Vehicle
Vehicle Total Cost of Ownership
See what a truck or car really costs over the years you'll own it — including the depreciation most people never count.
Purchase & financing
How long you’ll keep it
Driving & upkeep
Where the money goes
What this means
Over 5 years, this vehicle runs about $49,112 — roughly $819 a month. Depreciation alone is $19,470, about 40% of the total — usually the single biggest line, and the one most people never count.
Financing adds $5,642 in interest on top of that same depreciation. Paying cash would save the interest line, not the depreciation — the vehicle loses value on the same schedule either way.
These are estimates to help you think — not personalized legal, tax, or investment advice, and not a promise of any result. In the app, Brix reads your numbers and turns them into your next step.
This calculator adds up what a vehicle actually costs to own over the years you'll keep it — the purchase, the financing, the fuel, the insurance, the maintenance, and the depreciation that eats more of the sticker price than any of them. Punch in your numbers and see the real total, not just the payment.
Why it matters: the monthly payment is the cost everyone talks about, but it's rarely the biggest one. A vehicle that loses half its value in five years cost you that lost value whether you financed it or paid cash. Seeing the whole picture changes how you shop — and how long you decide to keep what you already drive.
How to use it
- 1
Enter the purchase and the loan
Price, down payment, interest rate, and loan term. If you're paying cash, set the down payment equal to the price and the loan drops out of the math.
- 2
Set how long you'll keep it
Your holding period doesn't have to match your loan term — plenty of people keep a truck well past the last payment, and some sell before it's paid off. The calculator handles either.
- 3
Add driving and upkeep
Miles per year, fuel economy, fuel price, insurance, and maintenance. These run every year you own the vehicle, so realistic numbers here matter as much as the price you negotiate.
Behind the numbers
Depreciation is the cost nobody negotiates
A new vehicle can lose 15–20% of its value in the first year alone and keeps losing every year after. That loss is real money — the gap between what you paid and what it's worth when you sell or trade it in — and it's usually the single biggest line in the true cost of ownership, bigger than fuel or interest.
Financing changes the interest, not the depreciation
Whether you pay cash or finance, the vehicle loses the same value on the same schedule. Financing adds interest on top of that loss — it doesn't cause it. Paying cash saves you the interest line, not the depreciation line.
The sticker price is the smallest decision you'll make
Fuel, insurance, and maintenance run for as long as you own the vehicle, every single year. A cheaper truck that drinks fuel and breaks down often can cost more over five years than a pricier one that doesn't. Run the whole calculation before you compare two vehicles on price alone.
The math behind it
Total cost of ownership adds up what the vehicle loses in value (price minus what it's worth when you're done with it), the interest you pay to finance it, and the fuel, insurance, and maintenance you pay every year you own it. Depreciation and financing don't move together — you can eliminate the interest by paying cash, but the value still drops on the same schedule either way.
Worked example
A $35,000 truck losing 15% of its value a year is worth about $15,500 after five years — a $19,500 loss, the single biggest number in the whole calculation. Add financing interest, fuel, insurance, and maintenance, and five years of ownership can easily run $45,000-plus — only part of which is the loan payment.
Cost per mile, not just per month
Divide the total cost by the miles you'll actually drive over the holding period. Two vehicles with similar payments can have very different costs per mile once fuel economy and depreciation are in the mix — and cost per mile is what actually compares them fairly.
Common questions
What's the biggest cost of owning a vehicle?
For most vehicles held a normal number of years, it's depreciation — the drop in value between what you paid and what it's worth later. It doesn't show up on a bill, so it's the easiest cost to ignore, but the calculator puts a number on it.
Does financing a vehicle cost more than paying cash?
Financing adds interest on top of the same depreciation you'd have either way — so yes, all else equal, financing costs more in total. The trade-off is keeping cash free for other things, like an emergency fund. Run both scenarios and compare the total.
How long should I keep a vehicle to get the best value?
Generally, the longer you keep a paid-off vehicle running, the lower your average annual cost — depreciation slows down after the early years while a loan payment eventually disappears. A well-maintained vehicle kept past the loan term is usually the cheapest way to drive.
Go deeper
The calculator gives you a number. The Transportation Brick teaches you what to do with it, in plain English. And if you’re not sure where to start, the free BrickScore checks your whole foundation in about 5 minutes.