Maintenance Costs You're Not Budgeting For

Many car owners in the U.S. don't budget for full maintenance cost—scheduled service, tires, brakes, and unexpected repairs. Here's what you're not budgeting for and how to plan.

TL;DR Maintenance = scheduled service (oil, filters, fluids) + tires + brakes + unexpected repairs. Budget $500–$1,500+/year for a typical car; more for luxury or older cars. Factor it into total cost of ownership. Use autopremo.com total cost of ownership.

Maintenance Costs Many People Miss

• Scheduled service — oil changes, filter replacements, fluid flushes. Often $200–$500+/year for a typical car.
• Tires — replacement every 3–5 years; $400–$1,000+ per set depending on size and brand.
• Brakes — pads and rotors every 30k–60k miles; $300–$800+ per axle.
• Unexpected repairs — battery, alternator, suspension, AC, etc. Budget $500–$1,000+/year for surprises on an older car.
• Warranty expiration — after factory warranty, you pay for everything. Budget more for years 4+.

See maintenance in total cost at autopremo.com.

What to Budget

• New car (under warranty) — $300–$600/year for scheduled service and basics.
• Car 3–7 years old — $500–$1,200/year (scheduled + tires/brakes + some repairs).
• Car 7+ years old — $1,000–$2,000+/year (more repairs; set aside a repair fund).

Use autopremo.com total cost of ownership to factor maintenance into your comparison—don't assume "maintenance is cheap."

Get total cost at autopremo.com.

Bottom Line

Maintenance costs many people don't budget for: scheduled service, tires, brakes, and unexpected repairs. Budget $500–$1,500+/year for a typical car and factor it into total cost. Use autopremo.com to see maintenance in total cost of ownership so you don't underbudget.