Today Auto Mart takes a closer look at the cheapest cars to maintain and service according to the 2015 Kinsey Report. Looking at different types of cars – from SUVs to relatively cheap cars for sale, this post focusses on vehicles that won’t cost an arm and leg to service, repair and maintain.
We want to highlight the winners in each category, helping you to make an informed decision and invest in affordable cars for sale, not only when it comes to the purchase price, but maintenance as well.
This report will give you an idea on how much it will cost to replace parts and service your vehicle. Different types of cars will obviously fall in different categories and are evaluated on the costs of:
- Service Parts
- Repair Parts
- Crash Parts
The winner of each category is the vehicle that has the cheapest combined price.
Entry Level and City Cars
The top three vehicles in this category according to repairs and car service costs are:
| #1 Datsun Go 1.2 LUX | #2 Nissan Micra 1.2 Visia | #3 VW Polo Vivo 1.4 Hatch Trendline | |
| Crash Parts | R 27 676.76 | R 34 351.07 | R 37 726.92 |
| Repair Parts | R 6 919.18 | R 7 451.39 | R 9 058.42 |
| Service Parts | R 3 035.79 | R 2 676.95 | R 3 030.44 |
The Datsun Go 1.2 LUX (Parts Basket Price: R 37 631.73)
Priced from R 109 900, the Datsun Go for sale is a great option when it comes to affordable services and maintenance. The 1.2 LUX is fitted with a 1 198 CC engine delivering a torque of 104 Nm. With a combined fuel consumption of 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres and service intervals of 15 000 kilometres, you can choose between five different colours including Ruby and Sky. Explore this model in-depth by reading our Datsun Go: “Tomorrow’s there for the taking” post.
Nissan Micra 1.2 Visia (Parts Basket Price: R 44 479.41)
A five door hatch, these relatively affordable cars for sale features a combined fuel consumption of 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres, a maximum power of 56 Nm at 6 000 rpm and a starting price of R 153 500. You can learn more about this stunning Nissan for sale by reading our Nissan Micra: The Ideal city slicker car post.
VW Polo 1.4 Hatch Trendline (Parst Basket Price: 49 805.78)
With a starting price of R 204 900, this VW Polo for sale produces a power of 55 kW at 3 800 rpm and has a fuel consumption of 4.1 litre per 100 kilometres. Equipped with a TDI engine, it produces a torque of 210 Nm at 1 500 rpm. Discover the Polo Vivo by reading our post – VW Polo Vivo: Stylish, affordable and comfortable.
The worst performers in terms of crash, repair and service parts in this category is the Hyundai i10 1.1 Motion (parts price basket – R 68 440.17), the Honda Brio 1.2 Comfort (parts price basket – R 71 807.41) and the Chevrolet Spark 1.2 LS (parts price basket – R 91 209.93). Though these are relatively cheap cars for sale when compared to what you get for your money, the maintenance costs are higher.
The Super Minis Category
When it comes to service parts, car repairs and crash parts, the cheapest cars for sale in the Super Mini category includes:
| #1 Renault Sandero Turbo Dynamique | #2 Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge | #3 Peugeot 208 1.2 Active | |
| Crash Parts | R 47 038.19 | R 54 725.00 | R 49 043.72 |
| Repair Parts | R 15 602.46 | R 8 011.00 | R 13 626.02 |
| Service Parts | R 2 877.20 | R 3 002.00 | R 4 793.96 |
Renault Sandero Turbo Dynamique (Parts Basket Price: R 65 517.85)
This model from Renault has a starting price of R 152 900, 15 000 kilometre service intervals, delivers a maximum power of 66 kW at 5250 rpm and a maximum torque of 135 Nm at 2 500 rpm. Remember that, if you are looking for relatively cheap cars for sale, Auto Mart offers a range of used vehicles that will suit your pocket. If you would like to learn more about this model, be sure to read our The New Renault Sandero: “Drive the Change” post.
Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge (Parts Basket Price: R 65 738.00)
Fitted with an engine that produces a maximum power of 51 kW at 5 500 rpm, the Fiat is an adorable car that is great for the city. With a front-wheel drive system, these little beauties are fitted with airbags and ABS, and has an engine displacement of 1 242 cm³. Don’t forget to discover the evolution of the Fiat 500 on our blog.
While the Peugeot 208 1.2 Active (Part Basket Price: R 67 46370) takes third place, the most expensive to maintain, repair and service goes to the Toyota Yaris 1.0 (with a parts price basket of R97 805), the Ford Fiesta 1.T (with a parts price basket of R 88 569) and the Chevrolet Sonic RS (with a parts price basket of R 100 530).
Family Hatches and Sedans
If you are looking for a family hatchback or sedan, the most affordable cars for sale in terms of crash, repair and service parts includes:
| #1 Toyota Corolla 1.6 Prestige | #2 Toyota Corolla 1.6 Quest | #3 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1.7 TBi | |
| Crash Parts | R 45 106.96 | R 47 412.46 | R 63 243.00 |
| Repair Parts | R 16 389.60 | R 16 704.63 | R 17 330.00 |
| Service Parts | R 5 582.26 | R 5 349.35 | R 4 811.00 |
The Toyota Corolla 1.6 Prestige (Parts Basket Price: R 67 078.82)
With a starting price of R 259 200, the Prestige model produces a maximum power of 90kW and a maximum torque of 154 Nm. The Toyota Corolla 1.6 Prestige has a 1.6 litre engine capacity, 15 000 kilometres service intervals, a manual six speed transmission and 1.6 DOHC Dual WT-I valve mechanism.
Toyota Corolla 1.6 Quest (Parts Basket Price: R 69 466.44)
Priced from R 185 700, this Toyota Corolla for sale produces a maximum power of 90 kW at 6 000 rpm, a maximum torque of 154 Nm at 5 200 rpm, has 15 000 kilometre service intervals and reaches a top speed of 192 kilometres per hour. It takes this Corolla 10.4 seconds to get from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour and it meets Euro 2 emissions control.
Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1750 TBi (Parts Basket Price: R 85 384.00)
Delivering a maximum power of 173 kW at 5 500 rpm, this Alfa Giulietta for sale has a top speed of 242 kilometres per hour and a torque of 340 Nm at 1 900 rpm. According to the Kinsey Report, this model has a retail selling price of R 428 400 and in terms of service and car repairs, one of the cheap cars for sale in its category.
Those with highest parts baskets prices includes the Chevrolet Cruze 1.4 T LS 4 Door model (at R 124 894.46) and the Mazda 3 1.6 Hatch Dynamic (R 133 327.23).
Compact Crossover Vehicles
In the Compact Crossover category, the 2015 Kinsey Report shows the following vehicles being the most affordable cars for sale in terms of the combined price of crash, service and repair parts:
| #1 Toyota Avanza 1.5 SX | #2 Ford Ecosport 1.0T Trend | #3 Renault Duster 1.6 Dynamique | |
| Crash Parts | R 54 883.71 | R 58 341.97 | R 63 777.84 |
| Repair Parts | R 9 673.92 | R 15 994.65 | R 13 288.81 |
| Service Parts | R 3 229.17 | R 4 467.97 | R 2 626.91 |
Toyota Avanza 1.5 SX (Parts Basket Price: R 67 786.80)
Available from R 214 900, the Toyota Avanza 1.5 SX is the winner of the Compact Crossovers with the lowest prices when it comes to the combined price of car service and repairs. With a maximum power of 77 kW at 6 000 rpm, and a maximum torque of 137 Nm at 4 400 rpm, this five speed manual Toyota has a top speed of 165 kilometres per hour and a combined fuel consumption of 6.3 litres per 100 kilometres.
Looking for more information on the Toyota Avanza? Read our Toyota Avanza: A dynamic family or business vehicle post
Ford EcoSport 1.0T Trend (Parts Basket Price: R 78 804.59)
Priced at over R 240 000, the Ford EcoSport for sale boasts enough seating for five and an engine capacity of 998 CC. Producing a torque of 170 Nm and delivering a power of 92 kW, these models have a fuel consumption of 5.7 litres per 100 kilometres. These models from Ford have service intervals of 20 000 kilometres.
Interested in buying a Ford EcoSport? Read our post Ford EcoSport: The Perfect City SUV first!
Renault Duster 1.6 Dynamique (Parts Basket Price: R 79 693.56)
Equipped with a K4M, the 1.6 Renault Duster Dynamique produces a peak power of 77 kW and has a peak torque rating of 3 750 rpm. It has a top speed of 165 kilometres per hour, a turning circle of 10.44 metres and a combined fuel cycle of 7.6 litres per 100 kilometres.
Read all about the Duster – The Renault Duster a multi-dimensional SUV.
The Citroen Cactus 1.2 Feel came in last with a parts basket price of R 86 706.65.
Crossover Vehicles
If you are looking for cheap cars for sale when it comes to maintenance and service in the Crossover family of cars, these are some of the good choices:
| #1 Toyota Fortuner 3.0 D-4D Auto | #2 Kia Sportage 2.0CRDi Auto | #3 Toyota RAV4 2.2GX | |
| Crash Parts | R 65 892.32 | R 79 634.77 | R 83 735.68 |
| Repair Parts | R 6 400.47 | R 8 189.90 | R 9 152.91 |
| Service Parts | R 5120.82 | R 5 167.89 | R 4 819.49 |
Toyota Fortuner 3.0 D-4D Auto (Parts Basket Price: R 77 413.61)
According to the 2015 Kinsey Report, this Toyota has a retail selling price of R 483 900. These RWD models produce a maximum power of 120 kW and a maximum torque 343 Nm. With EBD and ABS, service intervals are every 10 000 kilometres.
Explore this vehicle more by reading our Toyota Fortuner: Dynamic, muscular and agile post.
Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDi Auto (Parts Basket Price: R 92 992.56)
The Kia Sportage models deliver a maximum torque of 392 Nm and a maximum power of 130 kW. With one year or 20 000 kilometres service intervals, these models have a fuel consumption of 7.3 litres per 100 kilometres.
Have some fun and see how the Sportage matches up against the Sorento.
Toyota Rav4 2.2 GX (Parts Basket Price: R 97 708.08)
With a fuel consumption of 5.6 litres per 100 kilometres, these Rav4 models have a maximum torque of 3 440 Nm and a maximum power of 110 kW. With 15 000 kilometre service intervals, the Rav4 has, according to the 2015 Kinsey Report, a retail selling price of R 312 600.
The worst performers when it comes to the car repairs, service and crash parts includes the Nissan X Trail 1.6 DCI XE (with a parts basket price of R 136 727.45) and the Hyundai IX 35 1.7 CRDi Premium (with a parts basket price of R 155 551.12).
Executive Crossover Category
If you are in the market for affordable cars for sale in terms of repairs and services in the executive Crossover category, these three would make up your best buys:
| #1 Volvo XC90 D4 Momentum | #2 Audi Q7 TDI Quattro | #3 Toyota Prado 3.0 VX Auto | |
| Crash Parts | R 142 962.00 | R 149 780.21 | R 128 825.14 |
| Repair Parts | R 16 735.20 | R 15 334.52 | R 38 037.20 |
| Service Parts | R 4 810.80 | R 7 547.47 | R 6 850.84 |
Volvo XC 90 D4 Momentum (Parts Basket Price: R 164 508.00)
With a price of over R 800 000, the newest CX 90 D4 models have an engine displacement of 1 969 CC and produces a horsepower of 190. These newest models also have a torque of 400 Nm and torque rev of 1 750 to 2 500 rpm.
See why the Volvo XC90 is a sophisticated and luxurious SUV designed with style and safety.
The Audi Q7 TDI Quattro (Parts Basket Price: R 172 662.20)
Equipped with a V6 diesel engine, this Audi Q7 is fitted with an eight speed triptonic transmission, offers a maximum power output of 200 kW (at 3 250 – 4 250 rpm), and has a top speed of 234 kilometres per hour. This model also meets EU6 emission standards and accelerates from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in 6.3 seconds.
Learn more about the Audi Q7’s power, performance and presence on the road.
Toyota Prado 3.0 VX Auto (Parts Basket Price: R 173 713.18)
With 10 000 kilometre car service intervals, the Toyota Prado 3.0 VX Auto has a combined cycle fuel consumption of 8.5 litres per 100 kilometres, a maximum power of 120 kW at 3 400 rpm and a torque of 400 Nm at 1 600 – 2 800 rpm.
The worst performers in terms of car repairs and services includes the Mercedes ML 250 Blue Tec Auto (with a parts basket price of R 224 736.91) and the BMW X5 x Driven 3.0 D (with a parts basket price of R 260 052.23)
Double Cab Bakkies
If you are in the market for affordable cars for sale that won’t cost a ton to service and repair in the Double Cab Bakkie category, take a closer look at these 2015 Kinsey Report winners:
| #1 Tata Xenon XT 2.2 | #2 Toyota Hilux Raider 3.0 D4D | #3 GWM Steed 6 2.0 VGT XScape | |
| Crash Parts | R 40 383.44 | R 62 695.60 | R 76 848.59 |
| Repair Parts | R 14 481.70 | R 18 160.27 | R 10 319.24 |
| Service Parts | R 3 662.11 | R 5 130.38 | R 2 269.27 |
Tata Xenon XT 2.2 (Parts Basket Price: R 58 527.25)
Equipped with a 2 179 CC engine, these diesel monsters produce a maximum power of 110 kW at 4 000 rpm and a maximum torque of 320 Nm at 1 500 – 3 000 rpm. With Diff Lock, Power Steering and ABS standard, these double cab bakkies have a starting price of around R 259 995 (Double Cab 4 x 2) and is one of the cheap cars for sale in its category concerning car repairs and services.
Toyota Hilux Raider 3.0 D4D (Parts Basket Price: R 85 986.25 )
Specs for the Toyota Hilux 3.0 D-4D Raider Legend ranges to include an engine capacity of 2 982 CC and a power output of 120 kW at 3 400rpm. This specific model from Toyota has a torque of 343 Nm at 1 400 rpm with service intervals of 10 000 kilometres.
GWM Steed 6 2.0 VGT XScape (Price Basket Price: R 89 437.10)
With a starting price of R 329 900 (for the 4 x 2 model), these bakkies has an engine displacement of 1 996 CC and produces a power of 105 kW at 4 000 rpm. Delivering a torque of 305 Nm at 1 800 – 2800 rpm, the GWM Steed 6 XScape features ABS, EBS and ESP. With a combined fuel consumption of 8.8 litres per 100 kilometres, these vehicles have service intervals of 10 000 kilometres.
The models with the highest parts basket price goes to the Nissan Nivara 2.4 DCI XE (R 112 087.62) and the VW Amarok 2.0 Bi TDI Highline (132 382.40).
Single Cab Bakkies
Interested in a single cab bakkie that offers affordability in terms of car service and car repairs? Take a closer look at these three category winners:
| #1 Nissan NP200 1.6 Stealth | #2 Nissan NP300 2.0 Hardbody | #3 Chevrolet Utility 1.4 Club | |
| Crash Parts | R 33 957.89 | R 36 678.85 | R 49 095.38 |
| Repair Parts | R 10 985.29 | R 10 574.85 | R 7 375.65 |
| Servicing Parts | R 2 083.71 | 2 060.90 | R 2 625.41 |
Nissan NP200 1.6 Stealth (Parts Basket Price: 47 026.89)
The 2WD petrol models have a starting price of around R 143 200 and an engine displacement of 1 598 CC. Delivering 54 kW of power at 5 500 rpm, these single cab bakkies for sale meet Euro 2 Emissions, has a combined cycle fuel consumption of 8.1 litres per 100 kilometres, and a maximum torque of 128 Nm at 3 000 rpm.
Learn why the Nissan NP200 is such a tough work horse.
Nissan NP300 2.0 Hardbody (Parts Basket Price: 49 026.89)
With a starting price of around R 169 400, the entry level model of the NP300 2.0 Hardbody has a maximum torque of 169 Nm at 3 200 rpm and delivers a maximum power of 84 kW at 5 600 rpm. With a fuel consumption of 10 litres per 100 kilometres, this single cab bakkie has a service interval of 15 000 kilometres.
Delve deeper into the NP300 range from Nissan by reading our post titled ‘The Nissan NP300 Hardbody still the unmistakable legend’.
Chevrolet Utility 1.4 Club (Parts Basket Price: 59 096.44)
The Chevrolet Utility range is priced from R 143 900, with the Club 1.4 delivering a power output of 68 kW at 6 000 rpm and a torque of 120 Nm at 3 200 rpm. The 1.4 Club model from Chevrolet has a combined fuel consumption of 7.2 litres per 100 kilometres. This model has a service interval of 15 000 kilometres or 12 months. Learn more about this utility on our blog by reading our post – Opel Corsa: A trusted work-horse.
The models with the highest parts basket price in this category of the 2015 Kinsey Report is the Ford Ranger 2.2 D (R 116 336.16) and the VW Amarok 2.0 TDI (R 119 164.97).
Executive Saloon Category
Executive Saloons are by no means cheap, but you can still aim for affordability by looking at the total parts basket price of the models in this category. Here are the top three performers in terms of car repairs and services:
| #1 BMW 320i Auto | #2 Audi A4 TDI SE Auto | #3 Infiniti Q50 2.0T Premium | |
| Crash Parts | R 92 666.95 | R 94 795.04 | R 98 386.90 |
| Repair Parts | R 8 149.91 | R 7 905.91 | R 5 808.56 |
| Service Parts | R 5 377.84 | R 4 251.25 | R 4 505.06 |
BMW 320i Auto (Parts Basket Price: R 106 194.70)
Delivering a rated power of 135 kW at 5 000 rpm, the 320i Auto has a maximum torque of 270 Nm at 1 250 – 4500 rpm, a combined fuel consumption 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres, and a top speed of 235 kilometres per hour. These models are also the most affordable cars for sale in terms of parts, repairs and services in the Executive Saloon category.
Audi A4 TDI SE Auto (Parts Basket Price: R 106 952.20)
Delivering a power of 130 kW at 4 200 rpm, the Audi A4 TDI SE Automatic model boasts a torque of 380 Nm at 1 750 – 2 500 rpm. It has a combined fuel consumption of 4.8 litres per 100 kilometres and goes from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in 7.9 seconds. With a top speed of 222 kilometres per hour, it has a starting price of around R 447 500.
Don’t forget to read our coverage of this model – Audi A4: Elegant, athletic, powerful.
Infiniti Q50 2.0T Premium (Parts Basket Price: R 108 700.52)
Producing a power of 155 kW at 5 500 rpm, the Q50 2.0T from Infiniti has a top speed of 245 kilometres per hour, a combined fuel consumption of 7.0 litres per 100 kilometres, and goes from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in 7.2 seconds. Meeting Euro 5 Emission standards, it produces 350 Nm at 1 250 – 3 500 rpm.
The models in this category of Kinsey Report with the highest parts price baskets includes the Mercedes C 200 Auto (R 153 944.25) and the Jaguar XF 2.0i Luxury (R 189 537.50).
Looking for cheap cars for sale in terms of car service and repairs? Auto Mart is the perfect place to compare and buy online. Now that you know which vehicles are the most affordable cars for sale in terms of repairs and services, why not find a stunning vehicle today?
