Car Maintenance Cost Planner

How the planner works.

Each service you add has a month within your planning horizon and an amount: a fixed figure, or a low and a high figure when you only have a range. The planner adds the services, adds the reserve for every month of the horizon, and divides the total by the number of months.

Rows you leave empty are ignored. A service without an amount is not counted as free: the planner asks for the amount instead.

Where the service list should come from.

The vehicle manufacturer's maintenance schedule, in the owner's manual or the manufacturer's website, sets what is due and when. A shop's recommended menu can add items the schedule does not require; ask which schedule entry each one comes from.

Many schedules give each interval in both miles and time, whichever comes first, so a car driven little can still have items due. Some vehicles also use an oil-life monitor or maintenance reminder that sets the timing from how the car is driven; plan from that reminder and the owner's manual rather than a fixed mileage.

Wear items such as tires, brake pads, wiper blades and the 12-volt battery are usually replaced on condition, not at a set mileage. An inspection note with a measurement, such as tread or pad thickness, is a firmer base for the plan than a guess.

Using an independent shop does not by itself void a warranty. The FTC says it is illegal for a dealer to deny warranty coverage because routine maintenance or repairs were done by someone else, unless the warranty provides that work free. Keep receipts that show the service, the date, the mileage and the fluids or parts used.

SourceFederal Trade Commission — Auto Warranties and Auto Service Contracts ↗ (opens an external site)

Normal or severe schedule?

Many manufacturers publish a second, shorter schedule for severe conditions, such as frequent short trips, stop-and-go traffic, towing, dusty roads or extreme temperatures. Which one applies depends on how you drive, so it is worth reading the definitions rather than assuming either.

Planned services and a repair reserve.

Planned services are known in advance; repairs are not. A reserve is money set aside every month for repairs you cannot schedule. The planner shows it on its own line so you can see how much of the monthly figure is planned work and how much is a cushion you chose.

When to question a service recommendation.

• An item is recommended at a mileage the maintenance schedule does not mention.
• A package price groups several services without listing each one.
• A fluid or filter service is recommended without an inspection result or a schedule entry.
• You are told routine maintenance must be done at the dealer to keep the warranty, without being shown the warranty term that says so.