Thinking of investing in a Volkswagen, an Audi, a Skoda or a SEAT? The comparative cost of repairs within the Volkswagen Group makes interesting reading…
By Robin Roberts and Kim Henson
Volkswagen has been in the news a lot lately, and not always for the right reasons. However, the German manufacturer still reigns supreme when it comes to car sales, with the company shifting 10.3 million vehicles in 2016, according to its own figures.
The brands within the collective, which consist of VW, Audi, SEAT and Skoda, all come in varying price ranges but how does the cost of repairing these cars compare?
WhoCanFixMyCar.com collected data on the cost of these repairs by comparing quotes provided on their platform from garages across the UK. Theoretically, you would expect prices to be near-identical between the Group’s own volume brands, as in many cases the same components can be found under the different bonnets… However the results may surprise you. (Note: All figures provided by WhoCanFixMyCar.com).
Average cost of repair:
- Audi – £202.81
- Volkswagen – £185.44
- Skoda – £174.55
- Seat – £169.06
This leaves the average repair for each of the brands at £188.22. Audi, rather unsurprisingly, came out as the most expensive on average for repairs, meaning that the luxury brand not only costs more to buy but will also cost you more to maintain.
The most notable area in terms of price difference is the ‘Brakes and Exhaust’ category…
On average, pads and discs will cost you an extra £53 for an Audi than they would for an equivalent SEAT, £47 more than a Skoda and £37 more than a VW.
Exhaust fitting will cost you £207 on average for an Audi, 46% more than Skoda (£112), 36% more than SEAT (£132) and 33% more than VW (£138).
Another factor on the cost is the age of the vehicle, which affect each brand differently. As expected, prices leap once the car is over three years old for all the brands as more mechanical work becomes necessary. Between three and five years old, SEAT costs jump by 30%, Skoda by 23%, VW by 19% and Audi by 18%.
Louis Butcher, Digital Marketing Manager at ‘Who Can Fix My Car’ says, “The results from this research are really interesting. Although Audi is understandably positioned at the higher end when purchasing the car, the maintenance costs show the premium you pay continues throughout the life of the car”.
“VW is consistently more expensive than the Skoda and SEAT in the first 12 years of ownership. Interesting, considering many of the models are very similar in terms of what is under the hood (bonnet) – brand equity may result in a more expensive product. Therefore when looking to purchase a new car, it is not just the purchase price you must consider, but the cost of ownership too.”
For more information, visit: https://www.whocanfixmycar.com/blog/vw-audi-seat-skoda/
WhoCanFixMyCar.com claims to be a quick, simple way to compare the prices and reputation of garages and mechanics near you. The firm says that if you just tell them what work you require and where you live, they will send quotes from friendly local specialists, straight to your inbox. You can compare prices, reviews and location, and even book in online.
