Unexpected breakdowns are always an unwelcome and unplanned expense for drivers and their families. While annual maintenance costs are usually anticipated, an unexpected failure—especially during the first years of a car’s life—can create distrust in the vehicle, sometimes even prompting owners to replace it. But how high would the repair bill need to be for this to happen? According to a CarGurus report in the UK surveying 1,000 drivers with out-of-warranty cars, a cost of £926 is enough for drivers to consider getting rid of their current vehicle.
Drivers’ patience generally does not tolerate three or more vehicle failures, nor exceeding the £926 threshold for unplanned repairs within a year. On average, they are only willing to wait a maximum of ten days for an unexpected repair to be completed.
If this patience limit is exceeded, owners would spend an average of £17,184 on a new car—£16,257.6 (or 1,752%) more than it would cost to fix unexpected problems and keep their current vehicle in good condition. This is notable considering that the average age of vehicles on UK roads is currently nine years, much younger than in Spain, where the average exceeds 14 years.
The survey revealed that 50% of UK car owners had made unexpected trips to the workshop in the past 12 months. In addition to scheduled services and MOTs, drivers spend an average of £322.8 per year on unplanned repairs, according to the CarGurus survey. This amount is added to the £427 average annual expenditure on planned maintenance, such as routine checks and MOT inspections.
Furthermore, 40% of respondents admitted they were postponing repairs due to cost, driving their cars with issues such as dashboard warning lights, smoky exhausts, engine rattles, worn tires, and rust.
These problems create anxiety among UK drivers, with nearly three-quarters (72%) reporting stress over the prospect of unplanned repairs, and 90% relying on a workshop to carry out the necessary fixes.
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