True cost of owning a car

Compare two vehicles by everything you pay over the years you keep them: value lost, fuel, insurance, upkeep, taxes, interest, and the return your cash could have earned elsewhere. Results update as you type.

How you drive

13,500 miles a year is close to the U.S. average from the Federal Highway Administration. Change any number to match your situation.

Miles per year

Years you'll keep it

Gas price ($/gal)

Sales tax (%)

Paid once at purchase

Return on cash (%/yr)

What the money could earn in savings or investments instead. Set to 0 to ignore.

The two vehicles

Starting values are estimates for a 2020 and a 2024 Toyota Sequoia. Value lost per year is applied to the remaining value each year, so it shrinks over time. Newer vehicles lose value faster; older ones cost more to repair.

Purchase price ($)

Miles per gallon

Combined city and highway

Value lost per year (%)

Insurance ($/yr)

Maintenance and repairs ($/yr)

Oil, tires, brakes, repairs

Registration and fees ($/yr)

I'm taking a loan

Results

How it's calculated: value lost is the purchase price minus the estimated resale value when you sell. Sales tax is paid once. Loan interest counts only the months you own the car; if you sell before the loan ends, the remaining balance is paid from the sale and is not a cost. Return on cash is what the money you paid up front would have earned over the same years.

Not included: parking, tolls, car washes, and accessories, since these are usually the same for both vehicles.