Naturally, when it comes to the so-called salvage cars. According to Oleh Nazarenko, they are simply unprofitable to repair due to the high cost of work at service stations.
As proof, the CEO of VAAID cited an act of completed work at an American service station. Standard maintenance of a 2006 Jeep Liberty cost almost a thousand dollars (even though such a car can be bought there for $3,000). And no complex work was carried out.
At the same time, the consumables and fluids themselves in the USA are not that expensive (although some service stations may force you to buy parts from them). It's all about the cost of repair work – for example, replacing spark plugs will cost $162, and coolant – $90.
Replacing the timing belt will cost as much as $700, and brake pads – $300. All because hourly wages in the States are very high, and mechanics simply won't work for pennies.
Accordingly, it is profitable for Americans to change their car every few years or even lease it. Well, in the event of an accident, it's better to get rid of the car – especially since the owner will receive a substantial insurance compensation and can buy a new car.
Insurance companies also find it unprofitable to restore cars after an accident, because in this case the cost of work at service stations will be exorbitant. So they send salvage cars to auctions, where Ukrainians pick them up for next to nothing. In our country, body repair is much cheaper, so cars from America turn out to be affordable.
Oleh Nazarenko also explains the popularity of electric cars in the USA, including the cheapness of maintenance. Electric vehicles can be brought in for scheduled maintenance every 40,000 km, and it comes down to replacing the coolant in the battery and brake fluid.
