Calculator - The real cost of cars

The real cost of cars

There are a few options when buying a car. You can buy one brand new or second hand (used). You can buy a luxury car or even an EV (electric vehicle)! Make sure your car is safe and reliable vehicle, or else that car could cost you more money to keep on the road.

Use the car calculator to investigate the cost of purchasing and running a new car versus a used car. You can put in the expenses and see how much it costs to run the car each fortnight, and how much the total cost of owning the car will be for a whole year. You can even see how much the total cost of the car will be over 5 or 10 years!

The default setting is $8,000 for used cars because this is what most people pay for a second hand car - but you can buy a car cheaper than that if you’re happy to make some compromises.

Food for thought

Were you surprised at some of these costs? Do you think owning a certain type of vehicle will affect the cost of ownership? Some used cars are cheaper than others, what do you think causes this?

Are running costs more expensive for used cars? Why? Does this still make them cheaper than new cars?

At home

Do you have a vehicle in your family? Perhaps someone in your family has a vehicle they use for work. What kind of costs are involved in running these vehicles?

We'd love your feedback