What a vehicle costs is not what it costs to own
Depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel and maintenance turn a sticker price into a very different annual number. This is an independent US resource that runs the real math — we are not a dealer, a lender or an insurer, and we sell no vehicles.
What are you trying to decide?
Six routes through the same decision
Pick the one that matches what you're actually trying to figure out.
Depreciation, unpacked
Why it's usually the biggest cost, and what actually slows it.
Read the guide →Gas, hybrid or electric
Compared honestly on price, running cost and where you'd charge.
Compare the options →What moves your insurance rate
The vehicle, your record, and the levers you can pull.
See what matters →Used vehicle checks
The history report and inspection steps worth doing before you buy.
Read the checklist →Three calculators, on your own numbers
True cost of ownership, gas vs. electric running cost, and a used-vehicle readiness check — nothing you enter leaves your browser.
True cost of ownership
What a vehicle actually costs per year and per mile once depreciation, financing, fuel, insurance, maintenance and fees are added to the purchase price.
Assumptions this uses
- Depreciation is estimated as the gap between purchase price and your assumed resale value at the end of your ownership period, spread evenly across the years entered.
- Fuel cost is calculated from your entered annual mileage, fuel economy and local fuel price.
- Insurance, maintenance and fees are entered as flat annual figures you supply.
- Total interest if financed is entered directly rather than calculated from a rate and term — use the financing comparison guide or your loan estimate to get this figure first.
- All figures are nominal (not adjusted for inflation) over the ownership period entered.
Limitations: it does not predict resale value, insurance premiums, fuel prices or repair costs — those are your inputs, and the tool's accuracy depends entirely on how realistic they are. It also does not account for unscheduled repairs beyond the annual maintenance figure you enter.
Runs entirely in your browser.
Compare the annual total, not the sticker price
Two vehicles priced identically can cost very differently to own once depreciation, insurance, fuel and maintenance are added in. Run each candidate through the same calculator, with the same mileage and the same ownership horizon, before deciding between them.
Ask about a cost line, a comparison or a use case
Five free replies a day. It turns a use case into vehicle categories and cost questions — it does not name or recommend a specific make or model, and it does not search live inventory.
Send us the number that doesn't add up
A financing offer you can't reconcile, two vehicles you can't compare fairly, or a use case you want help framing. The more specific the figures, the more useful the answer.
This is not a quote request and nothing is reserved. We are not a dealer, lender or insurer — where a relevant partner category can help, we'll say which and why, and you decide whether to contact them.
Partner link — we may be paid a fee at no cost to you. How we make money.
Get a real quote on your own vehicle
We publish no prices or rates, because no independent site can keep either current honestly. When you want a live number, a dealer, marketplace or insurer prices your specific vehicle.
See dealer options →Tools and maintenance kit that pay for themselves
Four things vehicle owners actually buy. Not a ranking, and not the point of this site — the guides and calculators above are.
How we make money: some links here are partner or affiliate links and we may be paid a fee at no cost to you. It never changes what we write or how options are ordered — see our disclosure and methodology.
OBD2 scanners
Turns a warning light into a question you can actually ask, before you pay a diagnostic fee to find out.
Check price →Tire pressure gauges
The cheapest fuel saving available to anyone, and it takes thirty seconds a month.
Check price →Dash cameras
Independent evidence is what settles a disputed claim, on your insurance or someone else's.
Check price →Maintenance log books
A documented history is worth real money at resale, and it costs nothing but the habit of writing it down.
Check price →The Vehicle Buying & True Cost Checklist
Everything on this site compressed into a document you can work through before you spend anything: the full cost-of-ownership breakdown, the used-vehicle checks worth doing, the financing questions that decide the real total, and the contract questions worth asking before you sign.
When you need a live quote rather than arithmetic
This site publishes no prices and represents no dealer, lender or insurer. These are the categories where real numbers come from. Partner links are labelled; nothing here is a ranking or an endorsement.
How we make money: some links here are partner or affiliate links and we may be paid a fee at no cost to you. It never changes what we write or how options are ordered — see our disclosure and methodology.
Dealer and marketplace listings
Price a specific vehicle against real inventory and current asking prices — the only way to get a real number for the vehicle you're actually considering.
See vehicle listings →Auto insurance quotes
Compare quotes across insurers on the specific vehicle and your own driving profile — premiums for the same vehicle can differ substantially between carriers.
Compare insurance quotes →Vehicle ownership questions, answered straight
No brochure language. Where the answer depends on your vehicle or your state, we say so rather than guessing.
What does a vehicle actually cost to own per year?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is guessing — it depends on the vehicle, how you finance it, your mileage, your location and how long you keep it. The true cost of ownership calculator runs the arithmetic on your own numbers: purchase price, financing, insurance, fuel and maintenance.
Is buying new or used cheaper in the long run?
It depends on the ownership horizon. New vehicles depreciate fastest in the first few years, so a one-to-three-year-old used vehicle often sits at a favorable ratio of remaining life to price. Buying new is not a mistake — it just means budgeting that early depreciation as a real cost rather than a surprise.
Is an electric vehicle actually cheaper to own than a gas vehicle?
Sometimes, depending heavily on your annual mileage and whether you can charge at home. Electricity is typically cheaper per mile than gasoline, but a higher purchase price needs enough miles to be offset. Run the fuel vs. electric comparison on your own mileage and local prices rather than a general rule.
Why is my insurance quote so much higher than a friend's for a similar car?
The vehicle itself is a bigger factor than most buyers expect — repair cost, safety rating and theft rate all move the premium independently of your driving record. Location, age, driving history and even credit-based scoring (where a state allows it) all factor in too. Getting a quote before you buy is the only way to know.
What is the single most important check before buying a used vehicle?
An independent pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic you choose, alongside a vehicle history report run against the VIN. Neither catches everything, but together they surface most of what turns into an expensive surprise later.
Does a longer loan term actually cost more?
Yes, in total interest, even though the monthly payment is lower. A longer term also extends the period during which you may owe more than the vehicle is worth. Compare total interest at a couple of term lengths before choosing, not just the monthly figure.