British drivers change cars almost twice as often as European drivers, research shows

Brits change cars almost twice as often as the European average, according to a recent survey.

A survey of motorists in eight European countries found that three in five UK drivers (58 per cent) buy a used car every one to three years, while 27 per cent exchange their vehicle every four to six years.

In contrast, across Europe less than a third of motorists (30 percent) buy a second-hand engine every 12 to 36 months, while 36 percent buy a replacement engine every four to six years. And only seven percent wait seven to 10 years to buy another engine.

It means that more than half of UK drivers are likely to change vehicles at least twice before the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars comes into effect in 2030.

The survey of 3,000 drivers in seven European countries and the UK was conducted by CarVertical, supplier of the vehicle history checker.

It found that drivers in Poland are second most likely, after the UK, to buy their next used car within one and three years of purchasing their current engine.

More than a third of Polish drivers (35 percent) said they replace their engine every one to three years.

While less than one in ten Britons wait between seven and ten years to replace their current car, more than a fifth of French motorists stick to their vehicle during this period.

With the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars at the turn of the century, this means the majority of Britons are likely to change cars twice before then.

With the rise in popularity of motor financing – especially personal contract purchase (PCP) – drivers of new cars purchased through these types of agreements will also be the most likely to change their vehicle every three years, which is the most common contract period for financing is. offers.

Car leasing also often dictates that drivers replace their cars more often than if they were to buy a motorcycle.

Fewer than one in ten Britons change cars every 7-10 years, but in France more than a fifth wait that long before considering replacing their current engine

Matas Buzelis, car expert at carVertical, said: ‘Britain is a country of car enthusiasts and they replace their vehicles at a much higher rate than their European counterparts.

‘Fortunately, the huge range of cars on the UK used car market means there are vehicles to suit any change in circumstances, whether that be to accommodate a growing family or trade in for a greener model.

“With British drivers changing cars so often, it’s vital that people get a full picture of every car they’re interested in – so they don’t overspend on a damaged car or get caught by scammers.”

Which used models sell faster than others?

With Brits changing their cars so regularly, CarVertical claims there are certain models that sell much faster than others.

And it’s Skodas it believes will be picked up the fastest in the second-hand market, which it says is based on a combination of market and government data.

The Czech brand’s Kodiaq SUV is the fastest-selling used car of all, with the average unit taking just 19.5 days to sell, the company said.

Skoda’s smaller Karoq SUV came second in the fastest-selling rankings compiled by CarVertical.

CarVertical claims the fastest selling used cars are both Skodas – the Kodiaq (left) and Karoq (right) SUVs

The Porsche Boxster is the mainstream car that has sold the longest, the company says. However, the average of 48.4 days is probably due to the fact that demand for two-seat convertibles is much lower than for models such as large SUVs

However, this information conflicts with the exclusive data provided to This is Money by AutoTrader – the nation’s largest used car marketplace.

Last week it told us that the model with the shortest sales time of all is BMW’s X1.

The compact SUV will fly from the gas station in just a week and a half, he claimed.

The data is based on the average time of sale recorded on one of the leading online used car marketplaces between June 2022 and June 2023.

It said during this period the average time between the first advertisement and the sale of a used car in the UK is just over a month (34 days).

At the other end of the CarVertical spectrum, the Porsche Boxster is the slowest-selling used car in the UK, taking more than twice as long to sell as both Skodas, averaging nearly 50 days.