Average car maintenance costs

Scheduled car maintenance costs

When you ask a mechanic the best way to keep repair costs down, the first thing they’ll often tell you is to keep up with routine maintenance.

Here’s a list of general maintenance items, how much they cost and how often you should schedule them.

Cost of routine car maintenance services

NOTE: Keep in mind that this is just a general list. Every vehicle will come with its own recommended maintenance schedule that you can find in your owner's manual.

Example maintenance schedule and costs

Here’s an example of a real-world recommended maintenance schedule and the cost per service for two popular vehicles, a Ford F-150 and a Toyota Camry.

» MORE: Ford F-150 extended warranty: cost, coverage and plans

Factors affecting car maintenance costs

Costs will vary by make, model and year. A $25,000 Toyota Corolla will usually have far cheaper maintenance across the board than a $190,000 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG with a handmade engine.

Other factors that will affect your car maintenance costs include:

• Driving habits (e.g., aggressive driving)
• Climate
• Mileage
• Usage (city vs. highway driving)

Unexpected repair costs

The main difference between maintenance and repairs is that maintenance items are routine, expected and predictable. Oil only lasts 5,000 miles (maybe 7,500 if it’s synthetic), brake pads usually only last 40,000 miles, and even the best tire can only make it 50,000 miles before going bald.

In contrast, repairs are random and unpredictable. An oxygen sensor may last 10,000 miles or 210,000 miles before failing. Some engines, like the Toyota 2GR-FE, can often go 250,000 miles with regular oil changes. Others, namely the BMW S85 or Theta II, may need a full replacement after just 50,000 miles.

The point is — repairs are both unforeseeable and expensive. Understanding potential repair costs is crucial for effective budgeting, as it helps car owners prepare for both expected and unexpected expenses.

Average unexpected repair costs

Here’s a chart showing how much some repairs might cost you as your car ages:

Since an unexpected repair could theoretically range anywhere from $20 to $20,000, you’ll probably want to take all the steps necessary to keep your cost and frequency of repairs to a bare minimum. We’ll list those steps below, but first, let’s see which cars need more repairs than others.

Maintenance and repair costs by brand

To estimate how much each car brand costs to own in 2025, we started with 2019 data from RepairPal, a site that compiles automotive service costs, and adjusted it for inflation.

While this provides a rough estimate, actual repair costs may vary depending on parts availability, labor rates and changes in vehicle reliability over time. For reference, the average across all brands rose from $652 to $936 per year.

Estimated yearly maintenance and repair costs by car brand

Did you know?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of car maintenance and repair has gone up 43.6% from January 2019 to January 2025.

While this data paints a picture of how expensive it is to own a vehicle from certain car brands long-term, one thing it doesn’t account for is how much more (or less) reliable certain brands have become since 2019. So, let’s have a quick look at how the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) has changed.

• 2019 VDS: J.D. Power ranked Lexus, Porsche, Toyota, Chevrolet and Buick as its five most reliable brands. Rounding out the bottom five then were Ram, Dodge, Volvo, Land Rover and Fiat.
• 2025 VDS: The new top five are Lexus, Buick, Toyota, Chevrolet and Cadillac. At the bottom are Volkswagen, Chrysler, Jeep, Jaguar and Audi.

The industry average rose again, from 190 problems per 100 vehicles in 2024 to 202 in 2025, marking a continued increase in reported vehicle issues over the years.

How to keep repair costs low

Here are a few ways you can keep your out-of-pocket repair costs to an absolute minimum, both before and after you buy the car:

• Choose a reliable vehicle: Driving a vehicle made with care is generally a good way to keep ongoing repair costs to a minimum.
• Order a prepurchase inspection: If you’re buying a used vehicle, it’s best to have it inspected by a trained technician so you can ensure it’s not a lemon that already needs repairs. This service is called a prepurchase inspection (PPI), and it costs around $200. Sure, a PPI might cut into your overall budget, but it’s cheaper than buying a car that urgently needs $11,000 in engine work.
• Stick to the routine maintenance schedule: Every vehicle sold has a recommended maintenance schedule listed somewhere in its owner’s manual, and if you want your vehicle to last long-term, it helps to stick to it.
• DIY what you can: Relatively simple things (like installing wiper blades, batteries and cabin air filters) can be done at home with a good YouTube tutorial. With a little experience, you may even be able to repair scratches and replace simple engine components, depending on the complexity of your vehicle.

  Just be careful not to get in over your head with difficult repairs, or you may make your problems worse. Some DIY repairs or aftermarket modifications could void your warranty.

Expert advice

“If you want to cut costs, get a copy of that regular maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual and take it to your local mechanic,” Eric Hamilton, a prepurchase inspection specialist, told us.

Routine maintenance may be a bit tedious and occasionally expensive, but it’s still preferable to a seized engine. Plus, routine maintenance keeps your car feeling new for longer and can provide invaluable peace of mind on long trips.

Hamilton shared another anecdote: “I once looked at a BMW with 34,000 miles on it and it already had a seized (read: broken) engine. The owner thought it had ‘lifetime fluids’ and had never changed the oil.”

What to know about extended car warranties

Avoiding repairs may not always work, though, so you might want to buy an extended auto warranty before your factory coverage expires or as a backup if you drive an older vehicle without one.

A bumper-to-bumper extended warranty costs around $1,000 per year of coverage, but it should almost entirely cover the cost of a $4,000 suspension repair or $10,000 engine replacement, as long as the failure is covered under the contract.

Basically, an extended auto warranty might be worth the cost if you anticipate a lot of breakdowns, worry about getting hit with one massive repair bill or just value having some added peace of mind.

» COMPARE: Top extended car warranty companies