not have much knowledge about car maintenance and repair costs. The car repair bills can quickly rack up with various maintenance costs. For example, an average transmission replacement cost ranges from $2000 to $4000, which is one of the most expensive car repairs.
Every car has to be maintained and repaired to keep it running for years, especially when the average car lifespan in the U.S. is 12 years. After that, the car becomes a liability, thanks to the enormous car maintenance costs.
It’s essential to understand various car maintenance costs to understand your transportation budget better. That’s why this list of the eight most expensive car maintenance costs will help every car owner to have a better understanding of car maintenance costs.
- Engine Block
A broken-down engine is like a nightmare to any car owner as the thoughts of expensive bills keep running in their minds. Minor engine issues are among the most common car problems reported by car owners, but a blown engine is bad news. A broken-down engine means it has suffered a lot of internal damage that needs a heck of expensive repair or a total replacement. If you have an old car, it will make more sense to scrap or sell the vehicle to a junk car buyer than going down the costly road of engine replacement.
The average cost of engine replacement: $1000- $4000
- Transmission Repair and Replacement
The transmission repair cost depends on the damage to the transmission and how much you are willing to spend on it. The transmission replacement cost is always higher than repairing it. Since transmission plays an essential role, you should take care of the damages as soon as possible. Here are some of the commonly identified transmission problems that every car owner should know:
- Fluid leaks
- Difficulty shifting gears
- Delayed engagement into “Drive” mode
- Automatic gear slipping
- Rough shifting
- Illuminated warning lights along with any of the above problems
The average cost of transmission repair: $1000- $2000
The average cost of transmission replacement: $4000
- Camshaft Replacement
The camshaft controls the critical task of how the car engine takes in air. It may not get damaged in typical cases, but avoiding car servicing, oil changes, and dirt buildup can damage the camshaft.
The electrical components that support the camshaft are also prone to damage. A sensor that determines the camshaft position can often wear out in older cars. It is cheaper to repair it yourself or get the help of a nearby mechanic instead of replacing the camshaft. Camshaft replacement can be costly as it is highly labor-intensive.
The average cost of camshaft replacement: $1500-$3000
- Hybrid Car Parts & Inverter Replacement
The rising demand for hybrid car parts resulted in lower availability of the parts and higher prices. There’s also a lot of waiting time required till the shipment arrives. It is harder to detect the inverter failure and the “check engine” indicator is the only warning sign. The inverter failure is comparatively a rare issue seen in vehicles, but it burns a massive hole in your pocket when it happens.
The average cost of inverter replacement: $4000-$7000
- AC Compressor Replacement
Air conditioning is one of the most used features in a car. The air compressor plays a vital role in cooling down your car and the engine by separating high and low-pressure air. The air conditioner loses its optimal efficacy over time. A regular re-gas can solve this problem for around $100, but the AC compressor replacement can be a little expensive.
The average cost of AC compressor replacement: $200-$600
- Radiator replacement
Radiators can usually work for years without any issues. Still, they can suffer damages in case of any front-end accident or negligence in using the appropriate antifreeze mix while filling it up. If the car is losing coolant, one should not assume that something is wrong with the radiator. Many other parts are more likely to get affected, such as various hoses and couplings, which are easier to repair. It would be a lot cheaper than replacing the whole radiator.
The average cost of replacing a radiator: $500-$900
- Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor Replacement
The mass airflow sensor performs the essential task of measuring the amount of air sent to the engine and determines how much fuel should be sent to the engine. Lack of regular upkeep of the air filters results in the MAF sensor failure. You can identify damage in the sensor if you come across symptoms such as jerking during acceleration, engine hardness during a turnover, and a lean or rich mixture at idle. The rich mixture can worsen the fuel performance and produce a pungent smell.
The average cost of air filter replacement: $25
The average cost of MAF sensor replacement: $400
- Car Key Replacement
Gone are the days when one could get a copy of a car key in mere few bucks. If you have lost your car key, including the backup one, you might need to create and code an entirely new electric car key set. A computer reset is also necessary to resync the keys with your car. The lost car keys not only cost you money, but you need to deal with the frustration of getting locked out of your vehicle and not being able to use it.
The average cost of electric car keys replacement: $250-$750
The average cost of getting a new key set and resetting the car lock system at the dealership: $2000-$5000
Many people think they are getting ripped off by the car repair service as they don’t know much about car maintenance costs. It can be a little pricey to repair and replace some auto parts. If you own an older car, sometimes it makes sense to sell it to a junk car buyer or the dealership instead of spending thousands of dollars repairing or replacing those parts. The choice is always yours.
Featured Photo by Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash
