Average Car Repair Costs - Statistics That Will Help You Prepare

Posted: April 18, 2024

Whether you own a new car, a used car, or you've just driven your vehicle off the dealership lot, the last thing you want to see is the check engine light and feel the dread of the car repair bill.

While car insurance may cover some vehicle repair costs, especially if you've been in an accident, much of the burden will be on your pocketbook. In fact, you can expect the bill to range between $500 and $600 on average.

This can be a blow to anyone's personal finances, and most car owners know the inconvenience of taking their vehicle to the shop and driving a rental for a few days while they wait for repairs. No one wants their week interrupted by a brake pad replacement.

In this article, we'll take a look at the average car repair costs, detailing the typical expenses for common vehicle repairs and the average repair costs for certain popular vehicles.

Let's get started.

Key Takeaways

1. The average cost for common auto repairs $500 to $600 (source)

Auto repairs cost an average of $500 to $600

Source

While these are the average car repair costs according to the most recent data, some repairs can be much more expensive. For example, brake repairs may cost around $500 and replacing the timing belt may cost an average of $400 to $900, but replacing the transmission would likely cost thousands of dollars.

According to JD Power, the average cost of a transmission replacement for a mainstream car with automatic transmission could be $2,500 to $5,000, with parts and labor included. Replacing a manual transmission could range from $1,500 to $3,000.

For high-performance or luxury vehicles, the costs of replacing a transmission could go higher than $6,000.

2. One in three drivers would not be able to pay for unexpected repairs without going into debt (source)

64 million American drivers would go into debt paying car repairs

Source

A recent survey by the American Automobile Association (AAA) revealed that 64 million American motorists would be at risk of going into debt if faced with unexpected car repairs. That's one in three drivers on the road today.

Owning and operating a vehicle can be expensive, and there are ongoing costs associated with car maintenance and upkeep. In fact, the cost of vehicle ownership averages over $8,500 annually, after adding up car payments, fuel costs, auto insurance, vehicle maintenance, and repairs.

To stay ahead of these expenses, the AAA advises that drivers set aside $50 each month for unexpected repairs and routine maintenance like oil changes, tire rotation, and windshield wiper and air filter replacement.

3. The average cost for vehicle parts and equipment in American cities has increased 24% in the past decade, and 67% over the past 20 years (source)

The average cost for vehicle parts and equipment in American cities has increased 24% in the past decade, and 67% over the past 20 years

Image Source

In March 2024, the average cost for automobile parts and equipment for urban consumers was $179.77, up from $145.14 the same month 10 years earlier, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This represents a 23.86% increase.

Going back 20 years to March 2004, the average cost for parts and equipment was $107.80. These costs have increased 66.76% since.

While it may not be surprising that costs have increased over the past two decades, costs were relatively stable for roughly two decades before that, fluctuating no more than $10 from 1982 to 2021.

By contrast, the earliest figures from December 1977 show the average cost for vehicle parts and equipment at $70.30, with a 138.74% increase from then until today.

Average Monthly Car Repair Cost

For a new car, owners can expect to pay an average monthly repair cost of $123 per month, or $1,476 per year, for repairs, maintenance, and tires. Routine maintenance like tire rotations and oil changes are recommended every 5,000 miles. Most vehicles reach this milestone every four months, or about three times per year.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that other repairs for new vehicles may be covered by a manufacturer warranty for the first three years or 36,000 miles. For vehicles that are not under warranty, it’s important to keep extra money on hand to cover bills for unexpected repairs.

Average Costs for Common Repair or Replacement Services

Here are the average costs for some of the most common car repair or replacement services, according to the most recent data from Kelley Blue Book.

These findings are rounded to the nearest $10 dollars and based on data collected from repairs across all car models and U.S. states, excluding independent repair shops and repairs made by the vehicle owner.

  • Alignment - $160 to $190
  • Alternator replacement - $750 to $840
  • Brake pad and rotor replacement - $530 to $610
  • Evaporative emissions (EVAP) purge control valve replacement - $320 to $380
  • Fuel injector replacement - $1,100 to $1,230
  • Fuel pump replacement - $1,090 to $1,210
  • Mass air flow sensor replacement - $450 to $520
  • Power steering pump replacement - $840 to $940
  • Spark plug replacement - $360 to $420
  • Starter replacement - $730 to $820
  • Thermostat replacement - $660 to $750
  • Tire pressure monitoring sensor replacement - $310 to $370

Average Car Repair Costs for Popular Vehicles

The following vehicles are the least expensive to own for each category, according to the latest report from Kelley Blue Book. Figures are rounded to the nearest $10. Most vehicles are 2023 models, but the vehicles listed with an asterisk are 2022 models.

Compact Car

  • Chevrolet Bolt EV: $3,140
  • Mini Hardtop 2-Door: $1,430
  • Chevrolet Bolt EUV: $3,140

Compact SUV/Crossover

  • Subaru Forester: $1,780
  • Kia Sportage Hybrid: $730
  • Hyundai Tucson Plug-in Hybrid*: $680

Electric Vehicle

  • Chevrolet Bolt EV: $3,140
  • Mini Hardtop 2 Door: $1,430
  • Chevrolet Bolt EUV: $3,140

Entry-Level Luxury Cars

  • Acura ILX*: $1,110
  • Audi A3: $1,610
  • Genesis G70*: $710

Full-Size Car

  • Dodge Charger: $1,850
  • Toyota Avalon Hybrid*: $1,770
  • Chrysler 300*: $1,850

Full-Size Pickup Truck

  • Ford F-150 Lightning*: $2,150
  • Ford F-150 Regular Cab*: $1,830
  • Toyota Tundra CrewMax: $1,770

Full-Size SUV/Crossover

  • Chevrolet Tahoe: $1,820
  • Nissan Armada: $1,730
  • Ford Expedition: $1,890

High-End Luxury Car

  • Tesla Model S: $1,360
  • Porsche Taycan*: $860
  • Jaguar F-Type*: $1,240

High-Performance Car

  • Dodge Challenger*: $1,820
  • Dodge Charger*: $1,850
  • Chevrolet Corvette: $2,530

Hybrid/Alternative Energy Car

  • Toyota Corolla Hybrid: $1,680
  • Toyota Prius: $1,770
  • Toyota Prius Prime*: $1,770

Luxury Cars

  • Tesla Model 3: $1,300
  • Polestar 2*: $1,220
  • Audi TT: $1,530

Luxury Compact SUV/Crossover

  • Buick Envision*: $1,800
  • Audi Q4 e-tron*: $2,070
  • Tesla Model Y: $1,360

Luxury Full-Size SUV/Crossover

  • Jeep Wagoneer: $2,060
  • Mercedes-Benz GLS*: $1,620
  • Lexus LX: $1,300

Luxury High-Performance Car

  • BMW M3*: $1,950
  • Porsche Taycan*: $860
  • Audi S6: $1,790

Luxury Midsize SUV/Crossover

  • Lincoln Nautilus: $1,170
  • Lexus RX: $1,130
  • Acura MDX: $1,210

Luxury Sports Car

  • Audi S3: $1,820
  • Audi TT: $1,530
  • Mercedes-AMG CLA: $1,510

Luxury Subcompact SUV/Crossover

  • Buick Encore*: $1,920
  • Volvo XC40: $1,700
  • Lexus UX: $1,310

Midsize Car

  • Honda Accord: $1,670
  • Toyota Camry Hybrid: $1,730
  • Subaru Legacy: $1,760

Midsize SUV/Crossover

  • Subaru Outback: $1,770
  • Ford Bronco: $2,060
  • Subaru Ascent: $1,880

Minivan

  • Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon*: $1,830
  • Toyota Sienna: $1,680
  • Honda Odyssey*: $1,840

Sports Car

  • Subaru BRZ: $1,800
  • Ford Mustang: $1,870
  • Chevrolet Camaro: $1,870

Sporty Compact Car

  • Mini Hardtop 2 Door: $1,430
  • Honda Civic*: $1,670
  • Subaru WRX: $2,130

Subcompact Car

  • Mitsubishi Mirage*: $660
  • Kia Rio: $650
  • Hyundai Accent*: $650

Subcompact SUV/Crossover

  • Hyundai Venue: $680
  • Subaru Crosstrek: $1,810
  • Nissan Kicks: $1,790

Van

  • Ford Transit Connect Cargo Van*: $1,830
  • Ford Transit 150 Passenger Van*: $1,830

How CarCover.com Can Help Protect Your Vehicle

Replacing timing belts, spark plugs, and alternators are costly but perhaps unavoidable repairs, and some car maintenance costs are simply part of owning a vehicle. But protecting your vehicle with a car cover will help you avoid the need for expensive repairs to your vehicle's exterior.

At CarCover.com, we offer a wide range of car covers for vehicles of virtually any make or model.

Whether you park your vehicle outside where it's vulnerable to weathering, hail, tree sap, bird droppings, and UV paint damage, or park indoors where it can fall victim to dust, scratches, and scrapes, we've got you covered.

Our covers are guaranteed to fit cars, trucks, motorcycles, and scooters. If you have a specialty vehicle like an RV, ATV, limousine, hearse, or golf cart, you can rely on our perfect fit guarantee.

Whether you drive a new vehicle or an older car, practically anything you could drive or ride, we can help you protect it.

We offer free shipping on all orders to the U.S. and Canada, a lifetime warranty, guarantees for best price, perfect fit, fast shipping, and 30 days money back. It's easy to order online. Just enter your vehicle year, make, model, and trim to find your cover. You can also contact us by phone at 1-800-916-6041.