
This contamination can cause diseases and deaths in people, animals, and plants. These metals and other vehicle chemicals can also leach into soil and water. Exposure to heavy metals, for instance, can result in poisoning and even cancer ! In fact, between 20, over 44,000 car crashes were due to vehicle failure.ĭecaying and corroding car parts also have health and environmental impacts. You shouldn’t forego repairs either, as driving a defective car can lead to an accident. If your clunker has been in the repair shop multiple times in a short period of time, it may be best to just scrap it. This increases the need for repairs, many of which will be major expenses.Īll those trips to the mechanic could be worth more than your ride’s actual market value. Moreover, the longer you own and use a car, the closer its parts reach the end of their life. The older your car is, the more likely it is to guzzle up more fuel. That’s 6.1 mpg less efficient than 2017 models which had an average fuel efficiency of 39.4 mpg. For instance, the average fuel efficiency of 2010 light vehicles was only 33.9 mpg. The rest - $3,677 - most likely went towards maintenance and repairs.īoth old and ill-maintained cars cost more to run because they’re less fuel-efficient. $3,975 went towards paying for the vehicle itself and $2,109 for gas and motor oil. In 2018, the transportation-related expenditures per household averaged $9,761. Ready to learn more about selling a car for scrap? Then let’s get right into it! Why Scrap Your Car in the First Place You can then use that cash to help pay for a new car that will perform better and a lot safer. For starters, the most valuable parts on a car to scrap can already net you a few hundred dollars. If these describe your clunker, consider selling your car for parts. These consume more fuel and are also prone to frequent breakdowns. What’s more, experts estimate that by 2021, 84 million vehicles will be at least 16 years old!Īs impressive as these figures are, driving a car that’s more than a decade old isn’t that practical. That’s a 4% increase in their service life within the last half-decade. In 2018, the average vehicle life span in the US has reached an all-time high of 11.8 years old.
