When you’re car shopping, the up-front cost of a new car is just one factor in how you budget. True cost-of-ownership involves insurance costs, fuel, and, of course, repair costs. That last factor can vary widely. A new study from Consumer Reports highlights cars that cost much more to repair even for common problems, and there’s a trend.
The offenders are almost all German made.
Replacing the compressor on a car’s air conditioner, for instance, costs an average of $1,211. But to do it to a BMW 750 Li will set you back $4,453.
Replacing an alternator costs an average of $825. But on a Porsche Cayenne, it runs $2,810.
And, replacing the starter on the average car is $630. But, if you own an Audi RS5, you can shell out $2,708 for that service.
German cars aren’t the most expensive to repair in every category. Water pump replacement on a Lexus RX450h, for instance, goes for $2,749 – well above an industry average of $710. And a few of CR’s examples probably don’t belong in a conversation about average car repair costs. To replace a shock or strut on your Nissan GT-R does cost nearly six times what that repair costs on most cars, but the GT-R’s defining feature is its absurd race-ready suspension. Few owners will drive one often enough to wear it out.
But the heart of the study is valid, and a real concern for new car buyers. It should also give used car buyers pause – there may be a good reason that 5-year-old luxury car seems surprisingly affordable.
Check out Kelley Blue Book’s Repair Cost Estimator
