Couples argue more about price than anything else when buying a car together. Research by carsite.co.uk found that in more than one in four cases, money was the number one reason for getting into a dispute with their partner over what car to buy.

The second most frequent cause for 'carguments' was style, ahead of colour and engine size:

• Price - 25.7%
• Style - 23.3%
• Colour - 18.9%
• Performance/engine size - 14.4%
• Depreciation/future value - 7.8%
• Equipment/technology - 6.7%
• Economy - 3.3%

“We're not officially out of the recession yet, so naturally big purchases are going to be more closely scrutinised,” said Carsite's Alistair Jeff.  “Many household budgets are still tight, and when it comes to buying a car it's one of the biggest investments a couple can make together. So it's perhaps no surprise that money is the biggest cause of contention, whereas with the fluctuating fuel prices of the last few years, motorists are perhaps more united in wanting to get better mileage.”