Adding up the cost of spare parts

What financial aspects do you compare when you're considering buying a new car? Purchase price is usually No.1 and fuel consumption is right up there. Then there's resale value and the cost of insurance. And what about maintenance?

The prices of accident repair parts such as headlights, bumpers, bonnet and wings are relevant, whether or not you're insured, as the more expensive the parts, the more likely your insurance company will be to write-off the car rather than repair it.

Motoring journalist Malcolm Kinsey has been keeping tabs on a major sample of car-part costs for almost 20 years, laying bare the cost of most models' spark plugs, clutch plates, wheel rims and more.

The annual Kinsey Report throws up a number of pricing oddities and, luckily for consumers, makers often lower ridiculously high prices to bring them in line with those of competitors. The latest report features the prices of branded parts for 36 vehicles.

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