What To Do When Your Car Dies

No matter how much we love our car or how much time we spend making sure it’s running smoothly, eventually, all cars will break down or need to be replaced.

This is difficult for you whether you have a regular 9 to 5 job, but especially for someone who is a full-time gig worker.

What should you do if you’re a gig worker, even part-time, and your car breaks down, leaving you unable to work until it’s fixed?

Repair or replace your car

Repair The Car

Many mechanics have told me that it’s always cheaper to fix a car than to buy a new one.

While there are exceptions to every rule, unless it’s a major repair or the car is so old that it’s not worth the cost, repairing it is usually the best option.

If you know how to do your repairs, that’s great, but even if you don’t, you can still repair your car.

Do It Yourself

Having a friend or family member who can help you and make sure you do it correctly is invaluable.

Many of us don’t have that, though, or we don’t have time to wait until they are available.

So what can we do?

YouTube is invaluable. By typing in your car and what you need to fix, you will always be able to find a mechanic who teaches that exact thing.

I have found that the videos that are the most helpful are the ones that have the worst camera work. These are typically mechanics that just want to help people, and the information is great even if they can’t get the camera in the right spot and the lighting and sound are horrible.

If it’s still too much work, or you aren’t comfortable with it, then you can always have a professional do the work.

Hire a Professional

The fastest and best way to get repairs done on a car is to take it to a professional.

Hopefully, you have set money aside for when this happens and can afford it.

If you haven’t, this is a good time to start thinking about that for the future.

If you trust your mechanic, consider asking them to give you an honest estimate of any upcoming repairs and their costs so you can plan ahead and start saving.

Is It Better To Do Nothing?

The cheapest and fastest option may be to do nothing at all.

If the car is worth $3,000 and will cost you $3,500 to fix, then it is likely time to get a new one. 

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Get a New Car

If the day has arrived for you to finally upgrade, it’s not all bad.

Especially after gaining experience in gig work and knowing what works, what doesn’t, and what could be improved, you will have a better idea of what to look for in a new car.

Though you should never buy a car specifically for gig work, it does make sense to consider this when buying a new car.

Things like comfort in the backseat for passengers, charging ports, good cargo room for luggage, and keyless entry make it easier to get in when your hands are full of the food you are delivering.

Gas mileage is probably the most important factor to consider, as it will be your biggest expense throughout the car’s life.

Continue To Make Money

Whether you repair your car or replace it with a new one, you’ll likely still need to find a way to make money while waiting to get back on the road.

Or, you might not have enough money to do what needs to be done, such as fixing or replacing your car. So, how can you continue to make money even without a car?

Rent a Car

Both Uber and Lyft have rental options to get you driving even if you don’t have a car. This does require an upfront fee of between $200 and $400 per week, but if you are driving full-time, you would be able to make that up.

Renting a car is an option to make money when you don’t have a car, but it isn’t necessarily the best option.

If you make an average of $25 an hour, this would mean taking 8 to 16 hours just to pay the rental fee. In other words, you may be driving for 2 days before you start making any money yourself.

When you’re in a huge need, you do end up driving a lot more to make the money you need, so when things are tough, get out there, hustle and rent a car.

Borrow a Car

Another option that you can do is borrow a car from a friend or family member to get back on the road.

Some companies do not allow this, and each area is different. In Florida, where I live, my brother-in-law was able to use his parent’s vehicle. He submitted the registration with all documents, and it was approved.

As for the insurance involved in this, it’s likely best to give your insurance company a call to make sure it would be covered.

Get a Loan

If you are in a worst-case scenario, with no car, no way to get one, and no money saved for any other solution, then you may consider getting a loan.

There are several services we have discussed in the past.

Even if the loan is just enough to rent a car for a week, this can help you take that first step forward. Afterward, work hard and pay it back.

The End of the Car Is Not the End

Cars are just things that are here today and gone tomorrow.

They help us make money; they help us live our lives.

If you have broken down and aren’t sure what to do next, sit down, think about your options, and move forward.

When you get through this crisis, take some more time to sit down and figure out what you need to do to make sure you don’t get into another crisis.