So I could really use some advice from you all. I bought a used 2014 Ford Escape Titanium back in 2020, and it’s now got around 134k miles. Last year, I had some transmission problems (shocker, right?) and had to get that fixed. Then, just this past week, I had to fix the transfer case, which was another costly repair. To get the car back in good shape, I’d need to buy four new tires. The thing is, I’m in nursing school now, and I don’t have the money to keep putting into this car. My question is, with the mileage on it, would I need to expect any major repairs in the next year? Does it make sense to finish fixing it and keep driving it, or should I sell it? From what I can find, I’d probably get about 4-5k for it, and I still owe 3k. The problem is, with my budget, I’d likely end up with a beater car that’s going to come with its own issues. It’s a tough decision, but I’d love to hear from mechanics or Ford Escape owners who have any thoughts on the potential problems I might face or suggestions for what I should do next.
Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t – if you’ve already put a lot into it, it’s hard to justify losing thousands by trading or selling it and then paying extra fees and taxes to get into another car. Plus, who knows what kind of problems the next car might have?
It really comes down to numbers – see how much you’d lose on the Escape and how that compares to the cost of repairs you’d have to make. Like, say you lose 5k on resale + 1k in taxes/fees for a new car, so you’re 6k in to avoid a 2k repair. Think about how that compares with other cars in your price range and how you feel about your Escape.
@Dakota
I agree with this. In my experience, you’ll have a hard time finding a used car in good condition for under $15k. New cars are reportedly about $10k more expensive now than they were before the pandemic. I’d keep the Escape and drive it into the ground. That’s my plan for my 2013 Escape anyway 
Get rid of it. I just put a 4k transmission in my 2014 Escape, and it only has 85k miles. If I didn’t owe so much on it, I would’ve just said forget it and sold it. Now I’m just trying to get the money back and get rid of it as soon as I can.