Consumer Reports Ranking on 10 year maintenance costs...

[PandaBear]

I met a guy at Lexus dealership about 20 years ago for a "business meeting" and he was paying like $100 for an oil change, and back then it would have cost only $40 in Jiffy Lube or $60 at Toyota dealership.

My local Lexus dealer provide pick up and drop off if I do warranty work there, 1 client at a time, vs my local Toyota dealer provide only drop off in a group of 5, and no pick up at all (have to uber back). The Lexus driver was more mature and polite, whereas the Toyota driver was just cracking offensive in today's standard joke to the customers.

Obviously you are paying more for Lexus vs Toyota despite mechanically they are identical in the maintenance. I would imagine it is the same on all brands and their luxury subbrands.

 

[fdcg27]

Unless one has access to a fleet database or manufacture's data on repairs I don't see any better data out there than what CR offers.
Nobody with that sort of information seems to post here, although they probably lurk.
Real people using real cars bought with their own money may be the best we can get.

 

[Cujet]

Jaguar/Land Rover seems like a good choice

Truth be told, I love my Jag

 

[eljefino]

Good post. I would guess that CR subscribers do a lot of basic maintenance, as they are probably cost conscious.

I think CR readers are the dumbest muppets on the planet, who need a print magazine to tell them what toaster to buy. They are risk-averse. If one had a modicum of mechanical skill it might give them the confidence to buy an "unreliable" brand with the hopes that they could maintain it themselves and/or make informed decisions with a hired mechanic. In other words, they'd buy a hobby car.

I do recall "Popular Mechanics" magazine having car tests in the 1970s that rated on a scale of 1 to 5 how easy various maintenance activities were on cars then. That mag is nothing like it used to be.

Warranty data is good but proprietary. I guess if you see Dorman selling an improved part it means they knew there'd be money in engineering it.

 

[wings&wheels]

Jaguar/Land Rover seems like a good choice

Truth be told, I love my Jag

More to life than absolute reliability or cost of ownership...and I too love your Jag!

 

[b_b]

More to life than absolute reliability or cost of ownership...and I too love your Jag!

yeah, I agree. Like ease of maintenance and utility.

 

[andrew_j]

Honda and esp Acura get hit in costs with that expensive timing belt in V6.

 

[wings&wheels]

yeah, I agree. Like ease of maintenance and utility.

Never really let those get in the way either

 

[John105]

What is likely not factored in is downtime. Say the first year of ownership a car is under repair right off the bat for 3 mos, then bought back. Yet that car co is #1 on the list.

We should all remember when the 2015 VW GTI came out, CR said there’s nothing sporty about the new GTI. That’s moronic.

 

[chris719]

CR should have factored in the astronomical cost of EV battery replacement. If not in 10 years shortly thereafter.

If so they should factor in Hyundai engine replacement costs. I have more faith in an EV battery lasting than a Hyundai 4 banger.

 

[ecotourist]

Jaguar/Land Rover seems like a good choice

Truth be told, I love my Jag

Knowing in advance that (on average) it's going to cost far more to maintain a Jag than a Camry, buying the Jag can still be a completely rational choice. You wanted the Jag, knew it might cost more and were prepared to pay the extra cost.

I did that with the BMW. I knew it would probably cost more to maintain than many of the other options, and bought it anyway. I wanted a BMW 5 series I6 5MT so I tracked one down and bought it. I was prepared to pay the extra cost. [PS Mine turned out to be quite reliable and didn't cost a lot to own.]

The problem occurs when someone buys a high maintenance vehicle, doesn't know that it is going to cost a lot to maintain, and can't afford to maintain it. Yes they should have looked into it before hand. As one option, they could have consulted Consumer Reports.

 

[ecotourist]

I have more faith in an EV battery lasting than a Hyundai 4 banger.

Or a Nissan having a CVT transmission.

 

[ecotourist]

What is likely not factored in is downtime.

What you say is true. My Volvo was in the shop for warranty work quite frequently during its first 3 years. I bought it to drive it, not to take it in for repairs - whether they were free or not.

It only got reliable (fairly reliable that is) when I started taking it to a Volvo specialist. Never darkened the door of a Volvo dealership again.

 

[HowAboutThis]

This is the way new science works. Find a study or data that supports a presupposed conclusion. Then declare that the science on the matter is settled. Then label those who doubt the premise and its falsified conclusion to be science deniers.

This an important feature of post-modernism.

People do that at work all the time. So as they're talking I look up studies that refute their studies. People that work closely with me find it highly entertaining. People that don't know me well probably have other views of me...

 

[HowAboutThis]

This is a circumstance where stats tell facts, but not the truth. Extend that to 15 of 20 years, and Tesla would be way on the bottom. Gas tank on my 99 Suburban was $300 bucks. Gas tank on a Tesla=not 300 bucks.

Sure 10 years, ill give it to Tesla.

I was wondering this, too. If you don't live where there's road salt, 15+ years is reasonable for a car today. 200k+ miles at about average driving. When you need to replace hybrid or electric batteries, some prices on some models would quickly make up for the "I don't need oil changes" savings...

 

[4WD]

None of my GM cars have been money pits. I am not sure how this list is even made. I have had the Malibu since 2015. I have a set of brakes, oil changes, 1 set of spark plugs, a set of tires, one coolant flush and 1 broken exhaust manifold bolt, 1 air filter. I didn't see it but they don't really break down what the "Maintenance" cost are. I don't know how the Buick is less than Chevrolet. They use the same stuff.

Same here - on Buick perhaps it’s the average age of drivers with a softer foot - and a more grown up attitude towards getting them serviced - my older kinfolk were like that …
Chevy vehicles certainly get more work done …

 

[burbguy82]

I was wondering this, too. If you don't live where there's road salt, 15+ years is reasonable for a car today. 200k+ miles at about average driving. When you need to replace hybrid or electric batteries, some prices on some models would quickly make up for the "I don't need oil changes" savings...

100% agreed. That facts dont line up with the truth.

That is just using 200k as a benchmark. Many ICE last much longer.

Salt is a good point. The carrier of the powertrain lasting is just as important. I wonder how great a Tesla would be in northern NY with all the rust. In that area and circumstance either one would be fine, since the frame is toast