Ownership & Costs | Vehicle

About Vehicle Ownership & Costs

The sticker price of a vehicle is rarely its biggest cost. Fuel, insurance, depreciation, maintenance, and repairs over the life of ownership usually add up to more than the purchase. This section breaks those numbers down with calculators for total cost of ownership, MPG, EV charging costs, depreciation curves, and per-trip fuel spend. Run the math before you buy a new vehicle, switch from gas to EV, or decide whether to keep your current car another year.

Tools 5

Car Depreciation Calculator Estimate your vehicle's current value based on purchase price, age, mileage, condition, and type using real depreciation curves. See total depreciation, annual rates, and value retention.

Car Loan Payment Calculator Estimate a car loan monthly payment from price, down payment, trade-in, APR, term, sales tax, and fees. See total interest, total paid, payoff date, and a 60-month vs 72-month tradeoff.

EV Charging Cost Calculator Calculate the cost to charge your electric vehicle at home or a public station. Get per-session, monthly, annual, and cost-per-mile estimates.

Gas Mileage (MPG) Tracker Calculate your vehicle's real-world gas mileage by entering miles driven and gallons used to track fuel efficiency and estimate costs.

Vehicle Total Cost of Ownership Calculator Estimate the true yearly and monthly cost of owning a vehicle by combining fuel, insurance, maintenance, fees, financing, and depreciation.

Guides 3

EV vs Gas: True Cost Comparison A side-by-side EV vs gas cost comparison covering purchase price, fuel/charging, maintenance, depreciation, insurance, and a 5-year total ownership window.

How to Shop for a Car Loan: Pre-Approval, APRs, and Refi Pattern guide for car-loan shopping: pre-approval before the dealer, credit-tier APR brackets, term tradeoffs, dealer add-ons to skip, and when to refinance.

True Cost of Owning a Car: Beyond the Sticker Price Understand the real annual cost of car ownership including depreciation, insurance, fuel, maintenance, registration, and financing.

Printables 2

Annual Vehicle Cost Tracker Track every vehicle expense across 12 months including fuel, insurance, maintenance, repairs, registration, and loan payments.

Vehicle Purchase Comparison Worksheet Printable side-by-side worksheet for comparing 3 vehicles. Identification, price, financing, operating cost, total ownership, and subjective fields with a decision row at the bottom.

Frequently asked questions

When is it cheaper to buy new versus used?

New cars depreciate roughly 20% in year one and 15% per year after that, so a 3-year-old used car typically saves 40-50% versus new while still having most of its useful life left. The depreciation calculator shows the curve for any vehicle you enter.

Does an EV actually save money versus gas?

Usually yes over 5 or more years of ownership, but the math depends on your electricity rate, gas prices, and miles driven. Our EV charging cost calculator and fuel cost comparison let you enter your own numbers instead of guessing from national averages.

How do I calculate total cost of ownership?

Add purchase price, financing interest, fuel or electricity, insurance, maintenance, and expected repairs, then subtract resale value at the end of your ownership window. The total cost of ownership calculator bundles all of that into a per-mile or per-year figure you can compare between vehicles.

Is it worth trading in early if my car still works?

Almost never for financial reasons alone. Trading a paid-off vehicle for a new loan usually costs thousands in depreciation and interest that exceed any fuel or reliability savings. Keep a working car unless safety, repair costs, or family needs force the change.

How much should I spend on a car relative to my income?

A common rule is keeping total vehicle costs (payment, insurance, fuel, maintenance) under 15-20% of take-home pay. Below that leaves room for other goals, above that squeezes everything else.