Cars cost money to maintain. Some cars are dramatically more expensive than other cars. Replace a pair of burnt out regular headlights in an ordinary car and it's no more than $50. Replace two worn-out xenon headlights in a luxury car and the price goes past $1,100. A wise car-buyer looks at the entire cost of owning a car. Here are the five cheapest cars to maintain.
Maintenance consists of engine oil, air filters and fuel filters, tire alignment and air pressure, suspension work, battery, engine tuning and labor. Maintenance has to be done, usually, every 7,500 to 10,000 miles for the life of the car. According to MSN's Business Consumer News, the average car will last eight years and 150,000 miles. It isn't unusual for a well-maintained car to make it to 10 years and 200,000 miles. Part of this article is based on the work done by the Automotive website based on the total cost of all recommended maintenance visits for the average lifespan of the car. It includes the manufacturer's suggested retail price, Automotive's opinion of the value of the car, and the fuel economy.
Number Five: The Chevy Malibu
5 Year Maintenance Cost: $1,319
MSRP Range: $21,825 - $26,955
Value Rating: Average
Fuel Economy: 26 MPG city / 34 MPG highway
Number Four: The Honda Civic
5 Year Maintenance Cost: $1,270
MSRP Range: $16,255 - $23,800
Value Rating: Excellent
Fuel Economy: 26 MPG city / 34 MPG highway
Number Three: The Honda Fit
5 Year Maintenance Cost: $1,245
MSRP Range: $15,700 - $17,260
Value Rating: Excellent
Fuel Economy: 28 MPG city / 35 MPG highway
Number Two: The Saab 9-3
5 Year Maintenance Cost: $1,182
MSRP Range: $28,900 - $45,080
Value Rating: Above Average
Fuel Economy: 21 MPG city / 31 MPG highway
The Car with the Best Maintenance Value: The Mini-Cooper
5 Year Maintenance Cost: $1,160
MSRP Range: $18,800 - $34,000
Value Rating: Excellent
Fuel Economy: 28 MPG city / 36 MPG highway
The Mini-Cooper comes with a 118 horsepower engine with a six-speed transmission. Mini-Cooper offers a six-speed automatic transmission as an option. Standard safety equipment includes six airbags, traction control, stability control and ABS braking system. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Mini-Cooper four stars out of five for driver and passenger safety during a front end collision.
