Two calculators and a readiness check
Enter your own figures — purchase price, mileage, local fuel and electricity prices. Every result shows the annual total and the cost per mile.
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.
Fuel vs electric, over your mileage
Compares a gasoline/diesel vehicle against an electric vehicle on your own annual mileage, local fuel and electricity prices, and shows the crossover point where the higher-priced option wins.
Assumptions this uses
- Fuel cost uses your entered miles per gallon and local fuel price; electric cost uses your entered miles per kWh and electricity price.
- Any incentive or rebate entered is treated as a confirmed reduction to the electric vehicle's purchase price, not an assumption — only enter one you have actually verified you qualify for.
- The annual maintenance difference is entered directly as a flat figure, since EV maintenance is typically lower but the exact difference varies by vehicle.
- Home charging is assumed at the electricity price you enter — the tool does not distinguish between home and public charging rates unless you enter a blended figure.
Limitations: it does not account for charging time on longer trips, regional electricity rate structures, battery degradation over time, or resale value differences between the two powertrains — all of which can matter as much as the running-cost comparison itself.
Runs entirely in your browser.
The Vehicle Buying & True Cost Checklist
The full cost framework, the used-vehicle inspection checklist, and the questions to ask a dealer or private seller in writing — in a PDF you can take with you.
Get the free guide →Used vehicle buying readiness check
Six things to confirm before you make an offer on a vehicle — work through them before the negotiation, not after you've already decided you want it.
Assumptions this uses
- Every item is something you can verify yourself or ask a seller to confirm before purchase.
- Nothing here is scored against a specific seller or vehicle — it is your own preparation.
Limitations: a checklist prepares your questions and your paperwork. It does not replace an independent mechanical inspection, a vehicle history report run against the actual VIN, or a recall lookup specific to the vehicle in front of you.
Runs entirely in your browser.
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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 →When you need a real number
An estimate is arithmetic on your own figures. These are the routes to a live quote.
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.
Financing and loan comparison
Get a pre-approval to compare against a dealer's financing offer before you negotiate — a real rate beats an estimate every time.
Compare financing options →Parts and accessories
Maintenance items, tools and accessories referenced throughout these guides — OBD-II scanners, tire gauges, dash cams and the like.
Browse parts and accessories →