An updated list of cars that are the least and most expensive to maintain shows some surprising 5-year and 10-year costs between traditional American-made makes and which brands to avoid buying used after the first 5 years.
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Throwing good money after bad money is one of the pitfalls of buying a used car. You have to decide when you should stop, choke down those losses, and move on with another vehicle, whether it be another used model or a new one.
However, even when buying and owning a new model, car owners can suffer from throwing good money after bad money, as trickling maintenance and repair costs can add up―especially when a warranty period has ended.
Car Ownership Costs Go Far Beyond What You Pay For A Car
A recent Consumer Reports newsletter warns consumers that one of the key questions you should ask yourself when buying a new car is whether you can afford the predictable drip, drip of maintenance and repairs for as long as you own it.
"To better understand how costs increase over time and differ by brand, we asked members in our 2023 Annual Auto Surveys to tell us how much they paid out of pocket for their total maintenance (oil changes, tires, etc.) and repairs during the previous 12 months. We did not include costs associated with collision repair," states the newsletter, pointing out that knowing which car brands typically lead to paying more over time can help car shoppers match their car wants with their budget needs.
"The difference to maintain a car on average between some brands can be thousands over a 10-year time frame," says Steven Elek, Consumer Reports' program leader for auto data analytics. "Also, expensive luxury vehicles are often quite expensive to maintain as well over time."
Maintenance and Repair Cost by Brand
So, which car brands are the most and least expensive to own? To provide a clearer picture, the best way to answer that question is to divide car ownership costs into separate 5- and 10-year categories.
CR analysts correctly pointed out that when a car brand offers free maintenance and a longer warranty period, those costs can skew the numbers and analysis when comparing car brands within the first 5 years of ownership. This is why a comparative 10-year analysis is also provided since maintenance programs and warranties will have expired by this time.
Plus, it is a fact that repair costs skyrocket between years 5 and 10 in large part because some makes of cars cost significantly more than others for their parts and repairs as a vehicle ages―even when the owner has kept on top of all maintenance services recommended.
Related article: The Truth About Car Maintenance, And What the Manufacturers Tell You
That said, here is what CR analysts found that yielded some surprises amongst the traditional "Made-in-American" car brands regarding which had the lowest car costs during both 5- and 10-year ownership.
Please note: Car brands are ranked by their total cost from lowest to highest over 10 years.
CAR BRAND: 0-5 YEARS / 6-10 YEARS
- Tesla: $580 / $3,455
- Buick: $900 / $4,000
- Toyota: $1,125 / $3,775
- Lincoln: $940 / $4,100
- Ford: $1,100 / $4,300
- Chevrolet: $1,200 / $4,350
- Hyundai: $1,140 / $4,500
- Nissan: $1300 / $4,400
- Mazda: $1,400 / $4,400
- Honda: $1,435 / $4,400
- Kia: $1,450 / $4,400
- Dodge: $1,200 / $5,200
- Jeep: $1,100 / $5,300
- Chrysler: $1,600 / $4,900
- Volkswagen: $1,095 / $5,435
- Cadillac: $1,125 / $5,440
- Ram: $1,470 / $5,200
- Lexus $1,750 / $5,000
- GMC: $1,400 / $5,800
- Subaru: $1,700 / $5,500
- Mini: $1,525 / $6,100
- Acura: $1,800 / $6,000
- Infiniti: $2,150 / $6,350
- Volvo: $1,785 / $7,500
- BMW: $1,700 / $7,800
- Audi: $1,900 / $7,990
- Mercedes-Benz: $2,850 / $7,675
- Porsche: $4,000 / $10,090
- Land Rover: $4,250 / $15,000
For additional car maintenance cost-related articles, here are three to add to what Consumer Reports is warning car shoppers about:
- Used Luxury SUVs to Avoid and What to Buy Instead Per Consumer Reports Update
- Everything You Need To Know About Saving Money Buying Toyota and Lexus Parts
- The Once in a Lifetime Toyota Prius Maintenance You Will Ever Have To Do
Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair." for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.
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