According to an annual survey by Consumer Reports (CR), a renowned US consumer magazine, car warranty and repair costs can differ by up to 15,000 USD depending on the brand chosen.
The cost of car ownership extends beyond the initial purchase price. A crucial question is whether owners can afford the ongoing maintenance and repairs throughout the vehicle's lifespan.
To determine how costs escalate over time and vary among brands, Consumer Reports surveyed its members on their total spending for maintenance (oil changes, tires, etc.) and repairs over the past 12 months. This excluded costs related to collision repairs or price uncertainties due to inflation or tariffs.
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Buick is the car brand with the lowest 10-year operating costs. *Photo: Buick* |
The results revealed significant cost differences as vehicles age, with maintenance and repair expenses increasing over time. Understanding the typical ownership costs for each brand can lead to long-term savings by avoiding surprises, choosing a less expensive brand for upkeep, or budgeting appropriately.
Calculating maintenance costs for new vehicles is complex because many brands—including BMW, Nissan, and Toyota—offer free maintenance periods for new cars. Typically, vehicles require minimal maintenance during the first few years of ownership, beyond oil changes and tire rotations. Most new car warranties last at least three years, covering any necessary repairs during that time. However, the analysis indicates that costs can surge once warranties and free maintenance periods expire.
Consumer Reports presented accumulated costs for years one to 5, years 6 to 10, and total costs over 10 years. Brands were ranked based on their total 10-year costs.
Maintenance and repair costs by brand
Comparing accumulated costs by brand across years one to 5 and 6 to 10, Buick (a luxury brand under General Motors) had the lowest maintenance costs among all automakers, closely followed by Lincoln (a luxury brand under Ford). Toyota ranked third.
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Toyota RAV4 in the US. *Photo: Toyota* |
According to Steven Elek, who oversees automotive data analysis at Consumer Reports, a key point for luxury car buyers is that two domestic brands have lower maintenance and repair costs than all other brands—whether mainstream or luxury. One reason is that domestic US automakers often have cheaper parts for repairs, and these savings also apply to their premium brands.
At the bottom of the rankings, several European luxury car brands were among the most expensive, specifically Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes, Porsche, and Volvo. Even among these renowned brands, significant differences existed, with Audi and BMW's 10-year costs being thousands of USD lower than Mercedes, Porsche, and Land Rover. In contrast, the 10-year costs for Buick and Lincoln were only 25% of Land Rover's.
Understanding the cost differences between brands can help budget for a current vehicle and guide future car-buying decisions, according to Elek.
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