15 Best Cars to Buy if You Hate to Spend Money on Maintenance

The cost of a car isn’t just about how much you spend when you sign the lease or purchase it from a dealer.

Your costs can add up when you consider potential major repairs and regular maintenance to keep it running properly.

Here are the top 15 car models to consider if you want to find a low-maintenance car. Pair them with some smart car owner moves to spend less on the life of your car. 

Notes: All vehicle data comes from the car-buying resource CarEdge. A “major repair” is defined as an issue requiring $500 or more to fix.

This German import may rely on its well-known engineering to keep it running smoothly. Maintenance and repair costs are expected to total $5,576 over 10 years.

The Golf is also 5.59% less likely to require a repair during that time than similar vehicles in the segment.

A Mazda 3 is expected to cost $5,409 in maintenance and repair costs during the first decade of its life, which is more than $1,600 lower than the industry average for sedans.

The model is also 5.28% less likely to need a major repair than similar vehicles in the segment.

If you own a Versa, you should expect to pay $5,331 for maintenance and repairs over the first 10 years of the vehicle’s lifespan.

You should also expect a 16.43% chance that the Versa will require a major repair, which is better than its counterparts in the segment.

If you buy a Honda Insight, you should expect to pay about $5,303 for maintenance and repairs over the first decade.

The car also has a 15.57% chance of requiring a major repair, which is almost 6% better than other vehicles in the segment.

Expect to pay an estimated $5,254 over the first 10 years of life for a Mitsubishi Mirage G4.

You also have a 16% chance of needing a major repair on your vehicle, which is better than similar vehicles in the segment.

As a Honda Civic owner, you should plan on paying $5,245 over 10 years, which is $1,851 less than other models in the segment.

You would also have only a 15.57% chance of needing a major repair, almost 6% better than similar vehicles.

Want to pay less than $5,000 in maintenance and repairs over the first 10 years of your car? Buy a Toyota Supra, which will cost about $4,950 to maintain and repair during that time.

The Supra also has a 12.57% chance of requiring a repair, which is almost 9% better than other vehicles in the segment.

In the 10 years after buying a Mitsubishi Mirage, you should account for $4,939 in maintenance and repair expenses.

The Mirage will also have a 15.09% chance of requiring a major repair, which is 6.41% better than similar vehicles in the segment.

You’ll only need to budget $4,915 for maintenance and repair costs over the first 10 years of owning a Honda Fit.

There’s also less than a 15% chance of your vehicle requiring a major repair.

If you buy a Toyota Avalon, expect to pay $4,407 for maintenance and repairs over the first 10 years.

The vehicle also has an 11.89% chance of requiring a major repair, which is 9.61% better than similar vehicles in the segment.

The Toyota Camry has a reputation for being affordable, and that includes its maintenance and repair costs, which total around $4,203 over 10 years.

The Camry also has a low 11.89% chance of requiring a major repair during the first 10 years of the car.

If you buy a Toyota Prius Prime, you can expect to pay $4,098 for maintenance and repairs for the first decade of its life.

The vehicle also has a low 11.22% chance of requiring a major repair, which is 10.28% better than similar vehicles.

Another affordable Toyota model is the Carolla, which will cost you only $4,087 in maintenance and repair costs during the first decade.

The Corolla is also less likely to need major repairs, with an 11.89% chance of requiring a repair that costs more than $500 in its first decade.

Another Toyota model, the Yaris, will cost $4,027 to own for the first ten years.

The car has an 11.89% chance of needing a major repair over 10 years, which is 9.61% better than other cars in the segment.

The Toyota Prius tops the list, needing just $4,008 for maintenance and repair over its first decade. The industry average for other hatchback models is $2,756 more than the Prius.

The Prius also has an 11.22% chance of requiring a major repair, which is more than 10 percent better than similar vehicles in the segment.

If you’re buying a car on a budget, remember to consider anything you‘ll need for the vehicle on top of the initial costs.

Looking for ways to save money on car insurance can also help you save money over the life of your vehicle that you could put toward other bills or invest later.