Native tool · INT.03 Buy · runs on this page
True Cost of Ownership
The sticker is the entry fee. Depreciation, fuel, insurance, tax and maintenance are the subscription — here is the honest monthly number before you commit to a car.
Ownership math · v1.0
Depreciation included, honestly- Per kilometre€ 0.48
- Estimated resale€ 18,721
- Biggest lineDepreciation · 39%
Estimates for orientation. Calibrate depreciation against real listings — that's what carpriceindex is for.
The method, in the open
Five lines, added up. Depreciation is compound: the car loses its annual percentage of an ever-smaller value, so a 9% sports car keeps 62% of its price after five years while a 16% premium rocket keeps 42%. Fuel is kilometres times thirst times price. Insurance, tax and maintenance are flat yearly lines you already know or can quote in ten minutes. Divide by months — that is the subscription you are really signing.
The revelation for most buyers is the shape, not the size: on newer cars depreciation dwarfs everything, which is why a lightly used enthusiast car with flat depreciation can genuinely cost less per month than a "sensible" new hatchback. Run both. The math settles it.
Five-year keep, five profiles — €30,000 car, 12,000 km/yr
| Profile | Resale after 5 yr | € / month |
|---|---|---|
| Fast premium — 16%/yr | € 12,538 | ≈ 581 |
| Modern mainstream — 13%/yr | € 14,957 | ≈ 541 |
| Enthusiast sports — 9%/yr | € 18,721 | ≈ 478 |
| Modern classic — 4%/yr | € 24,459 | ≈ 383 |
| Appreciating — 0%/yr | € 30,000 | ≈ 290 |
FAQ
Because it is usually the biggest one. The gap between what you pay and what you sell for is money spent as surely as fuel — European ownership studies consistently show it as the largest share of total cost.
Typical annual rates by car character: mainstream 12–15%/yr, fast premium more, well-chosen enthusiast cars far less, appreciating classics nothing. Pick the closest profile and calibrate with real listings from carpriceindex.
If you finance, add your total interest to the purchase price before entering it. The calculator stays financing-neutral so cash and financed buyers compare cars on the same basis.