Many owners are stubborn when it comes to certain selling certain cars, preferring to hold on to antiquated junk cars instead of liquidating them on the market.

In this article, we discuss 3 risks of driving a junk car long after its heyday. Within each section, we explain the precise nature of the risk and offer some advice for how to avoid these risks.

Junk Cars Are Bad for the Environment

Junk cars are often very old and rely on technology that isn’t environmentally friendly.

Many junk cars are very inefficient when it comes to using gas, having an MPG (miles per gallon) of less than 20.

Yet, burning gas emits greenhouse gasses, which can increase the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. Greenhouse gases can also lead to ocean acidification as well as loss of biodiversity.

We recommend calculating your car’s gas mileageand keeping track of its performance over time.

Junk Cars Are Bad for Your Health

Junk cars often utilize compromised parts that can put people in danger. For example, many junk cars have inaccurate braking systems that can endanger drivers as well as passengers.

Furthermore, since junk cars are often inefficient at using gas for fuel, they often release many harmful chemicals into the surrounding environment. Anyone breathing in these toxic fumes could certainly experience some ill health effects.

Some modern cars, on the other hand, allow custom exhaust pipesto be installed that mitigate the harmful effects of exhaust fumes. Unless you have this technology installed on your junk car, it might be time to seek some monetary compensation.

Junk cars also impact your mental health. This is because we can become attached to them and irrationally preserve them in spite of signs encouraging the opposite. This can disturb our flow and coexistence with society, as junk car owners often repress the obvious indications that their junk car is on its last leg.

One of these signs is comments from friends and family about the pathetic state of your junk car. If you ignore these remarks long enough, you might get carried away with your repression and ignore other critical signs unrelated to your car. For example, it would also be easy to ignore signs related to your state of health or your occupation. This level of repression represents a poor state of mental health.

Sometimes, it’s important to listen to the universe and adapt to its conditions rather than force your will on the world. Continuing to drive a junk car lead to this aggressively willful state of being instead of a more passive, trusting state of being.

Junk Cars Are Expensive to Maintain

Junk cars are also quite expensive to maintain, often requiring an investment in obscure parts simply to keep them alive.

These expenses can put a dent in your bank account, which could prevent you from investing your money in more worthwhile endeavors.

For example, instead of channeling funds into a junk car, many owners choose to invest in a eco-friendly car that benefits the environment. Alternatively, some owners decide to invest in a completely new method of transportation, like a bike or motorcycle.

Regardless of what you do with your saved cash, your investments will likely pay more dividends in the future then dogmatically clinging to your old car.

Additionally, junk cars are expensive because they are often so inefficient at using gas. If you only drive your junk car every now and then, then this might be negligible. But, if you use your junk car frequently, these gas costs could add up over time.  

Our Final Thoughts on Junk Cars

We think junk cars carry many risks, which is why we recommend that owners liquidate these suckers before they cause any significant harm.

These risks include environmental, health, and financial losses.

If you’re able to maturely admit your dogma and sell your junk car, then we recommend purchasing an environmentally friendly vehicle, as these represent the future of the automobile industry.