Money & Finance
Car Maintenance Cost Calculator
Enter your odometer reading and yearly mileage. The page turns AAA's 2026 maintenance figure into a yearly budget for your car, a monthly savings target, and a five-year forecast that flags the years when tires and major service come due.
How it works
Behind the numbers
AAA's 2026 Your Driving Costs study puts maintenance, repairs, and tires for a new vehicle at 11.7 cents per mile, which is about $1,760 a year at 15,000 miles. That number is the starting point here, not the answer for an older car: costs climb once a car passes roughly 75,000 to 100,000 miles, and trucks and European models cost more to keep up than sedans.
The calculator adjusts the AAA rate in two steps. First by odometer band: under 50,000 miles uses the base rate, 50,000 to 100,000 adds 25 percent, 100,000 to 150,000 adds 50 percent, and over 150,000 adds 75 percent. Then by vehicle class: cars stay at the base, SUVs and trucks add 15 percent, luxury and European models add 30 percent. The band and class percentages are planning estimates built from the published 25 to 50 percent buffer guidance for older cars, not AAA figures.
The five-year forecast rolls the odometer forward at your yearly mileage and re-prices each year as the car crosses into a higher band. Each forecast year is priced by its ending odometer, not the one it starts at, and the band and class adjustments multiply rather than add: a $1,404 base year at the 25 percent band for an SUV or truck is $1,404 × 1.25 × 1.15 = $2,018, not $1,404 × 1.40. It also flags planning milestones: tires every 50,000 miles and major service at each 100,000-mile mark. Those intervals are planning defaults, so check your owner's manual for your car's actual schedule. Saving the five-year average each month builds a reserve for the years when the bill jumps.
FAQ
Questions, answered
How much should I budget for car maintenance per year?
For a new vehicle, AAA's 2026 figure is 11.7 cents per mile for maintenance, repairs, and tires, which is about $1,760 a year at 15,000 miles. Older or higher-mileage cars run higher: the calculator above adjusts that rate by odometer band and vehicle class, so a 60,000-mile sedan at 15,000 miles a year lands near $2,194 a year.
Why does maintenance cost rise with mileage?
Wear items accumulate: tires, brakes, belts, and suspension parts all wear on mileage, and bigger repairs cluster at higher odometers. Published budgeting guidance puts costs climbing sharply past 75,000 to 100,000 miles, with a 25 to 50 percent buffer for cars older than about eight years or past 100,000 miles. The calculator's bands follow that shape and extend it to 75 percent past 150,000 miles.
What is a spike year in the forecast?
A year when the bill jumps for a specific reason: the car crosses into a higher mileage band, tires come due (planned every 50,000 miles here), or major service falls due at a 100,000-mile mark. The forecast flags those years so you can see them coming. Saving the five-year monthly average builds a reserve for exactly those years.
Does vehicle type change the maintenance budget?
Yes. Trucks and SUVs need pricier tires, brakes, and fluids than sedans, and luxury and European models usually carry higher parts and labor costs. The calculator adds 15 percent for SUVs and trucks and 30 percent for luxury and European models. Those percentages are planning estimates, not AAA figures.
Does the AAA figure cover all car costs?
No. The 11.7 cents per mile covers maintenance, repairs, and tires only, for a new vehicle. It leaves out fuel, insurance, depreciation, and financing, which AAA tracks separately (about $12,863 a year all-in for a new vehicle at 15,000 miles). Your actual bills also vary by brand, region, and driving conditions.