Older Cars are Cheaper to Repair

Jan 31 2012

When you sign up for a car finance deal on a new car, you can be sure it is going to be more reliable than the one you traded in.  That, at least is the conventional wisdom.  This view has now been seriously jolted by the result of a study carried out by the insurance company Warranty Direct.

They found that older cars were cheaper to repair and, in fact, 10% less likely to break down than their technologically more advanced new counterparts.

Older versions of the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Zafira, Audi A4 and BMW 3-series have also earned themselves the reputation of being “Peter Pan” cars, since they don’t easily show their age.

According to Warranty Direct the average repair bill for a Ford Fiesta that was built between 2002 and 2008 was nearly twice that of one built between 1995 and 2002.

In another eye-opener the company found that late versions of the Zafira are twice as likely to develop electrical problems than older models – in fact 45% of the new models experience electrical faults every year.

Warranty Direct also claims that 33% of Audi A4s built between 2005 and 2009 will have engine problems, while this is true for only 10% of those built between 2000 and 2005

In the case of BMW, a recent BMW 3-series model is three times more likely to experience a problem with its braking system than an earlier model.

A spokesperson for the company said “Buying new may be the most desirable option when it comes to purchasing a car but it isn’t always the most cost-effective route.”
 

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