Car total cost of ownership (TCO)
Everyone calculates customs, but not the real cost of owning a car. This tool combines the purchase price, fuel, insurance, tax, maintenance and depreciation to show the real cost per year and per kilometre — so you can compare cars properly when choosing.
How it's calculated
Total cost = depreciation (purchase price − resale price) + years × (insurance + maintenance + tax) + fuel. Fuel cost is worked out from the annual mileage, consumption and price. It's then divided by the years and total mileage to give the cost per year and per km.
Example
A car bought for 20,000 and sold after 5 years for 12,000 loses 8,000 in depreciation. Add fuel, insurance, maintenance and tax to get the real yearly cost.
Frequently asked questions
What is depreciation?
The car's loss of value: the difference between the purchase price and the future resale price.
Where do I get the resale price?
Look at listings of a similar age and mileage.
Is the result accurate?
It's an estimate; real maintenance and fuel vary.
Is the tool free?
Yes — completely free.