Why some cars cost more to maintain than others

Some cars might be the same purchase price but differ immensely when it comes to maintenance five or ten years down the road.

One owner spends £3,000 in routine service and repairs, while another owner buys what seems to be a similar vehicle and spends £10,000 or more.

It is not a gamble. There are clear distinctions as to whether a car will be low maintenance or high maintenance over time. Here’s what to think about and what to look for before parting with your hard-earned cash.

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Parts availability makes a huge difference

This is something buyers rarely think about: how easy will it be to get parts for this vehicle? Mass-produced and popular vehicles have parts everywhere. Any auto parts shop will have brake pads, filters and common wear items for a Toyota Camry or Honda Civic on the shelf. A search online will show several competing sellers with aftermarket options for almost any part needed.

Buy something older or less common. Perhaps it’s European or American luxury or a discontinued vehicle. Now, it’s days or weeks to get parts. It’s from a supplier that brings in from overseas and has no one else to compete against on cost. That timing belt that’s £150 for a Honda is £400 for a Volkswagen. Same repair, different invoice.

Labour times vary wildly between models

Not all cars are created with repair ease in mind. Some manufacturers care more about style and performance than ease of access, meaning what could be an easy task becomes a multi-hour endeavour for the technician. Changing spark plugs is half an hour in one car; on another, it involves removing the intake manifold first – three hours lost instead of one.

Headlight bulbs? On many makes and models, it’s a quick five-minute job. On some expensive cars, it’s removing the entire front bumper just to get to the bulb – £200 shop charge instead of a £10 DIY fix. Multiply that across every single job – from oil changes to routine checks – and suddenly, the cost skyrockets.

When repairs take longer than necessary, they cost more – that’s just time is money. Finding a trustworthy mechanic who’s had experience with your model helps considerably to bring down the required man hours to get a car running properly again.

Engine complexity drives up service costs

Engine types that are simple four cylinders are straightforward in service. However, turbocharged engines, hybrid vehicles and higher-performance vehicles require expertise beyond the average owner’s scope – and specialised parts – because there’s more susceptibility for failure.

Turbochargers run hot, have specific oils and maintenance needs. Intercoolers can fail. Direct injection vehicles require carbon cleaning over time. Variable valve timing has additional issues that can fail when they’re compounded with more advanced systems and hybrids.

Luxury and performance vehicles use exotic metals and tighter tolerances, meaning no aftermarket response can guarantee anything – parts and labour must occur to stricter standards to ensure repairs work. Everything – from oil systems to air filters – might need higher levels which come at greater costs at the auto parts store.

Brand-specific requirements add up

Some manufacturers operate in strange manners that mean higher ownership costs. BMW vehicles require complete resets of oil systems with special equipment – that’s not something anyone can do in their driveway if it’s not suggested – but they warrant it.

European brands often suggest fluids that are three times the price of other vehicles. Then, there’s an interval, too. One brand may recommend oil changes at 15K miles; some might suggest 10K; others may say 5K miles. Multiply one additional oil change with all its associated expenses of filters and labour out over a decade and you’re talking a dozen services need for some cars that aren’t needed with other similar ones.

It’s also important to note warranty specifications after they expire; vehicles requiring dealership service as mandated may have a paper trail of repair needs where straying may diminish resale value, forcing people to pay more for dealer repair options instead of taking what could be simpler at an independent shop.

Reliability records tell the real story

It’s simple when cars have more issues than other cars do; transmission issues, electrical failures, engine issues – when these come at retail value outside of warranty – things get expensive, even for the average driver.

Transmission replacements cost £4,000-£7,000; engines fail for upwards of £10,000 easily. Reliability reports exist – Consumer Reports offers reliability ratings – and forums exist in digital spaces where owners can chime in when problems arise; if hundreds mention similar failures, that’s something to know. But buyers don’t typically connect these dots before making purchases – only afterwards when bills pour in.

But reliability compounds over time; a car that has twice as many repairs doesn’t just cost twice as much – it costs efforts of inconvenience because someone is always fixing it. A vehicle maker that provides common sense repairs instead of accessible systems – like rental purchases – is what needs to matter.

Age & technology levels create long-term costs

Older technology cars are sometimes cheaper to maintain because they’re more standardised and approaches are clearer. However newer technology – driver assist features, advanced multimedia systems and electronic everything – means big bucks down the line when something fails.

An integrated rearview camera costs £1,500 to replace an entire unit nowadays; adaptive cruise control sensors are expensive plus reset standards. Lane keep systems need precise alignment plus expensive components.

When technology fails, replacing it is not simple or cheap.

Which presents an interesting case – sometimes older vehicles are worth the investment over their newer counterparts because what’s available is cutting edge but never lives up to increased expectations but lives up to increased replacement risks.

Import status & market position

Imports generally cost more to service regardless of parts. They take longer to arrive from overseas; fewer technicians know them inside and out, requiring specialised tools. All this increases price per man hour forced upon the consumer.

Market position also matters. Luxury brands recognise an opportunity to charge their customers more; even if they sell the same part as mass-produced equivalents, they mark them up 50-100% simply because there’s a foreign sticker on them.

Making smarter choices

It’s important for buyers to recognise these realities for thousands saved over ownership. Investigate common problems found in specific models. Check online parts availability pricing for common use items like air filters and oil changes. Look up repair books for information on required labour times for simple fixes versus relying on reputable internet forums where people actually know what they spend over ownership years renting out varied options.

The cheapest car isn’t necessarily the cheapest over cost of ownership; investing a little bit more into the proposed premium car gets parts easily accessed, components easier operated with better reliability than choosing the standard best box only for repairs down the line.

Owners need to account for all operational expenses – not just all properties related to sticker price – to maintain a proper perspective that accumulates savings over time instead of excess through constant repairs and specialised visits.

This is a collaborative post.