The Costs Of Running A Car Can Outstrip Its Value

With the costs of running a car rising steeply, millions of motorists could find that it is costing them more to have their car on the road than the car is actually worth. The main contributor to the increase in driving costs is the price of petrol; however car insurance and road tax costs are also rising steadily.

This situation could become even worse if, as some experts have predicted petrol prices reach over two pounds a litre in 2009. There doesn’t seem much motorists can do to curb these costs and with public transport in many areas still inadequate to meet most people’s needs, using the car less may not be an option.

Data analysis carried out by online comparison website uSwitch.com has found that by 2009 many motorists may find that their car is worth little more than the annual amount they pay out to run it. In the UK nearly 15 million cars are more than five years old, which makes the average value of a car in this country just over four thousand pounds. With the average cost of petrol, insurance and tax is expected to cost an average of around £3,387.29 pounds a year, most drivers will be paying just under the actual value of the car. For some drivers it may actually cost more than the car is worth to keep it on the roads.

Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like the situation is going to get any easier, with car insurance premiums becoming more expensive especially for certain groups of drivers. Getting a car after you have passed your test aged seventeen may soon be a thing of the past, as many insurers are now refusing to insure drivers in this age group. It is now not uncommon for young new drivers to be quoted more than three thousand pounds to put them on the roads. The market for this age group is now less competitive due to around half of the insurers refusing to quote for this age group. Many have been put off by the high accident and claims rate, which has seen drivers under twenty-one being ten times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in car accident than drivers aged over thirty-five. Those insurers who are still prepared to quote will only do so at high rates to ensure they adequately cover the risk.

So what is the future for the motorist in the UK? It would seem that high petrol prices and insurance quotes will cost some motorists more every year than their car is actually worth, which may put some people off driving altogether. High insurance quotes for newly qualified drivers may mean that some may not be able to drive their own car until they have proved their driving ability and are a little older. Overall we may see a decline in the number of motorists on the roads, as car share schemes become more popular and people rely more on public transport. However the majority of motorists do rely on their vehicles quite heavily so the demise of the car in its entirety has not yet been predicted.