Most people with a car payment feel committed to their vehicle until the loan is paid off. Once it is, though, many folks have a hard time deciding whether to keep the vehicle or move on to another one. After helping owners make these decisions for over a decade as a service manager at a local repair facility, here are the two most obvious signs that it’s time to get a different car.

Allow me to preface the signs with the idea that these tips are for a general audience of drivers. Enthusiasts with your own personal reasons (and ability) to keep your project or dream car going need not get defensive here; we totally get it! Heck, store the dang thing for however long you need to until you can get it into shape.

On to the meat of the message:

You should expect any used vehicle to need regular maintenance and occasional repairs. However, if your car keeps breaking in pricey ways, it could be time to move on. The rule of thumb I’ve always used is whether a newer or at least different model would be more or less stressful to own overall. This includes both financial strain and your mental bandwidth.

Say you’ve been inadvertently dumping money into an older luxury vehicle: brakes, struts, tires, maybe the alternator, and an easy gasket here or there. A larger-than-normal repair bill suddenly hits on top of everything else you’ve already spent, like a catalytic converter failure. You might find that a newer model could actually cost less than what you’re spending in a year.

In order to determine whether a different car would make more financial sense, you’ll need to do some accounting and research. First, figure out how much your vehicle is actually costing you. This includes maintenance, repairs, fuel, insurance, and so on. Next, compare these annual expenses to the annual expense of switching to a different car.

It’s interesting to see where you land. Often, customers at the shop find that moving on is actually more expensive than repairing their older vehicle. I found this to be the case with many used Toyota and Honda models. Of course, there’s a rock bottom for every vehicle, and depending on the individual scenario, it’s not all about the money. Peace of mind goes a long way, too, if you can afford it.

The second most obvious sign that it’s time to get a different car is when your current ride truly no longer fits your needs. Maybe you’ve changed jobs, and your commute is suddenly much longer than before. Or, you’ve started a family, and a two-door coupe won’t exactly cut it. Depending on your situation, you may need to go bigger or smaller.

Start by shopping around a bit. You might make a list of needs versus wants. Look into which vehicles you’d personally prefer first. Check that the reliability and owner satisfaction ratings match your expectations.

Before you change cars, always have whatever you’re looking at checked out by a trusted mechanic first.

In the end, it’s always OK to switch cars if it just makes sense for you and yours.