Using information provided by CarEdge, we can now identify which cars need the most repairs over ten years. You are unlikely to hear a salesman discuss these variables with you, so it’s best to enter the dealership with as much knowledge as possible.
CarEdge uses irrefutable variables when calculating maintenance costs, considering financing and insurance alongside the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance schedule. You will find a repair probability rating for each vehicle in percentage format across 1-12 years of ownership, and the statistics are truly fascinating. For example, the Tesla Model 3 is the cheapest luxury car to maintain, with an average cost of $3,587 over ten years. However, this figure climbs dramatically for those who choose the German competition, such as the BMW 3 series, which costs owners an average of $13,219 over ten years while costing about $5,000 more initially! Here are the top 10 most expensive cars to repair and maintain over a decade.
10 Ram 3500 – $25,844
After formally separating from Dodge in 2009, Ram has become one of the most expensive brands of vehicle to maintain across the first ten years of ownership; the average cost of maintaining your Ram product is $16,802. Compare this to the $11,079 required to maintain a Dodge product.
The Ram 3500 is the company’s most capable offering. However, with a base price of $45,000 – $100,000 (specification dependent), some may be surprised to hear that the 3500 is the most expensive car to repair on this list! Owners may incur an average cost of $25,844 over the first ten years, provided they pull the trigger on this wily old beast.
9 Ford F-250 $14,929
American manufacturers appear in many of the top 10 most expensive cars, not necessarily linked to MSRP. Out of the top 19 popular brands, American manufacturers make up the top 5 most expensive cars to maintain. Ford sits between Dodge and Chevrolet with a potential $9,860 maintenance charge within the first ten years of purchase.
Ford’s F-Series continued its 46-year record as Americas best selling truck recently; the blue oval shifted 640,000+ units in 2022. However, the F-250, which sits in the middle of the range, with a pocket-punching base price of $37,000, the F-250 has a shocking statistic attached to it. CarEdge estimates the plucky truck has a 44.27% chance of requiring significant repairs within the first ten years, with costs reaching $14,929!
8 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD – $14,644
Chevrolet provides America’s runner-up in truck sales, the Silverado range, achieving 523,249 sales across 2022. However, Chevrolet represents 14th place in the most expensive brands to maintain, seven positions behind fellow General Motors brand GMC.
Your average Chevrolet will cost punters $9,625 over ten years, and just like Ford, the mid-range Silverado considerably lags behind its smaller, more famous brother. For example, the 2500HD is an expensive car to maintain, with an average charge of $14,644 within the first ten years, the 2500 also has a staggering 43.34% chance of ‘major repairs’ within the same period. On the other hand, the smaller 1500 model represents a more lucrative deal, starting at $5,000 cheaper than its bigger brother; the 1500 is far more reliable with a $10,003 average maintenance cost, partnering with its 30% chance of failure within the first ten years.
7 GMC Sierra 2500HD – $13,029
GMC’s Sierra represents a shockingly similar experience to the previously mentioned Silverado. GMC has an MSRP for the Sierra of $42,295, while fellow GM manufacturer Chevrolet has set the Silverado brother with an MSRP of $40,500. However, where do both models sit in our maintenance chart?
The answer is right next to one another. Although you may save $1,500 in maintenance over ten years, the Sierra 2500HD sits in 150th place of 164 cars (Silverado sits in 152nd), making it one of the most expensive cars capable of bankrupting its owners through bills and repairs.
6 Jeep Gladiator – $11,803
Jeep brought back the Gladiator nameplate after thirty years in 2018, providing the company’s first pickup truck since the Comanche in 1992. However, the Ohio-based Jeep makes anything but cheap everyday cars, proven by the Gladiators’ MSRP of $38,305.
The Gladiator has a 35.84% chance of significant failure within its first ten years of operation, placing it firmly with other North-American vehicles of its type. Typical costs for owners can be up to $3,000 in the first five years, stretching up to $11,803 after a decade of operation.
5 Jeep Grand Cherokee – $10,484
Another Willy’s’ descendant from Ohio. Jeep’s Grand Cherokee markets at an eye-watering $69,130 as it attempts to stand up to the Range Rovers of this world. Like Land Rovers, the Cherokee is a pig in the maintenance department.
While things look better than their pickup counterpart, the Grand Cherokee still suffers with a 31.13% chance of requiring major maintenance within the first ten years of its lifespan, and those major repairs can average $10,484! That is $2,000 over the average of a GMC Yukon in the same timeframe. Moreover, the Yukon markets with an MSRP of $57,400, making it a cheaper, more reliable alternative to the Grand Cherokee.
4 Jeep Wrangler – $10,397
With a heritage spanning back to WWII is the Wrangler, a nameplate used by the company for over 35 years for a compact, mid-size SUV. But, as this list suggests, Jeep is a long way from its rugged past, with prices for the basic Wrangler starting at $30,295!
Unlike its ancestors, you will only be trailing this posh boy across war-torn terrain if you have a support truck in tow! The Wrangler has a familiar 31.13% chance of suffering catastrophic failure in its first ten years and this is nearly 10% more than vehicles in the same segment.
3 Dodge Durango – $10,360
Based on the same platform as the Grand Cherokee, the Fiat Chrysler Motor Group has set a more honest MSRP of $37,000 for the Durango. A vehicle that represents the only SUV within the Dodge lineup since the discontinuation of the Journey.
Although the Dodge starts considerably cheaper than its Jeep counterpart, it sports a similar maintenance figure within its first decade, reaching up to $10,360 in the event of severe failure. CarEdge estimates the average Durango has a 30.99% chance of requiring strenuous repairs in the first ten years of operation.
2 Ford F-150 – $10,245
The F-150 has an MSRP of $34,000, a price making it a prime candidate for an expensive money pit, costing potential owners thousands in the event of failure.
America’s best-selling truck for 46 consecutive years sits much higher than its larger counterparts in terms of reliability, placing in 138th place of popular vehicle models, the F-150 can cost owners an average of $10,245 over ten years. The F-150 is the best of the F-series, but it remains one of the most expensive cars to maintain in the event of failure.
1 Jeep Renegade – $10,083
The best of the Jeeps! But still unable to drop below $10k in maintenance fees within the first ten years. Jeeps Renegade has a far more friendly MSRP of the bunch, floating around the early $20k mark.
With a relatively friendly MSRP for a Jeep, you can expect a typically atrocious maintenance rating, with the Renegade costing owners north of $10k within ten years. The Jeep Renegade has a 31.13% chance of catastrophic failure within the first decade of operation. What may be of interest to potential customers is that Jeep sits 18th of the most expensive brands to maintain, with an average cost of $11,476 over a decade.
Sources: CarEdge
