BMW, Mercedez-Benz, Audi, Volvo, and Porche as well as other cars from Europe certainly have their own appeal. In addition to the elegant design, European cars look more elegant and tempting with their high performance and sophisticated technology.
However, behind its luxury, there are quite expensive maintenance costs. Why is that? Now we will discuss why European car maintenance is so expensive.
Imported spare parts
Most of the spare parts on European cars still come directly from their country of origin. The process of importing these goods is certainly quite long and takes more time and money. Each stage such as production abroad, customs and local distribution will certainly add to the budget burden. This is what makes European car spare parts more expensive. This is not to mention the cost of repair or maintenance services.
Not only does it require a lot of money, sometimes car owners have to be patient because European car spare parts are not available in all workshops. Even in some cases, car owners have to wait for weeks.
Advanced technology requires special skills
European cars do provide a safer and more comfortable driving experience than ordinary cars. This is because European cars are known as pioneers in the application of high technology. But this high technology then makes the cost of maintenance and repairs on European cars much more complex.
Maintenance and repair of European cars require special equipment and are carried out by certified technicians who are specifically designed to handle cars like this. Where not all workshops have these technicians and tools. As a result, car owners must take their cars to official workshops or specialist workshops.
Complicated design
As we know, European cars mostly have unique and precise designs. An advantage and give a different impression and luxury to their owners. However, the placement of these precise components actually makes it difficult for technicians who repair these cars. For example, to replace the AC filter, on some BMW or Mercedes models, technicians must dismantle part of the dashboard. This process will certainly take longer and cost higher services.
Fuel and oil
Most European cars are made to operate optimally with high octane fuel. The engine can experience knocking or decreased performance if forced to use lower fuel. Not only fuel, the oil used for European cars also has special standards. Inappropriate oil will shorten the life of the car and damage engine components in the long term. This causes the price of oil for European cars to be much more expensive.
Used car prices
As is common, European cars also have a decline when reselling. Herein lies the trap, maybe the buyer of this car gets a much cheaper price, but the maintenance costs for the car will be the same as the standard luxury car. This means that even though you get a luxury car at a price that has plummeted, you still spend more money on routine service costs such as oil changes and repairs.
Taxes and ownership costs
European cars, especially new ones, have quite high taxes. This is not without reason. High taxes are imposed on European cars because these cars have large capacity engines with high resale value. The costs will increase if you have more than one European car.
In addition to the high tax problem, European car insurance is also expensive. High repair costs require insurance companies to take into account greater risks.
Fuel guzzler
European models, especially those with high performance, tend to be more fuel guzzler. However, with the development of innovation, fuel in European cars, especially the latest models, is more efficient.
Special education for buyers
Due to the above factors, prospective European car buyers, especially used car buyers, must really understand the condition of the car they are going to buy.
Expensive but still worth it?
Worth it if you want premium performance that is different from cars in general. Worth it if you are ready for all the consequences such as high tax costs and expensive maintenance. However, if you do not really understand European cars and are not ready for the consequences, you should buy another car. Don't be tempted by cheap used European cars. Remember the cost of maintaining spare parts for used European cars is still more expensive than Japanese cars.