Whether you are looking for a used car or brand new, keep in mind that the price includes maintenance and repair costs over time. Even vehicles with a warranty can be a rip-off when you consider the cost of repair over a 10-year period. What’s even more interesting is that some of the vehicles that you may consider a bargain can actually be the most expensive to own over time. Indeed, over time, the cost of maintenance, tune-ups and repairs increases.
According to this Consumer Reports study, European luxury vehicles are generally the most expensive to maintain and repair. Another thing worth noting is that buying a smaller and cheaper car does not mean that the cost of repair will be reduced since most parts and labor rates at the dealer cost the same, regardless of vehicle size. Additionally, some car manufacturers require frequent and expensive maintenance routines that can waste your money over time. Assuming you were to strictly follow the owner’s manual recommendations, here are the 10 most expensive cars to maintain and repair.
ten Audi Q3 2015-2016
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You might be tempted to get the Audi Q3 compact crossover for its sharpness and agility, but wait until you know the maintenance/repair costs. You might think that since the Q3 is half the size of the Q7, the cost of repairs would be less, at least. But this is not the case. And don’t even assume that since the Audi Q3 is made in China, the parts should be priced on par with China.
According to this CarEdge analysis, you’ll spend more than $11,957 on Audi Q3 maintenance and repairs over a 10-year period. This far exceeds the maintenance costs of an average luxury crossover. The worst issues with the Q3 have to do with the transmission, the electrical components, the windscreen.
9 Chevrolet Trax
The Trax crossover SUV was introduced by Chevrolet in 2015 to compete with the Trailblazer. But since its introduction, Chevrolet has not really invested in new technologies. While the average price of a new Chevrolet Trax is around $26,753, you have to be prepared to spend an average of $8,595 to maintain the small Trax SUV for over a decade.
The Trax parts that break the most are the engine, brakes, and electrical components. You’ll spend about 32% of the vehicle’s purchase price on repairs alone. In the first year of purchase, you may only spend $280, but by year 12 of ownership, maintenance costs will skyrocket to $1,835.
8 Nissan Kicks
The truth is, you get no pleasure from driving the Nissan Kicks, which is a compact crossover that costs an average of $21,428 new. Although the price may seem attractive, keep in mind that you can spend up to $7,304 to fix the Kicks for 10 years.
But then, the maintenance cost is not the worst of the Nissan Kicks. After spending so much money on maintenance, the Nissan Kicks would only be worth $6,000 after 10 years of ownership. At just 30,000 miles, the cabin air filter, tires and brake system should be replaced.
7 Ford EcoSport 2014-2017
The Ford EcoSport is a stylish subcompact SUV suitable for daily driving. But before spending more than $25,531 to acquire a brand new EcoSport, you should know that its maintenance is quite expensive and that the resale value drops drastically over the years. The transmission, fuel system and brakes are the most common parts that fail in the EcoSport.
The cost to repair/maintain the Ford EcoSport is around $8,743, but after 10 years the resale value of the subcompact SUV drops to around $6,000. It’s not a reasonable car investment that anyone would want to get into.
6 Dodge the trip
Although the Dodge Journey is no longer in production, you might be tempted to buy one used because of its performance and sleek design. However, it might not be the best choice, especially if you can’t shell out $10,133 for maintenance and repairs over a 10-year period.
From the sixth year of ownership, you may have to shell out at least $1,000 to keep the Dodge Journey on the road. What is more worrying is that the resale value drops by more than 60% after only five years of ownership. You will have to deal with issues such as rotor wear, brake failure and engine stopping without warning.
5 Chrysler Voyager
First off, the Chrysler Voyager does pretty well in terms of power, style, and price. But don’t let all of that fool you into thinking you’d have a hassle-free ownership experience. You can spend up to $10,598 over 10 years servicing your Chrysler Voyager. That’s about 35% of the cost of buying a new Voyager.
You can change the filter, tires, and oil about three times during the first 12,000 miles for up to $400. If you don’t think the Chrysler Voyager is a good car investment, you might consider the Honda Odyssey or the Toyota Sienna.
4 BMW X1
The BMW X1 is powerful, sharp and responsive, so you might be willing to spend over $39,675 on one. But what if we told you that the BMW X1 is one of the most expensive cars to keep running relative to the purchase price. It would cost you over $17,691 to keep the BMW X1 in good shape for over 10 years.
The probability of needing a major repair increases to 55% after 10 years of ownership. Maybe that’s why the BMW X1 isn’t a top seller. BMW X1 owners are likely to face issues such as brake pad and rotor failure, fuel pump damage and oil filter clogging.
3 Land Rover Discovery Sport
Land Rover offers a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty for the Discovery Sport compact SUV, which may reassure you, but what you might not know is that you’ll be shelling out upwards of 34% of the cost of purchase to keep the Discovery Sport. on the road for over a decade.
The Land Rover Discovery Sport costs $16,000 to maintain for over 10 years. At 15,000 miles, the luxury SUV should get battery/cable service, filter and oil changes, cabin air filter replacement as well as lubrication of the engine. hood hinge, U-joints, trunk, driveshaft and doors.
2 Jeep Compass
The Jeep Compass is a bit cheaper than the Renegade, you might want to opt for it, but when it comes to maintenance and repairs, there’s almost no difference. You can spend up to $10,127 over 10 years to keep the Jeep Compass in good shape. That said, the most common issues with the Jeep Compass relate to the engine, suspension, body, and transmission.
Considering you find a Jeep Compass for around $24,000, you’ll be spending over 40% of the purchase price on repairs and maintenance alone. When you also consider fuel costs, you can declare bankruptcy in no time.
1 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
The Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is a luxury crossover SUV that does pretty well in terms of comfort, performance, and safety. But as you may have already observed, luxury SUVs are expensive to maintain. You’re expected to spend around $13,911 in 10 years just to keep the GLA-Class on the road.
Mercedes-Benz parts and labor rates aren’t cheap at all. Expect to spend over $100 on labor for just one hour. After the first six years of owning a GLA-Class, annual maintenance costs will be over $2,000. Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class owners have reported issues such as engine failure, oil leak, starter motor overheating, and airbag failure.
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