Vehicle maintenance cost per hour of operation

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I was thinking that $1 per hour of operation covers the routine expected maintenance of a vehicle, with a budget mechanic. But then you have the unexpected repairs and diagnostics that come especially as it gets older. Typical driving is 25 MPH so 100 hours = 2500 miles. Figure driving 300 hours per year.

Synthetic oil change and filter at 200 hours - $50 [250 per 1000]
ATF drain and fill at 800 hours & wipers - $50 + $15 [81.25 per k]
Tires at 2000 hours - $400 [200 per k]
Front brakes at 1500 hours - $100 [66.67 per k]
New battery at 2000 hours & air filter - $100 + $20 [60 per k]
Rear brakes at 2500 hours - $100 [40 per k]
Timing belt at 3500 hours & spark plugs & coolant change & misc light bulbs & fuel filter & replace spare tire (newer vehicles only) - $500 + $80 + $40 + $50 + $40 + $80 [225.71 per k]

Thatā€™s [$923.63 per 1000 hours] or 92 cents per hour. Thatā€™s 3.7 cents per mile with a 25MPH average speed.

If you bought a brand new car for $20,000, and it optimistically lasted 10,000 hours like a 90s Toyota, thatā€™s $2.00 per hour of use. So the best case situation with no unexpected maintenance is that you pay $2.92 per hour to operate a new car through its entire life.

Iā€™ll skip the brake fluid change. Almost nobody does it. Skipping spare tire inflations, cheaper to carry tire pump.

Get up past 5000 hours / 17 years old and some expensive things like suspension and steering service, CV axel boots, alternator goes out, radiator cracks, A/C recharge, new belts, failed ABS sensors, brake parts kits needed, rotors needed, engine mounts, oxygen sensors, cabin fan, a wheel bearing, and so on.

Iā€™m more familliar with older vehicles. Timing chains have replaced timing belts, but then there are more issues like internal water pumps that require engine removal, internal timing belts, non servicable transmissions, and all kinds of electrical modules that can fail.

2

Why hours and not mileage? Iā€™ve never went by years - mileage ONLY.

3

Your experience may varyā€¦ a TONā€¦ depending on how you drive, what you drive and where you drive.

I long ago gave up charting expenses as it only satisfied my own curiosity. It wasnā€™t relevant to anyone else. Much like this isnā€™t.

The IRS uses 65.5 cents a mile for its standard deduction.

6 Likes
4

Hours ??? That is ridiculous. Miles or time is more what determines what a vehicle actually cost to own.

5

I have an hour meter on my lawn mower but not on my cars. I think this would only be important for cars that sit a lot running like police cars, taxis, etc. would be interesting comparing hours of use versus miles.

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6

I understand that ICE powered boats use hour meters. I can see that for something that is used infrequently. Cars are typically used much more often and miles driven are a better maintenance estimator IMO.

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7

I prefer to track my maintenance costs per mile of piston movementā€¦

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8

Might be hard to do on an engine that has a constantly changing stroke lengthā€¦

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9

I prefer moles of oxygen per fortnightā€¦

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10

What is a ā€œBudget Mechanicā€? Is that a term for self-service? You listed part prices but no labor.

You might be surprised when $100 does cover the cost of front brake parts and transmission fluid costs more than $50.

11

Itā€™s a very optimistic price for shade tree mechanics, or paying yourself. Brake pads from Rockauto are about $22. Buy extra in advance to save shipping costs. If you know what youā€™re doing you can have both sides done in an hour. Thats $39 per hour.

I didnā€™t want this to be a debate where a bunch of people who resist new ideas and ways of doing things argue about how it is stupid to measure by hours and prefer miles. Go change the oil every 5000 miles on a fleet city delivery vehicle that averages 10 MPH if you want. Iā€™m not going to discuss it further. Make another thread about cost per mile if you like.

12

I just did brakes. Oem pads from rock. Rotors from Napa. Donā€™t remember how much but over $100 in parts. But then $220 for a fluid flush and bleeding. I was happy to get it all done for under $400. Grandson said he heard a noise in the rear brakes but all the pads were only half done.

Sure doing it yourself is cheaper but in addition you donā€™t need to schedule it and wait.

14

Just for infoā€¦ The parts supplier I worked for used 3600 hours per 100K miles as average (so 27.7 mph average). They had arrangements with rental and fleet groups that allowed the installation of hour meters in the cars.

Just for reference, my truck has an hour meter built-in and shows 3800 hours with 154K miles (so 40 mph ave.). A great portion of the miles put on from about 23K to 110K were highway miles which increase miles while not putting a lot of hours on the truck.

I have read about police cars and utility trucks that were being sold with 75K miles, but 5000 hoursā€¦ Lots of time sitting with the lights and AC on.

1 Like
15

Not to nitpick, but itā€™s $0.67/mile in 2024. However, thatā€™s designed to include costs beyond maintenance. The other IRS option (the actual expense method) for business use of a vehicle allows you to deduct the costs of ā€œgas, oil, repairs, tires, insurance, registration fees, licenses, and depreciation (or lease payments)ā€ so $0.67 is an administrative convenience established to cover costs far beyond maintenance. Iā€™m not trying to imply thatā€™s what you were saying, just making an observation. :wink:

16

Oops, used 2023 numbers. Iā€™d guess the majority use the standard number unless the vehicle is particularly expensive to operate.

17

The original post included a ā€˜depreciationā€™ component.

18

Iā€™m referring to IRS definition of depreciation.

19

Here it is:

20

Involves time travel, to buy a new 1990ā€™s Toyota for $20,000.

21

Thatā€™s not depreciation from the IRSā€™s perspective which is what my post referred to. Thatā€™s a guess of how long the vehicle might last. Depreciation is the reduction in asset value over a specific time period, not hours of use.