BUYING A CAR :: Introduction :: Needs vs desires (1) :: Needs vs desires (2) :: Budget (1) :: Budget (2) :: Advertising :: New vs used (1) :: New vs used (2) :: Dealer vs private :: On-line :: Auctions (1) :: Auctions (2) :: Choosing a car > JD Power CSI > CAR's 2007 parts price survey > CAR Top 12 best buys :: Finance (1) :: Finance (2) :: Car allowance (1) :: Car allowance (2) :: Security :: Insurance (1) :: Insurance (2) :: When things go wrong

CAR’s 2007 parts prices survey

The latest edition of the annual CAR magazine Parts Prices Survey (May 2007) investigates the parts costs of some of the country's most affordable cars. The survey is broken up into two segments – the first, service items, includes the parts that would normally be charged for during a routine service (that is if no maintenance contract applies). These include the air filter, oil filter, brake pads etc.

The mechanical parts section includes items such as water pumps, windscreens,
radiators, brake discs and clutch replacement kits. When shopping for a car with potentially low running costs, it would be best to opt here for a model with relatively cheaper service items. Also, it helps to create a wider picture if you correlate the results of this parts survey with the J D Power study.

* Even though the Toyota Tazz is no longer available as a new model, we have included it in this comparison as a benchmak, due to the large number still on our roads.