These Affordable Cars Sneak Attack With High Maintenance Costs
Owning a car? In this economy? You’re funny. All jokes aside, however, cars aren’t cheap, so coming across an affordable option that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg is a blessing. That said, be aware that not every “economy” car is economically viable in the long run.
Fiat 500
A popular urban crawler with a surprisingly long and extensive history, the Fiat 500 is cheap upfront and offers a pretty reliable ride - for the most part. Indeed, while you probably won’t break the bank with your initial purchase, the 500’s persistent clutch and electrical faults can be expensive to repair.
Nissan Altima
A sleek and stylish sedan from the folks over at Nissan, the Altima is something of a sleeper hit. While it’s not the fastest or the most luxurious four-wheeler to ever hit the streets, it offers a good balance of comfort, fuel efficiency, and smoothness. That said, the Altima’s CVT (continuously variable transmission) has led to many gray hairs - and plenty of money spent to keep it up and running.
Mercedes‑Benz C‑Class (Early Generations)
Mercedes-Benz is synonymous with luxury and class, both of which were never more affordable than with the early C-Class models. These vehicles were much rounder in appearance, but still performed just as well as many other Mercedes-Benz models. Unfortunately, they were also plagued with issues that required specialized (i.e., expensive) labour to repair.
Volkswagen Passat
The Passat nameplate has a long, extensive history dating all the way back to 1973. Newer models make for fantastic entry-level mid-size sedans, offering plenty of space for families and a smooth ride for long trips. Unfortunately, regular engine and electrical faults make the cost of ownership surprisingly high.
Land Rover Freelander
A compact SUV that has since been discontinued, the Freelander was an affordable, entry-level SUV that offered fantastic performance both on the road and off. Unfortunately, its engine and transmission issues quickly negated its low upfront costs.
Volvo S60
Sporty, stylish, and loaded with safety features, the Volvo S60 is one of the best entry-level sedans money can buy. It’s a sleek-looking machine that performs well and offers a smooth ride. Unfortunately, regular suspension and electrical problems can make short work of your repair budget.
Kia Optima (Older Turbo Models)
Nowadays, the Optima nameplate more or less lives up to its reputation as a well-priced luxury sedan. But the same can’t be said for older models, which boasted turbo transmission options that were sorely fragile and prone to problematic behavior. The cost of repairs easily negated any upfront savings on the initial cost.
Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester is a great SUV. It’s popular for its unmatched ground clearance, symmetrical all-wheel drive, and super spacious interior. However, with estimated maintenance costs of $12,450 over ten years, it’s not exactly cheap to own in the long run.
Ford Focus
The humble Ford Focus was only recently discontinued, marking the end of what was otherwise a fantastic line of cars. These humble machines were capable, comfortable, and - of course - compact. That being said, older models are prone to transmission failures and other electrical issues, thus driving up the cost of owning one to the tune of $11,600 over ten years.
Mazda 6
The Mazda 6 is surprisingly upscale in terms of design and functionality, especially for a cheaper sedan option. It’s not quite the pinnacle of luxury, but it does offer a smooth ride and premium interior styling. That said, while it has been discontinued in North America, maintenance costs can run you $12,700 over ten years.
Chevrolet Cobalt
Intended to replace the Cavalier, the Chevrolet Cobalt nameplate only lasted around six years, but it offered strong performance for an entry-level sedan or coupe. That said, while it was never super expensive to buy new (and even less so used), long-running maintenance costs can quickly deflate your wallet.
Mini Cooper (BMW Years)
When Mini Cooper fell under the umbrella of the BMW brand around the turn of the millennium, folks were hoping for the classic Mini charm combined with strong engineering. Unfortunately, while the Mini Cooper had never been cheaper, its timing chain, radiator support, and transmission were problematic, ultimately driving up its price.
Chevrolet Impala (Older Models)
The Impala is a true classic in every sense of the word, a long-running nameplate that has helped keep Chevrolet afloat all these years. That said, older Impala models were decidedly hit or miss in the electrics department, with upkeep costs sitting at around $12,600 over ten years.
Honda Pilot
The Honda Pilot is one of the best SUVs money can buy in terms of the sheer amount of value you get from it, including tons of space and family-friendly features. That said, ten-year maintenance costs will set you back $11,200, mostly due to its shaky transmission.
Nissan Maxima
Nissan’s flagship sedan worldwide for over ten years, the Maxima is still a great option for those looking for an entry-level luxury sedan. Used options are especially forgiving in terms of price. However, the complexity of its engine and abundance of CVT issues tend to jack up its maintenance costs.
Acura TL
In production from 1996 to 2014, the Acura TL was Acura’s best-selling model at one point. It’s not difficult to see why: for an economically-friendly sedan option, its performance and features were still fantastic. Less fantastic, however, were the transmission issues, which often caused maintenance costs to soar.
Dodge Ram 1500
Trucks - especially big ones like the Ram - don’t always come cheap. The 1500, however, is a great entry-level behemoth for those who want to inspire a little more respect while on the road. Be warned, however, that its maintenance costs often exceed $12,600 over a decade of use.
Chrysler Sebring
For a car that carried the Chrysler logo, the Sebring was surprisingly well-priced, with a focus on economic value to expand its audience. Unfortunately, that value was quickly negated by the sky-high maintenance costs (which often appear at the top of many lists like this), ultimately causing the Sebring to lose any favor it may have once curried.
BMW 328i
BMW’s aren’t always the most expensive vehicles on the market, but that doesn’t necessarily make them cheap, either. The 328i, however, often goes for just under $10k on the used market, but its frequent engine and drivetrain issues can jack up its cost overall.
Nissan Murano
The Murano is a popular SUV well-known for its spaciousness and family-friendly features. It’s also easy on the wallet, at least at first - long-term costs can easily set you back around $14,700 over the course of a decade.
Porsche Macan
Porsche is known for offering up some truly premium driving experiences, but to say that all of them are practical would be an outright lie. That said, that’s exactly what the Macan offers - all the style of a Porsche with enhanced practicality, and at a good price, too. However, exclusive parts and specialty service charges often jack up its long-term ownership costs.
Porsche Cayenne
While we’re on the subject of budget-friendly Porsches, the Cayenne is another sporty SUV option that comes at a slightly higher price than the previous model. Unfortunately, just like that vehicle, the Cayenne’s long-term maintenance costs are killer.
Land Rover Range Rover
New Land Rover models will definitely cost you a pretty penny, but you can often find discounted used models for much cheaper. Unfortunately, their air suspension failures and electronics issues often put a dent in the old wallet.
Mercedes‑Benz E‑Class
Mercedes-Benz vehicles typically don’t come cheap, but you will occasionally come across older E-Class models selling for a low price. It’s just as well, too: the vehicle’s complex engine and turbo mechanics often demand high maintenance costs.
Jaguar XF
Jaguar is pretty much automotive royalty at this point, but you’d be surprised at how cheap some of their earlier models are, like the XF. Unfortunately, the vehicle’s turbo V6, complex electronics, and suspension system are often prone to gremlins that command high repair costs.
Jeep Renegade
With its distinctive boxy design and intimidating profile, the Jeep Renegade is pretty much unmistakable. Unfortunately, its maintenance costs are also surprisingly high, with brake pads alone costing a whopping $400.
Fiat 124 Abarth
For such a small, unassuming economy car, repairing the Fiat 124 Abarth is no cheap endeavour. In fact, brake pads alone cost $750 each, while replacing the rotors will set you back $700 a pop.
Kia Stinger
The Stinger is a sleek and sporty fastback sedan that certainly looks expensive, but is surprisingly wallet-friendly. That said, many owners report that parts and repairs for this vehicle don’t come cheap.
Mazda Millenia S
The Millenia S isn’t exactly a common sight due to its age, and most mechanics like it that way. The car’s systems are ancient, requiring complex repairs and hard-to-find parts that jack up its maintenance costs.
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Manufactured from 1990 to 2012, the Eclipse had a long life, bolstered by its relatively low upfront costs. Long-term, however, the Eclipse was a money sink, mostly due to the priciness of its parts.
Ford F‑150 (2004 - 2010 Models)
The Ford F-150 is a titan of the automotive industry at this point, and fairly priced to boot. That said, it’s not cheap to repair or maintain, especially if the timing chain gives out… which it probably will, at some point.
Subaru Outback
The Outback is a pretty affordable SUV-cum-station wagon, especially if you buy used, but it’s also prone to head-gasket failures that can easily set you back anywhere between $2k and $4k.
High-Mileage European Cars (Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Etc. )
We’re blanketing these together here for the simple fact that most European cars with more than 150,000 miles on the odometer often need to be repaired every few months.
Yugo
Manufactured until 2008, it’s a wonder that the Yugo nameplate survived as long as it did. These cars were the epitome of cheap, but those low upfront costs were quickly rendered null by the repairs needed to maintain them over the long run.
Renault Fuego
The Renault Fuego - along with other inexpensive European imports - is, well, cheap, at least upfront. But the bevy of mechanical and electrical failings that you’ll have to put up with will make you wish that you had paid a little extra for something more reliable.
