Car repair is a fact of life. Regardless of how well you maintain your vehicle through regularly scheduled service, there’s going to come a time when you’ll be forced to pay a visit to your neighborhood auto repair shop. Given this, it’s a smart idea to know well in advance if your car is the type that won’t leave you strapped for cash in the event of the unforeseeable. To help you get a better idea at what you’re facing down the line, we’ve rounded up a list of the 5 most and 5 least expensive cars to repair. Depending on what you see, you may want to start saving your pennies in advance.
What Are the Least Expensive Cars to Repair?
A large part of whether or not you’re going to pay through the nose for car repair depends on what you drive. Naturally. Many people still mistakenly believe that the number of digits at the end of your auto repair bill will be in direct proportion to how far you live from the manufacturing plant; as in, whether your car was manufactured in-country or overseas. But the facts tell us something very different: Buying American doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to pay less for auto repair. If you’re not convinced, take a look at the following list of the 5 least expensive cars to repair, as reported by CarMD.
- Toyota
- Hyundai
- Honda
- Ford
- General Motors
As you can plainly see, the top 3 least expensive cars to repair are all manufactured overseas – Japan (for Toyota and Honda) and South Korea (for Hyundai). It also doesn’t hurt that these makes are typically inexpensive and incredibly popular in the United States, which leads to two all-important cost determining factors: ready availability of parts and technicians who are familiar with them and who can therefore perform repairs quickly.
What are the Most Expensive Cars to Repair?
You’ve probably already guessed that the most expensive cars to repair are also the most expensive cars to own. In that respect, you’ve absolutely hit the nail on the head. Car parts for expensive vehicles, especially those manufactured in European countries, not only cause repair shops a bit of trouble when it comes to ordering unique replacement parts, but the unfamiliarity with these types of cars on the part of mechanics can also cause a repair shop to charge you a lot more in labor. If you own any of the 5 vehicle makes below, the odds are significantly high that you’re going to have to dig deep to pay for needed auto repairs.
- Audi
- BMW
- Mercedes-Benz
- Porsche
- Hybrid or electric vehicles (any make)
Okay, that last one was a cheat. But the placement of electric and hybrid vehicles on this top 5 list of most expensive cars to repair serves to drive home a significant point. It’s a point that has little to do with your vehicle’s country of origin, too, and everything to do with the fact that owning specialty vehicles like hybrids and electrics may save you gas money and may work wonders for the environment, but you’ll eventually pour those savings right back into their repair.
All of this points to the enormous importance of keeping your vehicle – whatever its make, model, or specialty status – in tip top shape. Because no matter where it came from or how cheap or expensive it’s going to be to repair, the fact remains that performing regular maintenance can prevent the vast majority of car troubles. If you keep this in mind and get serious about preventive car care, the monetary damage will always be minimized.