Lorraine Explains: Thousands of reasons—and dollars—to keep your car

Driving.ca reported last week on a new study from J.D. Power. The findings of the study aren’t much of a surprise: in the face of uncertainty and rising costs in the new car market, consumers are opting to hold on to their existing vehicles longer. They should. Like everything else in the industry, however, the costs of maintaining those vehicles are also increasing.

Keep your car

Owning and driving a vehicle has always been a money pit, but if your lifestyle leaves you no other options, the one you have in your driveway right now is likely cheaper to keep her, unless you’ve hit some catastrophic repair bill. 

I host a vodcast for AIA Canada, an organization that represents the auto care sector, what you likely call the aftermarket. It represents interests in the parts arena as well as auto and collision repair, but it is also a Canadian resource for research, government relations and industry programs. If you have a kid at a crossroads in their schooling, or you yourself are considering a career change, the auto care sector is exploding with opportunities. Check out its website, explore what colleges in your area are offering, or attend career fairs. Encourage your child’s school to bring in speakers. There’s probably never been a better time to consider the auto industry as a career.

The auto care sector is expanding and poised to boom, and it’s because of how costly those new cars have become. As new vehicles become increasingly technologically advanced, the skill set required to maintain and repair them is also evolving. Two years of discussions with the major players in the sector have shown me how the industry is preparing for a future that is growing at warp speed. They need workers, and the auto industry offers something for just about anyone. Forget the image of a grease-covered tech and darkened garages: the auto industry is so much more.

As the J.D. Power survey points out, many of us are opting to sit tight until some sanity comes back to the showroom floor. You could be waiting a while. The jump in median prices from 2019 to 2024 was an astronomical 60%. As I watch those prices come down, parts of a percentage point at a time, forgive me for not jumping for joy. High car prices are here to stay. Consumers are faced with taking out increasingly longer loan terms or worse, rolling negative equity into new loans to afford a new ride. Both are at best unsavoury and at worst, budget-busting.

So what do you do?

Fall in love with the car you already own

That’s what you do. Maintenance is always cheaper than repair, so find a tech you trust. Ask friends, neighbours, family, anyone you know who gives a damn about keeping their car in decent shape. If you’re actually considering how to budget a years-long purchase (there are very few great interest rates anymore), take a piece of that money and get your current vehicle in for a physical. 

There are online estimators for how much you can expect to pay in annual maintenance depending on your make and model. CAA has a good one here. Those figures, of course, do not factor in payments and insurance. If your insurance renewal is obscene, contact a broker who has access to a larger market. Don’t get any tickets. If you got a speed camera ticket, now is the time to rejoice that your insurance won’t know about it. 

See if you have warranty left

Before it’s up, book an appointment with your dealer a few months out for a top-to-tail inspection. Check for any outstanding recalls. Recalls are paid for by the manufacturer, and if you purchased your vehicle new, you should receive notifications. But if you bought it used, there can be some burps in the system. Check directly with the manufacturer.

If you bought new, you probably had some type of roadside assistance that came with it. That runs out, so check that while you’re at it. CAA is your friend.

Keep an eye on your tires

Everything is quite literally riding on them. Invest in winter tires, and make an appointment for the switch a few weeks out. It’s a busy time of year, and leaving it until the last moment will see you caught in the first surprise snowfall. The difference in stopping ability (slow down; slow way, way down) can be the difference in contact with another vehicle or a curb, or far worse, a person. Even at low speeds, the damage of two cars meeting can be significant. All those sensors and cameras that are keeping you safer cost a lot more to repair. Drive like you have a wedding cake on the back seat. Smooth drivers are the safest drivers.

Ignore the advertising noise

I’ll be blunt: you don’t need most of the new bells and whistles automakers keep rolling out to tempt you with every year. Centre stacks loaded with distractions and settings most drivers never use make for great ads, but add little to your driving experience unless you are a serious tech lover. The increase in hacks (Land Rover, Stellantis) is proof of what the Mozilla Foundation revealed a couple of years ago: your vehicle is a privacy ‘nightmare on wheels’. When it comes to hacking risks, the older your car, the better. Think of it as a collector’s item if you will. You can check your vulnerability here using your VIN. When you’re considering all the Howdy Doody upgrades, consider my late, weird, right father: “We don’t need power windows. It’s just more things to break.” Old advice, but the sentiment holds.

Clean it up

Remember all that money you’re about to not climb on the hook for? Use a tiny portion of it to get your current ride detailed. You can do it yourself, but there is nothing like a thorough, professional detailing. You know how much crap your kids throw around, so determine the level of cleaning you need. But our cars are an extension of ourselves, and nothing feels better than a meticulously clean car — even if it’s not new.

The auto care sector is revving up and waiting for you. Collectively — parts, maintenance, repair — it is ready for you. All costs have gone up, but cars are built to last. We have an old Caravan in the drive with 320,000 on the odo. The rust is decorative, but it’s crammed with surfboards and runs like the well-oiled machine it is. It’s thanks to our independent techs who laugh when it rolls in. We smile when we roll away. 

Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X, Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.