Breaking point: unexpected bill of £772 enough to make Brits want to replace car

An unexpected car repair bill of £772 is the “breaking point” for drivers to part ways with their current vehicle, according to a newly released report. CarGurus – a leading automotive marketplace in the U.K. to shop, buy, and sell used vehicles – commissioned a survey of 1,000 U.K. drivers that own cars without a warranty. It revealed the unexpected problems that would be enough to make Brits consider buying a replacement car, rather than repair their current vehicle.

Drivers are willing to tolerate fewer than three faults and spend an average of £772 over the next 12 months on unexpected repairs. In addition, on average, they’re only willing to wait a maximum of 10 days for an unplanned repair to be carried out.

Should the “breaking point” be reached, owners would spend an average of £14,320 on a new car – £13,548 (1,752%) more than they would spend to fix unexpected issues to keep their current car in good order. This data comes during a time when the average age of vehicles on U.K. roads is now up to nine years, a full year increase compared to 2019ⁱ.

Reliability (57%) and costs (45%) are the top reasons today’s drivers say they would want to replace their old car, reinforcing the “breaking point” factors. Other reasons include safety concerns (20%), being able to afford a better car (20%), and the size being unsuitable (12%).

Survey data showed that 50% of U.K. car owners have made unexpected trips to the garage in the past 12 months. Outside of scheduled servicing and M.O.T.s, U.K. drivers spend an average of £269 per year on unplanned repairs according to the CarGurus survey. This is on top of £427 spent on average per year on planned maintenance such as servicing and M.O.T.s.

40% of respondents said they are putting off repairs because of the cost, and cars are being driven with issues such as dashboard warning lights, smoking exhausts, rattling engines, worn tyres, and rust.

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of drivers surveyed said they are stressed by the prospect of unplanned car repairs and 90% rely upon a garage to carry out repairs for them.

The CarGurus study also outlined car brands that British drivers perceive to be the most reliable and therefore the least likely to reach a “breaking point”:

1. Toyota
2. Volkswagen
3. Ford
4. Honda
5. Volvo
6. BMW
7. Audi
8. Mercedes
9. Nissan
10. Hyundai

Chris Knapman, Editorial Director at CarGurus U.K., said: “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.

“To help guide consumers, CarGurus experts have identified the longest manufacturer-backed car warranties in the U.K. We have also selected a range of vehicles from those brands to meet different needs, from a city car to a seven-seater, and everything in between. As ever, detail is everything, so be sure to read our guide to find out what is and isn’t included in each manufacturer’s warranty, and what conditions must be met to qualify.”

Bye-Bye Breaking Point: Peace-of-Mind Motors for under £14,320

Best city car: Suzuki Ignis

• Why: Stylish, cheap to run, seats four people comfortably, well equipped
• What you can get: 2022 model with 10,000 miles
• Maximum warranty from first registration: Up to seven years and 100,000 miles if serviced with Suzuki
• Potential remaining warranty: Five years, 90,000 miles

Best runaround: Hyundai i20

• Why: Affordable to buy, cheap to run, easy to drive
• What you can get: 2023 model with 12,000 miles
• Maximum warranty from first registration: Five years, unlimited mileage
• Potential remaining warranty: Four years, unlimited mileage

Best for families: Toyota Rav 4 (last generation)

• Why: Spacious and solid all-rounder with Toyota’s superb reliability record
• What you can get: 2017 model with 40,000 miles
• Maximum warranty from first registration: Up to 10 years and 100,000 miles if serviced with Toyota
• Potential remaining warranty: Three years, 60,000 miles

Best for large families: Kia Carens

• Why: One of the only seven seaters available for the budget
• What you can get: 2018 model with 40,000 miles
• Maximum warranty from first registration: Seven years, 100,000 miles
• Potential remaining warranty: One year, 60,000 miles

Best for fun: Suzuki Swift Sport

• Why: Hot hatch performance with big-car features and tiny running costs
• What you get: 2021 model with 12,000 miles
• Maximum warranty from first registration: Up to seven years and 100,000 miles if serviced with Suzuki
• Potential remaining warranty: Four years, 88,000 miles

Best electric car: MG5 EV

• Why: It might not look terribly exciting, but the MG5 EV represents a great value choice to get into electric motoring, with a range of over 200 miles and enough room for the family
• What you can get: 2021 model with 5,000 miles
• Maximum warranty from first registration: Seven years and 80,000 miles
• Potential remaining warranty: Four years, 95,000 miles

Best for luxury: Lexus IS

• Why: The IS combines style and quality with hybrid power for great efficiency
• What you can get: 2018 IS 300h model with 65,000 miles
• Maximum warranty from first registration: Up to 10 years and 100,000 miles if serviced with Lexus
• Potential remaining warranty: Four years, 35,000 miles

Best for large loads: Kia Ceed SW Estate

• Why: The Ceed SW Estate has a vast boot, with 625 litres of space
• What you can get: 2022 model with 30,000 miles
• Maximum warranty from first registration: Seven years, 100,000 miles
• Potential remaining warranty: Five years, 70,000 miles

Best for value: Hyundai i30 Tourer

• Why: The i30 is a very good all-rounder, and in estate form it combines a 602-litre boot with a good ride, comfort, and lots of standard equipment
• What you can get: 2023 1.0 T-GDi SE Connect Estate with 20,000 miles
• Maximum warranty from first registration: Five years, unlimited mileage
• Potential remaining warranty: Four years, unlimited mileage

Best for style: Toyota C-HR

• Why: Toyota’s fun-to-drive crossover combines striking styling with a proven hybrid drivetrain
• What you can get: 2019 Icon model with 50,000 miles
• Maximum warranty from first registration: Up to 10 years and 100,000 miles if serviced with Toyota
• Potential remaining warranty: Five years, 50,000 miles