How Much Routine Car Maintenance Costs
Costs climb with your car's age, but basic maintenance services can start at a few hundred dollars a year.
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Regular car maintenance keeps your engine running smoothly and prevents many serious problems. It’s also relatively inexpensive compared with major repairs.
The routine maintenance your car will need — and its cost — depends on the vehicle and where you have the work performed. There are some services that almost all cars require periodically.
Basic maintenance is likely to cost you a few hundred dollars a year. Most cars will need more maintenance as they hit mileage milestones, which will increase the total cost of owning the car.
Here’s a guide to the most common basic maintenance costs and how to prepare for them.
Basic car maintenance costs
The vehicle maintenance schedule in your car's owners manual will tell you what services it needs and when. Nearly every car requires a set of basic services at specific intervals.
Manufacturers often note that the intervals between these basic services need to be shortened if you often make trips of 5 miles or less, drive in extremely hot or cold temperatures or regularly drive in stop-and-go traffic, for example. In these cases, you might need to have the car serviced more frequently.
As cars age, they tend to develop different maintenance needs, which can be more expensive than in their earlier years. So be prepared to add different types of maintenance to the schedule as your car earns more miles.
Oil and filter changes
The average cost of an oil change, depending on your model of car, ranges between $60-$274.
The standard advice used to be to change your oil every three months or 3,000 miles. Most cars today can go much farther — often between 5,000 and 7,500 miles, and sometimes up to 10,000 miles — before needing an oil change. Check your car’s owners manual for the manufacturer's recommendation. If you drive only a few thousand miles a year, you should have your oil changed at least every 12 months regardless of total mileage.
Some newer vehicles have oil-monitoring systems that alert you when it’s time to change your oil. These systems often calculate when to perform an oil change based on driving conditions and habits.
Replacing your cabin air filter will cost between $25-$140.
The cabin air filter removes contaminants like dust, pollen and exhaust from the air before they reach the inside of your car. It also aids in circulating air through your air conditioning and heating systems to improve their performance. It’s best to replace your cabin air filter every 15,000-25,000 miles or at least every 12 months. If you drive in areas with bad air quality, you might want to replace the filter more frequently.
Tire rotations
Having your tires rotated tends to cost between $25-$120.
Rotating your tires allows them to wear more evenly, keeps an even level of tread on all of them and can even create less stress for other car components. You should rotate your tires every 5,000-8,000 miles — or every six months — which is why it’s a good rule of thumb to rotate your tires with every oil change. But your manual will have the carmaker's recommendation.
Multipoint inspections
A multipoint inspection can be free with other services or cost up to $250.
These vary in scope and price, depending on your mechanic. A multipoint inspection usually looks at your car from bumper to bumper — including the battery, filters, belts, hoses, fluids, tires, brakes, powertrain, and shocks and struts — to identify any maintenance or repair it might need.
It’s a good idea to have a multipoint inspection of your vehicle every 5,000-7,000 miles.
Replacing worn-out parts
All car parts eventually wear down from regular driving. Some are meant to last longer than others, but it’s likely that you'll need to replace some while you own the car.
Tires
The cost of tires can vary greatly, depending on the types of terrain you’re driving on and the climate you drive in. A cheaper tire can cost around $50, while an expensive tire can cost over $1,000.
How often you need to replace your tires depends on the type and quality of the tires, as well as your driving habits. Check them once a month for cracks that indicate the rubber has dried out. You can also use the penny test to check tread depth.
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