Tesla cheapest to maintain & German brands most expensive, says study

4 of the top 5 carmakers with the lowest maintenance costs are American brands, with Toyota being the only exception in third place.

A new Consumer Report study has come up with a list of the cheapest and costliest to maintain car brands, calculated over 10 years of ownership.

The overall results show that Tesla has the lowest maintenance cost over 10 years of ownership. However, on the opposite end are German brands like BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz & Porsche, which have the highest maintenance costs.

Steven Elek, Program Leader for Auto Data Analysis, Consumer Reports, stated, "The difference to maintain a car on average between some brands can be thousands over a 10-year time frame. Also, expensive luxury vehicles are often quite expensive to maintain as well over time."

The maintenance costs are split between years one to five and six to ten. During the first 5 years, a Tesla car costs just $580 to maintain. This cost though, increases to $3,455 between years six to ten - giving it a cumulative 10-year maintenance expenditure of $4,035. The table shows that 4 of the top 5 carmakers with the lowest maintenance costs are American brands, with Toyota being the only exception in third place. Toyota cars have a maintenance cost of $4,900 over a 10-year period, which is the same as the Buick in second. However, Toyota's maintenance cost during the first 5 years of ownership is slightly higher at $1,125, which pushes it to third place.

Similarly, at the bottom of the list, 4 of the 5 most expensive brands to maintain are from Germany. These include BMW ($9,500), Audi ($9,890), Mercedes-Benz ($10,525) and Porsche (14,090). Surprisingly though, none of them occupy the top spot. The brand with the highest maintenance cost is Land Rover, with owners spending $19,250 over 10 years.

Elek stated, "If you are considering a luxury model, it may be wise to purchase one from a domestic brand that may have lower maintenance and repair costs." He further added, "For example, over 10 years, Mercedes-Benz models are more than double the cost to maintain and repair as those from Lincoln."

Source: Consumer Reports