We all have bad days when our car won't start for any number of reasons, but when it starts happening all the time you need to reconsider whether or not it's worth hanging on to. You might not think you can afford it initially, but when it starts costing you more money in repairs ? and even extra travelling expenses while it's being fixed ? it's certainly time to look elsewhere.

Of course the initial temptation is to start looking at all the bright and shiny new cars in the showrooms, but there's no need to go this far to get back on the road again. A good quality second hand car will do just as well if you buy it from a reliable source.

The first question will be how much you can afford to spend on your next car. Take a fresh look at your incomings and outgoings to see how much extra cash you have left over every month. You can also check your savings as you may be able to put some of this cash towards your next car.

Another option is to go for . This is especially useful if you need another car in a hurry and you don't have the savings available to be able to pay cash for it. If you work out how much you can afford to pay back each month you'll be able to get a rough idea of how much you will need to borrow to get your used car.

It is well worth getting the best quality second hand car you can, in order to make sure you get the best use out of it. You also need to consider what you will be using it for. Don't buy a small car simply because it works out cheaper, for example. If you regularly go to boot fairs as a seller, or you have two large dogs that need to go in the car from time to time, you'll probably regret not buying a bigger car when you had the chance.

In the end, even if your current car is on its last legs it's worth taking some time to consider what your next car should be. By checking out all the options and working out exactly what you can afford to spend, you might just end up with a much better and far more reliable car than you thought you would.