Let’s face it — running a car is expensive at the best of times, especially when something goes wrong and a part needs replacing. However, certain parts are more (or less) expensive to replace than others, and keeping this in mind could help you work out whether your replacement parts bill is likely to be eye-watering or tolerable.
If you are looking to buy a vehicle it is important to check the car’s history before agreeing on the sale. Start by checking the MOT history, you can see if the car might require component replacements. For instance, it’s frequently noted in MOT advisories that there are issues with suspension joint movement, indicating a potential need for replacement parts.
What are the Most Expensive Car Parts to Replace?
There are numerous different parts in your car, and naturally, they’ll all begin to wear out over time. However, if you find yourself needing to repair or replace them, the bill can be a little eye-watering! And, for a select few parts, this tends to be even higher still.
Some of the most expensive car parts to replace include:
- Engine: Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the most expensive car parts to replace is the engine itself. This can often set you back several thousand pounds, although once it’s done, it can give the car a whole new lease of life.
- Head gasket: If the head gasket goes for your car, replacement costs can be anywhere up to £1500 (although some may be cheaper, depending on the costs involved). Luckily, these should last quite a few years after replacement usually.
- Clutch: It’s not uncommon for a car’s clutch to go, but the replacement cost is often over £1,000 a time. As such, using your car’s clutch more consciously while driving may be a helpful step to take.
- ECU: Engine control units are designed to keep things running smoothly in your vehicle. Unfortunately, when these go wrong, the cost of replacing them can cost up to £1000.
- Catalytic converter: There’s a prime reason that catalytic converters are often on the watchlist of criminals – replacing them can cost around £500, in many cases.
- Suspension: If your car’s suspension goes, you’ll no doubt begin to feel it (especially on bumpy roads). Unfortunately, you’ll often be looking at a cost of around £500.
- Alternator: If the alternator appears to be running out of life in your vehicle, replacing it will generally cost around £400.
- Starter motor: The starter motor is an essential part of any engine system; as such, if yours goes faulty, getting it replaced quickly will often be a priority. This will usually cost around £250, but it can vary significantly.
It’s worth noting here, of course, that the cost of replacing a part will often vary depending on how much work is involved and the cost of the part itself. So, if you have a limited edition vehicle or if the part is more buried than in most cars, don’t be surprised if the replacement cost is even higher still.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, while we all like to hope that our cars will remain in top condition for as long as possible, this isn’t always the case. And, sometimes, things are likely to go wrong that will leave us feeling frustrated and unfairly out of pocket; that’s just the nature of car ownership!
With that being said, though, taking good care of your vehicle can potentially limit the wear and tear on these parts, reducing the frequency of needing to replace these parts.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
