Total Cost of Ownership: what it means for a car

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is what a car actually costs you to own over a period of time — not just the price tag or the monthly finance payment, but depreciation, fuel or energy, insurance, servicing, repairs, tyres, tax and finance added together. 73 Auto calculates a full TCO estimate for one specific, identified UK vehicle, personalised to how you plan to drive and own it.

Last reviewed: 2026-08-13

Get the TCO for your exact car

Enter a UK registration number to calculate its full ownership cost — free for your first check.

Why the price tag isn't the real cost

A listing price or a monthly finance quote is one number. It doesn't show how much value the car will lose while you own it, what it'll cost to fuel or charge, insure, service and maintain, or what tax you'll pay. Two cars with the same asking price — or even the same monthly payment — can have very different total ownership costs once all of that is added up.

Each category is modelled from the vehicle's official DVLA and DVSA data plus your own inputs — postcode, driving style, annual mileage, ownership period and finance details — then added together into one annual and monthly figure. See the full methodology for exactly how each category is calculated.

How 73 Auto's TCO differs from a generic estimate

73 Auto starts from a specific, identified vehicle — its actual registration, not a generic model average — using official DVLA vehicle data and DVSA MOT history. It then narrows every relevant category using your own inputs (postcode, driving style, annual mileage, how long you plan to keep the car, and your finance or insurance details where you provide them), rather than applying one flat national average to every car. Where a category rests on more of your own data, the report's confidence label reflects that.

Estimates, not guarantees

Every figure is a modelled estimate, not a quotation or financial advice. Actual costs vary by the vehicle's exact condition, your location, how you drive, your specific insurance and finance circumstances, and future market changes. See data sources for exactly which parts are live official data, fixed official rates, your own input, or a 73 Auto estimate.

See it worked through

Browse real ownership cost examples for dozens of vehicles, or see two cars compared side by side. For just the ongoing, year-to-year costs rather than the full ownership picture, see car running costs.