Volkswagens boast the lowest maintenance costs, compared to Ford and Vauxhall, according to WhoCanFixMyCar.com (WCFMC).
The findings have been revealed from more than 18,600 lines of data and shows that bills vary drastically by repair type, with transmission work 107 per cent more expensive than the typical servicing bill.
The data shows that larger models are 36 per cent more expensive to maintain than their smaller counterparts, across almost all repair types, and that repair frequency increases as cars reach ‘middle-age’, mirroring rising repair estimates.
WCFMC say pricing is consistently higher across all categories of work except ‘engine and cooling’, a collection of under-the-bonnet repairs for which complexity changes little by vehicle.
However, transmission work is 68 per cent more expensive for Mondeo-sized cars compared to their Fiesta-sized equivalents.
“More expensive parts, more complex vehicles and the higher likelihood of pricey automatic gearbox work all contribute to the difference,” WCFMC explain.
Vehicle age
Owners of Vauxhalls are most likely to book a repair when their car is eight to ten years old, with Ford drivers using the website two to three years later.
Repair work in cars older than 15 years is less common but Volkswagens are shown to buck the trend with more of these being regularly maintained into ‘old-age’.
Repair costs steadily rise to peak at eight to nine years old, with common work noted as clutches and cam belts.
Once the vehicle has surpassed nine years, typical bills decline as fewer miles are covered, and a tolerance of some faults by their drivers.
Average repair bill across all models
- Ford: £227.84
- Vauxhall: 221.91
- Volkswagen: £199.48
The findings follow similar research by the website which compared the maintenance costs of BMW, Audi and Mercedes.
WCFMC recorded more than 200,000 job posts for 8,000 member garages last month.
To find out more about WCFMC, follow the ‘more details’ link below.
