I think ultimately running any car is always going to be down to whether one is prepared to take on some of the effort (and risk) oneself, thereby reducing the cost, or accepting that one lacks the necessary skills, equipment, or time and thereby paying someone else to do it.
I recently bought a new Fiat 500 TwinAir for 'er indoors. I was faced with a choice: Buy one from a main dealer and get the no-hassle warranty but pay main dealer prices, or buy it from a car supermarket, service it myself, and accept that I might have warranty hassles should I have to claim.
In the event, the decision was easy. The main dealer price was £14,600 and I would have to wait 3 months, the supermarket price was £10,200 and I could have it that day. 6 months later, the car is fine, I don't foresee any problems, and my local back-street garage reckons he can get hold of any software updates for me should they be needed.
