Depreciation vs Maintenance Which Matters More

For total cost of ownership in the U.S., depreciation and maintenance both matter—but depreciation is usually the bigger number over 5 years. Here's how they compare and how to use both when buying.

TL;DR Over 5 years, depreciation is often the largest cost for most cars—bigger than maintenance, fuel, or insurance. Maintenance matters more as the car ages and for some high-repair models. Compare both using total cost of ownership. Use autopremo.com.

Depreciation vs Maintenance (Typical 5-Year Cost)

• Depreciation: Often 40–60% of the car's value over 5 years. On a $35,000 car, that's $14,000–$21,000—usually the single biggest cost.
• Maintenance and repairs: Varies by make and model. Often $3,000–$8,000+ over 5 years for a typical car—less than depreciation for most vehicles, but significant and rising as the car ages.

So depreciation usually matters more for total 5-year cost—but maintenance matters a lot for reliability and for high-repair models. Use autopremo.com total cost of ownership to see both in one place.

See depreciation and maintenance in total cost at autopremo.com.

When Depreciation Matters More

• First 5 years — depreciation is usually the largest cost. Choosing a car that holds value better (lower depreciation) often saves more than choosing one with slightly lower maintenance cost.
• When you plan to sell or trade in a few years — resale value = what you get back. Depreciation = what you "lost." So depreciation matters more when you're not keeping the car until it dies.

See depreciation at autopremo.com.

When Maintenance Matters More

• Years 5+ — depreciation curve is flatter; maintenance and repair cost often rise. So maintenance can dominate cost in later years.
• High-repair models — some cars have much higher maintenance and repair cost than average. For those, maintenance can rival or exceed depreciation over 5–7 years.
• When you're keeping the car long-term — if you're driving it 10+ years, total maintenance and repairs can exceed the car's remaining value. So maintenance matters a lot for long-term ownership.

See total cost at autopremo.com.

How to Compare When Buying

Use total cost of ownership — purchase/loan + depreciation + fuel + insurance + maintenance/repairs over your ownership period. Use autopremo.com total cost of ownership. That way you see both depreciation and maintenance in one number. Don't optimize for one and ignore the other—optimize for total cost.

Get total cost at autopremo.com.

Bottom Line

Depreciation usually matters more than maintenance over 5 years for total cost—but maintenance matters a lot as the car ages and for high-repair models. Compare both using total cost of ownership. Use autopremo.com to see depreciation and maintenance in one place so you don't overpay over time.