£772: The magic number that makes drivers say "Goodbye" to their cars
It turns out UK drivers are not very patient when it comes to repairing their old vehicles.
There’s one figure that makes UK drivers hit the brakes – £772. According to a new survey from CarGurus, an unexpected repair bill of that size is all it takes for many to decide their car's glory days are over. After all, why fork out hundreds in repairs when you could just put that towards a shiny new ride?
The survey, which polled 1,000 UK drivers with cars not under warranty, unearthed some fascinating insights into how much pain (and cash) Brits are willing to endure before saying farewell to their four-wheeled companions. The answer? Not much. It turns out most drivers have a limit of three faults and are only willing to shell out £772 on average on surprise repairs over the next 12 months. And patience? They’ve got just 10 days of it before they start looking for a new set of wheels.
But here’s where things get interesting. Instead of spending £772 to fix their current jalopy, drivers are willing to part with an eye-watering £14,320 on a new car – that’s 1,752 per cent more than the cost of the repair. Apparently, it’s easier to convince yourself you need a new car than fix the old one when it’s coughing up smoke or rattling like a maraca.
Brits don't like to repair their cars:
"There is always the potential for the occasional unexpected car expense, yet as drivers are holding onto their cars for longer, our study shows that the tolerance of unforeseen issues is very low. For those who have reached breaking point, upgrading to a car with a long manufacturer-backed warranty can make a lot of sense, and is perfectly possible within the average budget of £14,320 that owners are willing to spend," Chris Knapman, Editorial Director at CarGurus, commented.
The data also highlighted that for most drivers, it’s all about reliability and cost. A whopping 57 per cent of drivers said they’d wave goodbye to their cars if they couldn't count on them anymore. And with 45 per cent of drivers citing repair expenses as a dealbreaker, it’s no wonder so many are turning their backs on their beloved bangers. Safety concerns also weigh heavily on their minds (20 per cent), with some drivers admitting they simply want a better, shinier ride (20 per cent) or need more space (12 per cent).
If you’ve noticed more warning lights flashing on dashboards or heard the telltale rattle of a car in distress, you’re not alone. Half of the drivers surveyed have had unexpected trips to the garage in the past year, racking up an average of £269 in surprise costs on top of the planned £427 for maintenance.
Source: Car Gurus
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
These Car Brands Have The Cheapest And Priciest Destination Fees
'How Am I Supposed To Interpret This?': Man Stops Behind GMC Denali At Stoplight. Then He Realizes Something Odd About Its Design
These Are The Most Reliable New Cars For The Money: Study
Mechanic Removes Tires On A Subaru. Then He Realizes The Driver Never Cleaned Them: 'Do Car Washes Get Most Of This Off?'
Buying a Corvette ZR1? Be Prepared to Keep It for a Year
'No Longer Fixing Cars That We Aren't Providing Diagnostics For': Mechanic Does Head Gasket Test On Car. Then It Comes Up Yellow
If You Want to Use One Tire All Year, It Should Be This One