Used car cost calculator

Depreciation starts from today's value. A used car has already lost its steepest early depreciation. 73 Auto estimates its current value from UK asking prices for comparable cars of the same model and generation, then projects it forward over your ownership period at your mileage. See the depreciation calculator.

The MOT history counts. Advisories and failures on the car's latest MOT are costed as a near-term repair allowance, tyre advisories as a near-term tyre replacement, and corrosion is only costed when the car's own MOT history shows it. A car with a clean recent MOT and one with a list of advisories get different figures.

Repairs rise with age and mileage. How often each part wears out or fails is taken from DVSA MOT results for similar cars at the same age and mileage, and repairs the manufacturer's warranty would cover are left out while the warranty lasts. See car maintenance cost.

Road tax depends on when it was first registered. The VED rules that apply are set by the car's first-registration date and, for many cars, its CO2 figure. See the car tax check.

Run each car you're considering with the same annual mileage and ownership period, then compare the totals. A cheaper asking price doesn't guarantee a cheaper car to own: a lower-priced car can still cost more each year if it's thirstier, dearer to insure or due expensive repairs.

73 Auto publishes side-by-side comparisons of pairs of its own worked examples, including Ford Fiesta vs Volkswagen Polo. Each compares two specific cars, not every car of those models.

Before buying, it's also worth checking the car's full MOT and mileage history.

The 13 worked examples that were at least 12 years old when calculated. Every example in the dataset is a used car (model years 2006 to 2024); all 53 are listed on the real car cost examples page.