The following table provides you with the 10 most expensive major car problems, along with their expected repair costs:
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| Most expensive major car problem | Expected repair cost |
| Air conditioner compressor replacement | $500 |
| Brake line replacements | $1000 |
| Catalytic converter replacement | $1500 |
| Head gasket replacement | $2000 |
| Camshaft replacement | $3000 |
| Suspension system replacement | $3500 |
| Airbags replacements | $4000 |
| Transmission replacement | $5000 |
| Hybrid battery replacement | $6000 |
| Engine replacement | $10,000 |
Car repairs can add up significantly, and from minor problems in one of the simple components to major issues related to the engine, prices, and costs can climb significantly. Many people can't afford to fix their cars, and that's where they have to get to the point where they evaluate whether you should fix or sell their vehicles.
Every driver needs to be aware of the most expensive major car problems. Once you know them, you'll know immediately whether you should fix or sell. This is because you'll get an immediate sense of the pro problem's severity and whether you should focus on fixing it or thinking of something new.
This article highlights the ten most expensive major car problems. It also details each problem, the important component, and why your vehicle won't run without them.
10 most expensive major car problems
There are certain components in your car that you need to have working all the time. Otherwise, your vehicle won't run, or your safety will be impacted significantly. So when there's any problem with these components, you shouldn't ignore them because otherwise, you sacrifice your safety and the safety of other people driving around you.
While some problems are easy and simple to fix, others are very severe and might require thousands of dollars to repair. The following list provides you with the ten most expensive major car problems you should know. Whatever your mechanic indicates the problem with one of them, you should step back and evaluate whether you should fix this vehicle or sell it instead:
1. Air conditioner – $500
The air conditioner is an important component in any vehicle. It's responsible for ensuring that your vehicle's internal environment is suitable for driving,g especially if you're driving in very hot areas.
While it's not always important to have working air conditioning if the weather is good outside, you mustn't ignore the problem and fix it as soon as possible if the temperature is uncomfortable for you to drive.
2. Brake line – $1000
The other expensive repair you might encounter is the vehicle brake line. Again, depending on your vehicle type and condition, this typically costs you over $1000, if not more. Again, the brake line is critical; if it's not working properly, you can risk your safety and the safety of people driving with you.
When you feel a significant issue in the brake line, you must consult your mechanic and have him repair it immediately. However, before you do that, it's important to compare their upper costs to the vehicle value and see if it's worth fixing your car.
3. Catalytic converter – $1500
The catalytic converter is a critical component in any vehicle. It's responsible for converting the bed emissions into less harmful gases suitable for release to the environment based on the environmental protection agency recommendations.
When the catalytic converter fails, it needs about $1500 to get fixed. Otherwise, your converter will not work properly, and the vehicle will not clean the harmful gases. As a result, you'll see that your vehicle will not pass the emission test if you're due for one.
4. Head gasket – $2000
The head gasket is a critical component of the engine cylinders. It's responsible for preventing the hot gases from leaving the cylinders and damaging the engine surrounding components. Also, it's responsible for preventing fluids from getting inside the cylinders and damaging the combustion process.
When the head gasket fails, most vehicles require about $2000 for the repair. However, repair costs can climb significantly if your car is a luxury vehicle. Thus, before you proceed with the repairs, you should consult your mechanic and check if it's worth fixing your vehicle or selling it instead.
5. Camshaft – $3000
Another important component that you might deal with is the camshaft. This component allows the engine to intake the air for the combustion process. If the camshaft fails, you won't have the right combustion process; therefore, your engine will not create the required energy.
When the camshaft goes bad, getting fixed should cost somewhere between $1500 and $3000. This is a significant repair cost; before you do so, you need to perform the right analysis to see if it's worth fixing your car.
6. Suspensions – $3500
One of the other things that you should pay attention to is your vehicle suspension system. Most people ignore this system, thinking it lasts forever and will not deal with significant problems. However, that's not the case.
Typically, your suspension system consists of common components like the control arms, tie rods, struts, shocks, and springs. If any of those components goes bad, it can easily impact your vehicle's drivability, and in some instances, it might prevent your car from working.
Therefore, automotive experts always recommend taking care of these suspension systems and paying attention to minor problems. If your mechanic finds out that the suspension system is dealing with certain problems, he needs to evaluate it and see if it's worth fixing your car or selling it instead.
7. Airbag – $4000
Their bags are critical safety features in any vehicle. They are triggered every time a vehicle is involved in a car accident. When this happens and when the airbags are deployed, you'll need to replace them immediately. Otherwise, your vehicle will not have these safety features, which is a huge risk.
Replacing the airbags would cost you somewhere between $2000 and $4000. This is significant, and for those driving very cheap vehicles, it can be a significant repair in some instances; you might want to sell the vehicle rather than waste money trying to fix these components.
8. Transmission – $5000
The transmission is a core component in any vehicle; if it's not working properly, your vehicle will not function. A failed transmission should cost somewhere between $4000 and $5000. Unfortunately, this is a significant repair that many people find challenging to pay for and fix.
You should pay attention to any science of a failing transmission to detect the problem before it occurs. Many automotive experts indicated that if you can detect minor transmission problems, you might be able to fix them way less than paying $5000 for a completely failed transmission.
9. Hybrid car battery – $6000
Do you drive a hybrid car? Do you know that the hybrid vehicle has a very critical important component, the car battery? Unfortunately, this battery might fail at some point; if it does, it requires around $6000 for repair, which is very significant.
Unfortunately, when your hybrid car battery fails, we won't be able to drive the car, especially if the vehicle relies a lot on this battery. Therefore, you need to consult the mechanic and see if you can replace it with a used one, which might not be the best option, but it could be a less expensive repair option. Otherwise, consider selling this vehicle if it's your best option.
10. Engine – $10,000
Finally, another critical core component in any vehicle is the vehicle engine. The engine is the heart of the car, and if it fails, it simply means that your vehicle is not drivable and the engine is not producing any energy to get the vehicle going from point a to point b.
When the engine fails, you might have different options to help you determine the next steps. For example, your mechanic might advise installing a used engine and probably might advise you to rebuild your existing engine. However, in some instances, you might need to install a brand-new one.
Regardless of the engine repair option, all of them are considered relatively expensive, and that's where car owners need to explore whether they should fix the vehicles or pay somewhere between $7000 and $10,000 in many instances.
Should I fix or sell my car when dealing with these most expensive major car problems?
As you might notice, the ten most expensive major car problems are not affordable to get fixed, and that's where it's important for you as a car owner to determine whether you should fix the vehicle or sell it instead. One way to determine this is by comparing the repair cost to the vehicle's overall value.
Experts indicated that if your vehicle repair costs are approaching 75% of your vehicle value or more, you should sell the vehicle rather than waste your time and effort trying to get it to work because you won't eliminate the problem.
Final thoughts
Dealing with major car problems can be very frustrating, and many people are surprised about their expected repair costs. That's why it's critical for you as a car owner to understand the most expensive major car problems and how much to expect when they occur.
It's also critical that you do the right research and the terminal you should fix this vehicle or sell it instead. If you're ready to sell your car and think that repair costs are something you can't afford, you can always consult a cash car buyer at 773-791-4363.