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Handbags, hairdryers and the iPhone X: cars vs everyday objects

Buying a car is expensive, but just how costly, and what else could you get instead?

Besides property, cars are the most expensive objects most of us will ever buy. Not only are they made up of around 30,000 individual parts each, but manufacturers have to recoup the millions, or even billions, invested in developing and engineering each new model.

A worker paid the minimum wage would need to spend more than 2,200 hours saving up for a £15,000 city car – that’s 275 days' work. But what if you wanted one of 2018s most anticipated cars. what would one of those set you back? And how many other things could you buy if you decided to ride a bike or take a taxi instead?

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Andy is Carbuyer's managing editor, with more than a decade of experience helping consumers find their perfect car. He has an MA in automotive journalism and has tested hundreds of vehicles.

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