Brits cop it in the pocket
UK tops European motoring costs charts
High fuel costs and taxes have put pressure on the wallets of UK motorists. However, other Europeans are not feeling the pinch quite as much and in many cases spend hundreds of pounds less than their British neighbours to own and run their cars.
Prudential Insurance found that the average running cost of a car in the UK was £485 more per year or up to 15 per cent higher than in Spain, Italy, France and Germany.
The annual cost of running a car in the UK came to £4,997 – £642 more than in Spain, £513 more than in France, £465 more than in Italy and £320 more than in Germany. Researchers looked at every aspect of car ownership and expenditure and found that in almost all areas, British drivers fared the worst.
It all begins from the moment British motorists leave the dealer’s forecourt. It can cost up to £2,000 more to buy a car in the UK than in other European countries and up to £2,000 a year is lost in depreciation.
British drivers are also hit with significantly higher annual road tax than in some European countries. In Italy, drivers don’t pay road tax at all and at £175 per year, the average Brit pays double than that of the Germans and Spanish and around 25 per cent more than the French. Fuel and annual service costs are also higher in the UK.
It isn’t all bad news though, as car insurance in the UK costs less than in many parts of Europe. A motorist in Italy can expect to pay £558 a year – more than twice that of the UK, where the average premium costs £250. The French also have a reasonably low rate of insurance at £340 although, unlike the UK, this includes accidental breakdown cover.
However, the UK is still one of the most expensive countries in Europe to run a car at 40p per mile with the average British driver covering almost 12,500 miles in a year.
Prudential Car Insurance’s research also reveals that many British drivers are unaware of the high cost of motoring in the UK. Over half (56 per cent) of drivers severely underestimate the average £416 per month running costs, reporting spend to be under £100. This means that Brits are actually spending more than four times what they think on driving. Over three quarters (77 per cent) of drivers did, however, recognise that driving in the UK is more expensive than in other European countries.
Tiff Needell said: “Wherever you live, driving is expensive; but the difference in costs between the UK and the rest of Europe are considerable. Not only do we pay more to buy a vehicle, day-to-day running costs are markedly higher than across France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The research even takes into account costs for car parking, car washes and tyre replacements.”
Philip Southgate, Prudential Car Insurance spokesman comments, “There are a number of hidden costs incurred when running a car. You know how much your insurance is every month but that knocked wing mirror, tyre change or parking charge all add up. We Brits love our cars and every time we make a journey, we unknowingly add a little more to the monthly cost: fuel, parking, mileage and even penalties. Our research aims to make people more aware of the full cost associated with running a vehicle in the UK.”
Prudential’s five point plan to lower driving costs:
- Shop around for car insurance to get the best deal and take advantage of online discounts.
- Haggle with dealers to get the best trade-in and new or used car price and go armed with a car price guide.
- Save fuel by reducing your speed, cutting down on use of the air-conditioning, minimising use of your heater and by removing any unnecessary weight from your vehicle.
- By carrying out a quick 10-20 minute check-up on your car each week you would save money that would otherwise be spent on expensive repairs. Get to know your owners manual and check tyres, lights, battery and brakes regularly.
- If you're buying a new car, a smaller one will save you money on fuel and cost you less in tax as well as causing less pollution. Cars with the lowest levels of emissions qualify for reduced tax (Vehicle Excise Duty) and if you live in London you may be exempt from the congestion charge (worth up to £2,000 a year).
Alternatively, find a new government that will cut motoring taxes.
The full version of Prudential Research is available to download from www.pru.co.uk
) the government and left wing councils want to find more ways to wring more tax out of us. 
Uk average insurance premium is £250?
Cant see thats right. I was going to say exactly the same....They must be joking, What planet are they on??
I still say you should all go drive in the south of Spain. Cheap fuel at 1 euro a litre, loads of beautiful brand new roads, bugger all traffic and bugger all cameras!!
I'm off
Uk average insurance premium is £250?
Cant see thats right. I'll be having a party the day my car insurance is 'average'!
EDIT: Thinking about it if you include all those who pay £0 for their insurance (read: Don't have any) then maybe it does average out about that...
It isn’t all bad news though, as car insurance in the UK costs less than in many parts of Europe. A motorist in Italy can expect to pay £558 a year – more than twice that of the UK, where the average premium costs £250. The French also have a reasonably low rate of insurance at £340 although, unlike the UK, this includes accidental breakdown cover.
What, a month? What fvcking planet is the author of this little beauty on?
Yes, actually, this one interested me. Assuming your engine is up to temperature, how is running the coolant through the heater matrix significantly different to running it through the radiator?
I wouldn't trust their advice too much, though. Taking note of the recommendation to reduce my speed, I reduced it as much as possible - to zero. Burnt through an entire tank of fuel and didn't go anywhere. What a great tip that was.
Our trucks cost us more also and thats not to mention other european trucks taking the work here useing cheep and somtimes sponsored fuel from europe in the trucks large tanks. Then to add insult they take the cash they get out of our country without spending much of it to buy a small amount of our fuel should they need any to get them back over! You can't blame them but WE sure are on a double wammy! Think this country has lost the plot!
I suppose our truck drivers would do the same if the role was reversed. However, the french would blockade the ports and things would soon change. If our government thought there would always be strikes they wouldn't charge so much. Similar to the 70s I imagine (not sure i was only 4
)
Coupled to what was mentioned on R4 this morning as our new status of "surveillance society," not to mention purveyor of probably the 'civilised' world's most risible youth and general mauling at the hands of a post '97 legion of state employed, leftist dependants for whom free enterprise, broad individual mobility in all economic and physical spheres is something to be perpetually hindered and one does weep with greater pathos than usual at the office portrait of Wellesley.
Little better signifies so outwardly that very spirit of progress than the automobile and afaic, the faster it is, the better it is.
However, this passionate conviction is so diametrically at odds with the horrors of the previaling zeitgeist that eventually a violent resistance will come to pass.
Diabolical.
t now heading the tory party is going to make things any better!) With the cash the UK motorist pours into the `system' we should have the best roads this side of the galaxy. The government are starving to death, the goose that has up to now, laid a large number of its golden eggs.who did the reasearch for that article?
In Italy we have to pay a road tax of €2.58 for every kw of engine power: a sportscar with 400bhp (294kw) would have to pay the equivalent of over £500 per year
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