The sticker price is not the cost
Two cars with the same price tag can cost very different amounts once you own them. AutoTCO adds up everything — what you pay to buy it, what it costs to keep, and what you get back when you're done — so you're comparing the real number, not just the one on the window.
How the calculation works
Every result is built from seven categories. You don't have to fill in all of them — only the ownership horizon and how far you'll drive are required, and anything you leave blank is clearly marked as an assumption, not silently guessed.
Acquisition
The purchase price plus everything paid at the point of sale — sales tax, dealer and registration fees, financing costs, and any optional extras.
Depreciation
The residual value you get back when you sell or trade in, shown as a credit against the purchase price — not a second, hidden cost.
Fixed ownership costs
The costs that show up whether you drive or not: insurance, registration renewals, parking, roadside assistance.
Variable operating costs
The costs that scale with distance: fuel or electricity, scheduled maintenance, tires, brakes, tolls.
Taxes & fees
Ongoing road tax, excise duty, and fuel taxes — separate from the one-time taxes paid at purchase.
End of ownership
The cost to actually sell the car, on top of the depreciation credit above.
Hidden & opportunity costs
Optional and advanced: what your money could have earned elsewhere, and the time cost of fueling and maintenance. Off by default — most people can skip it.
Nothing hidden
Every result comes with an assumptions log — a plain list of exactly which fields you left blank and what they defaulted to. If a number surprises you, you can see why, instead of wondering what the tool assumed on your behalf.
One car, or several
Comparing 2 to 6 cars side by side is the main use case, but a single car works just as well — you get a full cost breakdown and summary without being forced into a comparison you don't need.
Results, three ways
Every comparison is shown as a total over your ownership horizon, per year, and per mile or kilometer — so you can compare cars however you actually think about cost.
Compare cars