Cost Key Consideration for U.K. Car Shoppers

U.K. dealers take note: Buyers are putting economy ahead of every other factor they look at when buying their next car.

A survey by Yorkshire-based analyst CAP Automotive reports U.K. motorists saying economic aspects trump every other car-purchase consideration, including practicality, handling, performance and environmental impact.

When asked to rank the 16 most important aspects of their car-ownership experience, the survey found the top five were purchase price, fuel economy, running costs, overall total cost of ownership and service and maintenance costs.

The old image of the proud car owner showing off the latest vehicle for reasons of vanity is severely dented by the finding that pride in being seen in the right car is ranked 15th in the list of 16 reasons to choose a car.

CAP Automotive spokesman Nick Flood says the growing importance of economy over almost every other aspect of the car-ownership experience is highlighted by the fact that practicality, handling and styling now are considered less important than the annual cost of registration.

“Even we were surprised at these findings, because factors like practicality, handling, image and styling have historically been right at the top of the list of reasons for choosing a particular car,” Flood says. “It is clear that things are changing in austerity Britain when families are putting practicality behind the cost of taxing the next car they plan to buy.”