Buying a car costs more than just the MSRP. If you want to keep your car in good condition, you’ll need to maintain it over time. But maintenance costs can vary wildly between car brands.
Consumer Reports asked members in its 2023 Annual Auto Survey for their total out-of-pocket maintenance costs during the first five years and the second five years of their car’s life.
“The difference to maintain a car on average between some brands can be thousands over a 10-year time frame,” Steven Elek, Consumer Reports’ program leader for auto data analytics, said. “Also, expensive luxury vehicles are often quite expensive to maintain as well over time.”
It found that German brands tend to be the most expensive to maintain.
“If you are considering a luxury model, it may be wise to purchase one from a domestic brand that may have lower maintenance and repair costs,” Elek added. “For example, over 10 years, Mercedes-Benz (MBGYY) models are more than double the cost to maintain and repair as those from Lincoln (F).”
Check out which five brands had the highest maintenance costs over ten years — and which had the lowest.
