True Cost of Ownership Calculator
The sticker price is a lie. Pick a performance car, adjust the numbers for your life, and see what it really costs you every month — loan payment, insurance, fuel, and maintenance, all in one number. Toggle between new and used to see how depreciation changes the picture.
Your inputs
Used prices, insurance, and maintenance vary a lot by generation — pick the one you're shopping. New mode always uses the current generation.
Prefilled with MSRP (new) or average used price — edit it freely; every calculation updates.
Your true cost
Where each dollar goes
Used-mode depreciation is a rough estimate: the same depreciation rate applied to the used price. Real used-car depreciation varies widely.
Affordability check
Optional — stays in your browser. We compare the monthly true cost above against the 15% guideline.
A common guideline: spend no more than 15% of your gross income on total car costs. This is a rule of thumb, not financial advice — debts, rent, and savings goals matter too.
Common problems
The repairs nobody warns you about. Budget for these before you sign anything.
Compare all six cars
Every car below is computed live from the same data and the same assumptions — so the ranking is apples to apples.
| Car | Price | Monthly payment | Monthly true cost | 5-year total | Cost / mile |
|---|
Sources & disclaimers
- Vehicle prices: manufacturer MSRP and national average used listing prices.
- Insurance: national average annual premium ranges from insurance rate aggregators. Your actual premium varies by driver age, record, location, and coverage — get a real quote before buying.
- Maintenance: annual maintenance and repair estimates compiled from sources like RepairPal and owner reports. Maintenance cost sources disagree with each other, so treat these as informed estimates, not guarantees.
- Fuel economy: EPA combined MPG ratings.
- Depreciation: estimated 5-year depreciation rates; estimates vary by provider (KBB, Edmunds, ALG) and by market conditions.
- Repair figures on issue cards are approximate and derived from owner forums and independent shops — your quote will vary by region and vehicle condition.
- All figures are estimates based on national averages. Data last updated September 2026.