Car costs per year: this is how expensive it really gets

The question of how much a car costs is easy to answer with the sum of the purchase price. But what about the costs of maintaining a car? These are also added to the costs and can sometimes put a strain on your finances. To help you plan ahead when buying a car, we'll tell you what the costs are for your car.

Several factors come into play

Most people underestimate the annual costs of maintaining their car, which usually are almost twice as high as many people think. The average is 72 centimes if you drive 15,000 kilometres a year. The more expensive your car is and the more you drive, the higher this value is. The biggest costs of a car are tax, insurance, repairs and, of course, fuel. Motorists are usually aware of the level of fuel prices, but they have also been rising faster than usual in recent weeks and months. And of course, whether a tank of petrol ends up costing 10 francs more or less does not matter when you fill up once. But extrapolated over a year, it adds up to a three-digit sum.

Don't underestimate Swiss car tax

Car insurance premiums are often several thousand francs a year. New drivers, in particular, have to dig deep into their pockets, as their car insurance is more expensive than that of drivers with more experience. In addition, there is a vehicle tax in Switzerland that can sometimes exceed 500 francs, for example if you drive a SUV. So your car also costs you money when it's not in use. Literally, because you also have to pay for parking. If you rent a private parking space, you can easily pay three-digit sums for it - per month. Do you often drive on the motorway? Then you need a vignette, which costs you 40 francs a year - 200 on top if you're caught without one. Accessories, such as bicycle racks, roof boxes or dog guards, are also expensive for the dealers. If you need them, this will add a considerable amount to the cost of your car.

Are older cars cheaper?

In addition, there is the depreciation of your car. Spoiler alert: this is especially high for new and year-old cars. Only with cars that are five years old or more the annual loss is no longer so high. But if you think that older cars are automatically cheaper to maintain than new cars, you should think about repairs. With increasing vehicle age, wear and tear become noticeable in the car costs per year. More and more components have to be replaced (sometimes at high cost). Every two to three years you need new summer and winter tyres.

It’s true that there is no motor vehicle inspection (MFK) for the first four years but as the vehicle ages, you will have to come in more often. And even if the cost of these inspections is only about 50 Swiss francs, these inspections usually involve repairs or cleaning and thus costs for your car.

Your car on a subscription

If you take out a subscription for your car, you pay a fixed monthly price. Everything related to your car is included: insurance, taxes, cantonal redemption, service and tyres. This means you always have an overview of the total cost of your car. You know exactly how much your car will cost you per month or per year.

Have you already found your car on subscription? Here you will find a large selection of all our vehicles.