The average cost of unexpected repairs on used cars is £603

The average cost of an unexpected repair on a used car is £603, according to data from an aftermarket warranty firm.

Data collected by WarrantyWise on its most popular models showed that Peugeot, Ford and Suzuki cars are the cheapest to repair, with average bills of £406, £421 and £424 respectively. The data comes from every warranty claim made with the company by customers on the included brands. The firm covers vehicles up to 12 years old or with up to 120,000 miles on the clock.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the prestige marques tend to cost more. Used Porsches had the highest costs of the cars surveyed, with average bills of £807, although Subarus were the next priciest, with average repair costs of £791. BMWs cost £721 per repair on average, with Audis and Land Rovers the next most expensive.

WarrantyWise’s full rundown of average repair costs is as follows:

Peugeot £406

Ford £421

Suzuki £424

Nissan £521

Honda £535

Volkswagen £537

Toyota £592

Hyundai £577

Mazda £617

Land Rover £623

Audi £643

BMW £721

Subaru £791

Porsche £807

Extended warranty firms such as WarrantyWise offer cover for unexpected repairs on cars whose manufacturer warranties have expired. The company’s CEO, Lawrence Whittaker, said: “If your car is more than three years old, there’s an 84% chance of a mechanical or electrical breakdown over the next three years, so a big bill is often waiting around the corner. Our data shows that repair costs can vary wildly by manufacturer and, in the case of some, come in at well over £700 on average.”

Phill Tromans