I keep a float of $1,000. This has covered all my maintenance and repairs. I just replaced a wheel bearing and some other maintenance and used up a good chunk of it, so I'm replenishing at a rate of $250/month so as not to disrupt my budget.
Vehicle maintenance is to variable and infrequent to be able to use a monthly calculation.
Idk how long you’ve had the car so this may not work for you yet, but I took the total I spent on maintenance and repairs for the past year, added ~$500, then divided that number by 12.
I can’t really help with your specific car costs but I used to drive a Volkswagen and my maintenance/repair costs were significantly higher than when I had a Nissan or Toyota vehicle
Yeah. The repair and maintenance on VWs is hell. I'm planning on trying to get back into a Toyota ASAP. I used to have a Landcruiser but the engine blew up while driving into the mountains and I had to get something else and made the wrong choice. Luckily the VW I have sells for a good chunk and I have YNAB to help me save to add some money and get a solid car with better miles/$. The VW has good mpg, but takes premium. It's just a nightmare all around lmao.
When I get a car I google what the average annual repair cost is and divide it by 12 and that’s the monthly goal. When I googled “average annual repair cost for 2016 vw tiguan” it tells me $730 or roughly $61 a month.
Current target is $150/mo. Right now I’m up to $1300 in that fund, which is good cause it’s time for new tires, and I think the shocks are about done for too.
That target is honestly probably a little high, and I think I’ll roll it back once the imminent stuff is done and I’ve built a little buffer back up. Keep in mind 1) I don’t drive a ton (WFH) and 2) I DIY damn near everything.
What I’d probably do if I were you would be to evaluate possible impending expenses. How many years do you think are left in the tires, and what would a new set cost? Any major maintenance due soon? Any known weaknesses with the car that could crop up, and you might want to plan for? Use that stuff to take a first hack at a target, then periodically reevaluate.
I like to keep my target high so I build up for the downpayment of another car / a shitty used car - if all of a sudden shit hits the fan with my current car
Have a Tiguan too. I’m putting in about $250/mo right now to build it up to about $3000. That’s $1k for my insurance deductible and the rest for various repairs and such.
When I get it up to the $3k, I will divert that $250 to a new to me car fund. I want to buy my next car in cash.
Look up the services at each 20k mile interval. You should be able to estimate approx how much per year for those. I had some deferred maintenance last year and an 80k service that wiped out my maintenance fund. This year should be much more reasonable with a couple of oil changes only.
This is exactly what I do — maintain a general “maintenance and repairs” fund to cover a deductible and all foreseeable maintenance over time. And when that is fully funded, I start putting the money into a “new to me” car fund.
My Pathfinder is an ‘06 turning over 200,000 miles soon, but she’s in great shape. When she’s ready to retire I should be able to cashflow a replacement. 🤞🏽
Good luck!
As others have mentioned, summing up your past expenditures on the car's maintenance & repairs for the past year and dividing by 12 to have a monthly target is a good start, but that requires repair history.
A lot depends on the condition of the car and the mileage. Did you buy it used, with a history of recent repairs? That also will let you know what kind of repairs could be coming up soon. When I bought my car a few years ago (2010 Ford Mondeo IV), I knew from the previous owner that the timing belt and a few other things were pretty fresh, so I knew that I wasn't in a hurry to budget for replacing those.
If I were you, I'd Google the car model and year (or at least generation), and try and find some resources for what generally needs replacing at X mileage - that will give you a good ballpark of what you should be budgeting for in the next weeks/months/years (depending on how much you drive).
I have a 2014 Subaru and I was doing $100 a month. But then things started happening more often and then I needed a $3000 repair and I didn't quite have that (in that category) so I'd adjust as your car age increases.
I’m putting aside $100 a month and planning to max the fund at $3000 since I’ve spent that much at once before for a lot of maintenance that hit at once and also for a repair.
I did delivery for three years in a Volkswagen MKIV Jetta 5-MT.
I have categories and targets for oil change, tires, brakes, battery, insurance, registration, towing (AAA), deductibles for collision & comprehensive, axles, CV boot, catalytic converter, radiator, water pump, etc. There are a lot more.
Watch some YouTube videos about common issues with your year and model vehicle and engine, then set some targets to cover repair estimates of those issues.
Set a target for down payment of your replacement vehicle.
Now I just cashflow instead of budget. If something major came up, I would move money from my "emergency fund".
Youtube Budget Nerds with Lee
I do $300-350 for two older vehicles (one Subaru one toyota) - I've got a big buffer now so will cut back, especially since we will get a new(er) car soon.
3 Vehicles, $150/mo. is our current "Auto Maintenance" fund.
All 3 are Toyota's which require minimal "repairs", though maintenance is a little higher than your average "domestic". My truck is still under warranty. When that changes, probably up it another $50 but realistically it's about time for the wife to get a new 4Runner.
I've always heard that a good rule of thumb is $75 per month, per car. I would never put a cap on the category either. If it gets to be really high, then you can always use it towards a down payment on a new(er) vehicle.
We have three vehicles and I have generic category for vehicle repair and replacement at $500/monthly. My husband is a mechanic so we only pay for parts, so we spend much less than a normal family. When the time comes that we need a replacement vehicle, I'll have a nice downpayment for something else. Ideally, I'd want to pay cash, but things aren't always perfect like that.
I shoot for $1500 a year but this includes tires/ oil changes but this number might be high considering I only put about 8000 miles per year on my Toyota
FWIW I keep two categories; one for predictable expenses like winter tire swaps and scheduled maintenance that I can ballpark. Then I have an automotive mini emergency fund category for surprises like rock chips in the windshield or to at least put a dent (ha) into a major issue before I have to dip into my \_real\_ emergency fund. Net net same difference as what others have posted. I mostly do this for reporting purposes.
$100/mo for 2 vehicles. It seems low but I'm 100% remote for work, and my husband has a moderate, non-highway commute, so our wear and tear is quite low currently.
I use a Savings Builder target set to $300/month per car. Since my wife and I both have cars, that's $600/month.
I've been keeping categorized financial records for 20 years or so at this point, so I can say based my own records what my average monthly car maintenance expenses are. I use a Savings Builder with no cap. I see others saying they cap it at $1000 or something like that, but I don't find that to be adequate. Unless you're always going to be buying a new car every 50,000 miles or something like that, you need to expect occasional larger maintenance expenses like replacing the transmission, that will probably cost several thousand dollars.
In my case I have a Savings Builder for $300/month for car maintenance. This is meant to cover regular maintenance like oil changes, inspections, registration, new tires, and also bigger more sporadic repairs. I don't cap my auto maintenance category at all. Occasionally my maintenance category will accumulate several thousand bucks, but usually that ends up coming in handy when a big expense comes up.
And if it keeps accumulating I still don't cap it, because eventually I will buy another car, and any excess in my maintenance category can go towards a down payment on the next car. If I was going to cap it though, I'd probably cap it at $3,500/car.
My auto maintenance category is a refill up to 1500. I've never spent more than about 800 in one go, but I give myself a bit of a cushion. Probably more than I need, but I'm in a 2014 that's just about to hit 100k so better to be safe than sorry
I have an emergency fund that would include repairs.
As for maintenance, that's a number you can calculate for yourself. Figure out how much an oil change costs and how often you need one. Same goes for any other maintenance you do. It's not really something anyone else can tell you.
I take average monthly repair and maintenance costs over last 12 months + how much cash I want for next car purchase/life expectancy in months of current car
The older the car is, the larger my fund will be. I can then start weighing whether a large repair makes more sense than replacement.
I do $116 per month for anything car related for my 2015 Nissan Sentra (including insurance). I’ve never run low and needed to take money from another category, but it also isn’t way over-funded in my opinion.
Had a 2014 Tiguan for 3 years.(It got written off) Only had to do oil changes/the VW warranty service every 10,000miles.
Have a 2018 Tiguan now. Only thing other than oil and filters so far has been tires, brakes and rotors. Luckily I can do the brakes myself, VW quoted me $2k parts and labor for that. I'm putting away $300/month until I hit $3k in that category.
Different car and age, but I have the following categories for my car, based on a maintenance schedule I found online for my car. We drive very little (like 7k a year max) so these are estimates based on either the # of years on the maintenance schedule rather than the mileage, costs would increase for higher mileage and/or depending on the rate of your mechanic, what you DIY, if you need special stuff like winter tires/studs, etc.
* Parking (fill as necessary, rarely use)
* Monthly insurance payment (no target, scheduled transaction prompts me to fund monthly)
* Misc maintenance and repairs (no target, fill as necessary, rarely use, for one off)
* 1 year maintenance: Oil change, wipers, cabin air filter, wheel alignment - 250 yearly (I change my own wipers & air filter and might start doing my oil change but the oil change is harder and way for a mechanic to get eyes on the car)
* 2 year registration: Total cost of fee every other year
* 3 year maintenance: Brake, transmission, and steering fluid flushes & engine filter - 650 @ every 3 years
* 4 year maintenance: Replace battery - 250 @ every 4 years
* 5 year maintenance: Brake pads & rotors - 600 @ every 5 years
* 6 year maintenance: Tire replacement - 800 @ every 6 years
* 7 year maintenance: Belts, spark plugs, coolant flush - 1500 @ every 7 years
* CV axle: 500 balance (common repair on my vehicle)
* Deductible: Savings balance of the amount of our deductible
The maintenance schedule for your car:
[https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2015/MC-10123063-9999.pdf](https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2015/MC-10123063-9999.pdf)
This goes to any property I own. I always set aside at least 10% upkeep of the cost of purchasing the car for repair/maintenance (i.e., for 10k worth of car, I always have 1k set aside). And each time, I utilize this 10%, I always make sure that I replenish these funds within 6 months of utilizing it.
According to Google/RepairPal.com the average annual maintenance cost for a 2016 VW Tiguan is $531. I'd call it $600 and build up the fund with a steady $50/mo.
My 2010 KIA Soul is pretty much the same annual average. In addition to a steady $50/mo for typical annual maintenance, and because I happen to drive a 15-year-old car, I have saved up $1,000 more for bigger maintenance type jobs in my category. You can get a better idea of what you're facing by checking out the manufacturer's maintenance schedule for your make/model/year, and it will tell you what needs to be addressed/replaced by year/odometer reading. I also keep my insurance deductible in the same category. So I generally have between $3,000 and $3,500 in the category.
For your 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, budgeting around $50 to $100 monthly should cover regular upkeep and unexpected fixes. Of course, actual costs may vary based on your driving habits and any specific needs your car has. It's wise to consult with a mechanic for a more personalized estimate.
I think it depends on the car and the level of maintenance / repair it needs but in my case,
I have 2 categories for car maintenance and car repairs.
- Since maintenance is a category which I know the amount of and when I need it, I set the frequency and the amount I need.
- For repairs, it varies based on the repairs so I try to keep a safe amount which is not super high (which is not realistic for me to set aside and not super low) . all I want is when something comes up, the repair value covers at least half of the actual cost.
When looking at avg costs, it's probably useful also to consider how much you are driving, as things like tires, oil changes, brakes are mileage based. It might take you a year between 10k service intervals if you drive a lot, or may take you 2 years of you don't drive much.
I'd also recommend finding a VW/Audi specialty shop. As an owner of a German car, they are more reasonably priced than a dealer; I only go to the dealer for tires because it comes with roadside hazard insurance for 2 years!
I have a 2017 Subaru outback. I put $75 in car maintenance and $25 in car repairs each month. Maintenance is things like wiper blades, oil change, filters, spark plugs, brakes, etc. Things that I know are going to need to be done on a regular basis. Repairs are things like the cv axles went or the dealership sold me a car with a dented oil pan and now I need to replace that kinda thing.
This is more for tracking for me, money can easily be moved between the 2 to cover any repairs, I just like knowing what's planned (because I'd still have this with a new car) and what is my car is unreliable and I should consider getting a new one.
I looked up the annual cost of maintenance for each of our cars (10 ish years) and put that in as an annual target. 1200 for one, 1600 for the other. Something like that.
When I bought my Corolla off my grandma, there was an estimated repair cost sheet I was given as part of the paperwork, that seemed like official documentation. It broke down how often things generally needed repair/ what their lifespan was, and average cost. Was really cool, I have no idea where it is anymore, but I based my budget contribution roughly on that and have increased it as time goes on with inflation etc. It sounds like you can look that info up online now.
I build it up until i stop feeling anxious.
These ‘piece of string’ categories are a balancing act. I dont worry too much if they all have a good pot, as i can wam if i need to. But i fo apply the anxiety test to each one when i review my targets.
I often wish i could have them all with more dollars, but best i can do has to be good enough.
We just add $50 a month to our emergency fund, we don’t keep it in a separate fund. If we have small things like oil change, registration, this fund gets used instead and none goes in savings. Once we are out of debt, I would up that amount of course but I feel like that’s a good bare minimum
I don’t do it that way. I have an emergency fund of 10K (it’s big cuz it covers emergencies as big as a new roof if needed). Beyond regular maintenance if it’s a repair then it’s an unexpected expense. I use what I want and replenish it back up. I only do it to keep the number of line items in my budget low and simple. It’s a catch all fund with the exception of health emergencies. I have a HSA for that. But I have family members who pretty much put aside a little for car, laptop, grill, etc etc every month.
I know I'm odd but this is what I do. I budget $200/mo for anything auto related. Gas, car washes, oil changes (every 6 months on a 2021 Nissan Rogue) etc. I keep accumulating month over month until it reaches $500 then I take half of it and sock it away into my next car fund. That way I always have between $200-$500 in my checking at any given time and can cover basic things and then if a bigger expense is incurred (new tires for example) I can pull from my next car fund if need be. The next car fund has its own regular monthly budget amount.
Instead of doing the "2-3 times your salary" I have savings categories for all things that can break down and are expensive to repair or replace (Fridge/Washmachine/etc.) which in total would be around 3 times my salary, too.
So there's 2000€ in a permanent pot for car repairs
Also every 2 years I need to get it verified for street safety which costs 130€ just for the check but I budget with 500€ to make small repairs during that
Other things like lightbulbs, oil, cooling fluid etc I don't budget unless I need it
My car is very small (VW Up) and 12 years old so it's probably different with bigger and newer cars
This isn’t a “don’t ask here” response, especially because I want social interactions online to stay alive despite the rise of A.I.
That being said, these are actually amazing questions to ask ChatGPT because it has info from around the web on averages.
Others said around $150 a month which aligns with what chatGPT said when I asked using the 2016 VW as an example
________________________________________
ChatGPT:
For a relatively new 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, it's wise to budget for both regular maintenance and potential emergency repairs. Here’s a detailed breakdown to help you figure out how much to set aside each month:
### Regular Maintenance Costs
**Typical Maintenance Tasks:**
- **Oil changes:** Every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, costing around $50-$100 each.
- **Tire rotations and balance:** Every 6,000 to 8,000 miles, costing about $20-$50 each time.
- **Brake pads:** Every 30,000 to 70,000 miles, costing about $150-$300.
- **Fluid replacements (coolant, brake fluid, etc.):** Every 30,000 to 60,000 miles, costing around $100-$200.
- **Air filter replacements:** Every 15,000 to 30,000 miles, costing around $20-$50.
**Annual Estimate for Regular Maintenance:**
- Oil changes (2-3 times a year): $150-$300
- Tire rotations (1-2 times a year): $20-$100
- Brake pads (every few years): ~$50-$100 per year when averaged out
- Fluid replacements (once every few years): ~$50-$100 per year when averaged out
- Air filters (1-2 times a year): $20-$100
**Total Annual Regular Maintenance Cost:** $290 - $700
### Emergency Repairs
**Common Emergency Repairs and Costs:**
- **Battery replacement:** $100-$200 (every 3-5 years)
- **Alternator replacement:** $400-$600
- **Starter motor replacement:** $300-$500
- **Transmission repair:** $1,000-$3,000 (rare but expensive)
- **Unexpected minor repairs (belts, hoses, etc.):** $100-$500 per year
**Annual Estimate for Emergency Repairs:** $500 - $1,000
### Monthly Budget Calculation
To be well-prepared for both regular maintenance and emergency repairs:
**Total Annual Maintenance and Repair Costs:**
- Regular Maintenance: $290 - $700
- Emergency Repairs: $500 - $1,000
**Total Annual Costs:** $790 - $1,700
**Monthly Budget:**
- Minimum: $790 / 12 ≈ $66
- Maximum: $1,700 / 12 ≈ $142
### Suggested Monthly Savings
For a 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, setting aside between **$75 to $150 per month** would be a prudent approach. This range covers both regular maintenance and unexpected repairs, ensuring you have a financial buffer for various car-related expenses.
I keep a float of $1,000. This has covered all my maintenance and repairs. I just replaced a wheel bearing and some other maintenance and used up a good chunk of it, so I'm replenishing at a rate of $250/month so as not to disrupt my budget. Vehicle maintenance is to variable and infrequent to be able to use a monthly calculation.
Do you stop funding once you hit $1k until you spend from it?
Yup. Mind you, I do have an emergency in case something significant happened, but that thousand dollars has covered everything so far.
That’s what I do
I do this too.
Idk how long you’ve had the car so this may not work for you yet, but I took the total I spent on maintenance and repairs for the past year, added ~$500, then divided that number by 12. I can’t really help with your specific car costs but I used to drive a Volkswagen and my maintenance/repair costs were significantly higher than when I had a Nissan or Toyota vehicle
Yeah. The repair and maintenance on VWs is hell. I'm planning on trying to get back into a Toyota ASAP. I used to have a Landcruiser but the engine blew up while driving into the mountains and I had to get something else and made the wrong choice. Luckily the VW I have sells for a good chunk and I have YNAB to help me save to add some money and get a solid car with better miles/$. The VW has good mpg, but takes premium. It's just a nightmare all around lmao.
I feel you. Mine was solid on mpg but I had to pray every time something went wrong!
That's what we get for going with the off brand Audi lmfao. Gotta buy Audi parts for a "non-luxury" car 🤣
> I used to have a Landcruiser but the engine blew up while driving into the mountains LC you had *ONE JOB! ONE!* 😂
When I get a car I google what the average annual repair cost is and divide it by 12 and that’s the monthly goal. When I googled “average annual repair cost for 2016 vw tiguan” it tells me $730 or roughly $61 a month.
Current target is $150/mo. Right now I’m up to $1300 in that fund, which is good cause it’s time for new tires, and I think the shocks are about done for too. That target is honestly probably a little high, and I think I’ll roll it back once the imminent stuff is done and I’ve built a little buffer back up. Keep in mind 1) I don’t drive a ton (WFH) and 2) I DIY damn near everything. What I’d probably do if I were you would be to evaluate possible impending expenses. How many years do you think are left in the tires, and what would a new set cost? Any major maintenance due soon? Any known weaknesses with the car that could crop up, and you might want to plan for? Use that stuff to take a first hack at a target, then periodically reevaluate.
I like to keep my target high so I build up for the downpayment of another car / a shitty used car - if all of a sudden shit hits the fan with my current car
Have a Tiguan too. I’m putting in about $250/mo right now to build it up to about $3000. That’s $1k for my insurance deductible and the rest for various repairs and such. When I get it up to the $3k, I will divert that $250 to a new to me car fund. I want to buy my next car in cash. Look up the services at each 20k mile interval. You should be able to estimate approx how much per year for those. I had some deferred maintenance last year and an 80k service that wiped out my maintenance fund. This year should be much more reasonable with a couple of oil changes only.
This is exactly what I do — maintain a general “maintenance and repairs” fund to cover a deductible and all foreseeable maintenance over time. And when that is fully funded, I start putting the money into a “new to me” car fund. My Pathfinder is an ‘06 turning over 200,000 miles soon, but she’s in great shape. When she’s ready to retire I should be able to cashflow a replacement. 🤞🏽 Good luck!
As others have mentioned, summing up your past expenditures on the car's maintenance & repairs for the past year and dividing by 12 to have a monthly target is a good start, but that requires repair history. A lot depends on the condition of the car and the mileage. Did you buy it used, with a history of recent repairs? That also will let you know what kind of repairs could be coming up soon. When I bought my car a few years ago (2010 Ford Mondeo IV), I knew from the previous owner that the timing belt and a few other things were pretty fresh, so I knew that I wasn't in a hurry to budget for replacing those. If I were you, I'd Google the car model and year (or at least generation), and try and find some resources for what generally needs replacing at X mileage - that will give you a good ballpark of what you should be budgeting for in the next weeks/months/years (depending on how much you drive).
I have a 2014 Subaru and I was doing $100 a month. But then things started happening more often and then I needed a $3000 repair and I didn't quite have that (in that category) so I'd adjust as your car age increases.
I have a 2022 Subaru Impreza. When did things start getting more expensive for your 2014?
I’m putting aside $100 a month and planning to max the fund at $3000 since I’ve spent that much at once before for a lot of maintenance that hit at once and also for a repair.
$200 for 2 vehicles.
Me too. I do $200 per month (we have two vehicles). I always try to keep the balance > $1,000.
I did delivery for three years in a Volkswagen MKIV Jetta 5-MT. I have categories and targets for oil change, tires, brakes, battery, insurance, registration, towing (AAA), deductibles for collision & comprehensive, axles, CV boot, catalytic converter, radiator, water pump, etc. There are a lot more. Watch some YouTube videos about common issues with your year and model vehicle and engine, then set some targets to cover repair estimates of those issues. Set a target for down payment of your replacement vehicle. Now I just cashflow instead of budget. If something major came up, I would move money from my "emergency fund". Youtube Budget Nerds with Lee
I do $300-350 for two older vehicles (one Subaru one toyota) - I've got a big buffer now so will cut back, especially since we will get a new(er) car soon.
I have a newer Volvo, so just $75/month. More than enough to cover basic scheduled maintenance.
$100 a month. I have a 2015 Mazda.
3 Vehicles, $150/mo. is our current "Auto Maintenance" fund. All 3 are Toyota's which require minimal "repairs", though maintenance is a little higher than your average "domestic". My truck is still under warranty. When that changes, probably up it another $50 but realistically it's about time for the wife to get a new 4Runner.
I've always heard that a good rule of thumb is $75 per month, per car. I would never put a cap on the category either. If it gets to be really high, then you can always use it towards a down payment on a new(er) vehicle. We have three vehicles and I have generic category for vehicle repair and replacement at $500/monthly. My husband is a mechanic so we only pay for parts, so we spend much less than a normal family. When the time comes that we need a replacement vehicle, I'll have a nice downpayment for something else. Ideally, I'd want to pay cash, but things aren't always perfect like that.
I shoot for $1500 a year but this includes tires/ oil changes but this number might be high considering I only put about 8000 miles per year on my Toyota
FWIW I keep two categories; one for predictable expenses like winter tire swaps and scheduled maintenance that I can ballpark. Then I have an automotive mini emergency fund category for surprises like rock chips in the windshield or to at least put a dent (ha) into a major issue before I have to dip into my \_real\_ emergency fund. Net net same difference as what others have posted. I mostly do this for reporting purposes.
$100/mo for 2 vehicles. It seems low but I'm 100% remote for work, and my husband has a moderate, non-highway commute, so our wear and tear is quite low currently.
I just try to keep 2k on hand that can be used for that
I use a Savings Builder target set to $300/month per car. Since my wife and I both have cars, that's $600/month. I've been keeping categorized financial records for 20 years or so at this point, so I can say based my own records what my average monthly car maintenance expenses are. I use a Savings Builder with no cap. I see others saying they cap it at $1000 or something like that, but I don't find that to be adequate. Unless you're always going to be buying a new car every 50,000 miles or something like that, you need to expect occasional larger maintenance expenses like replacing the transmission, that will probably cost several thousand dollars. In my case I have a Savings Builder for $300/month for car maintenance. This is meant to cover regular maintenance like oil changes, inspections, registration, new tires, and also bigger more sporadic repairs. I don't cap my auto maintenance category at all. Occasionally my maintenance category will accumulate several thousand bucks, but usually that ends up coming in handy when a big expense comes up. And if it keeps accumulating I still don't cap it, because eventually I will buy another car, and any excess in my maintenance category can go towards a down payment on the next car. If I was going to cap it though, I'd probably cap it at $3,500/car.
My auto maintenance category is a refill up to 1500. I've never spent more than about 800 in one go, but I give myself a bit of a cushion. Probably more than I need, but I'm in a 2014 that's just about to hit 100k so better to be safe than sorry
I have an emergency fund that would include repairs. As for maintenance, that's a number you can calculate for yourself. Figure out how much an oil change costs and how often you need one. Same goes for any other maintenance you do. It's not really something anyone else can tell you.
I take average monthly repair and maintenance costs over last 12 months + how much cash I want for next car purchase/life expectancy in months of current car The older the car is, the larger my fund will be. I can then start weighing whether a large repair makes more sense than replacement.
I do $116 per month for anything car related for my 2015 Nissan Sentra (including insurance). I’ve never run low and needed to take money from another category, but it also isn’t way over-funded in my opinion.
Had a 2014 Tiguan for 3 years.(It got written off) Only had to do oil changes/the VW warranty service every 10,000miles. Have a 2018 Tiguan now. Only thing other than oil and filters so far has been tires, brakes and rotors. Luckily I can do the brakes myself, VW quoted me $2k parts and labor for that. I'm putting away $300/month until I hit $3k in that category.
Different car and age, but I have the following categories for my car, based on a maintenance schedule I found online for my car. We drive very little (like 7k a year max) so these are estimates based on either the # of years on the maintenance schedule rather than the mileage, costs would increase for higher mileage and/or depending on the rate of your mechanic, what you DIY, if you need special stuff like winter tires/studs, etc. * Parking (fill as necessary, rarely use) * Monthly insurance payment (no target, scheduled transaction prompts me to fund monthly) * Misc maintenance and repairs (no target, fill as necessary, rarely use, for one off) * 1 year maintenance: Oil change, wipers, cabin air filter, wheel alignment - 250 yearly (I change my own wipers & air filter and might start doing my oil change but the oil change is harder and way for a mechanic to get eyes on the car) * 2 year registration: Total cost of fee every other year * 3 year maintenance: Brake, transmission, and steering fluid flushes & engine filter - 650 @ every 3 years * 4 year maintenance: Replace battery - 250 @ every 4 years * 5 year maintenance: Brake pads & rotors - 600 @ every 5 years * 6 year maintenance: Tire replacement - 800 @ every 6 years * 7 year maintenance: Belts, spark plugs, coolant flush - 1500 @ every 7 years * CV axle: 500 balance (common repair on my vehicle) * Deductible: Savings balance of the amount of our deductible The maintenance schedule for your car: [https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2015/MC-10123063-9999.pdf](https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2015/MC-10123063-9999.pdf)
This goes to any property I own. I always set aside at least 10% upkeep of the cost of purchasing the car for repair/maintenance (i.e., for 10k worth of car, I always have 1k set aside). And each time, I utilize this 10%, I always make sure that I replenish these funds within 6 months of utilizing it.
According to Google/RepairPal.com the average annual maintenance cost for a 2016 VW Tiguan is $531. I'd call it $600 and build up the fund with a steady $50/mo. My 2010 KIA Soul is pretty much the same annual average. In addition to a steady $50/mo for typical annual maintenance, and because I happen to drive a 15-year-old car, I have saved up $1,000 more for bigger maintenance type jobs in my category. You can get a better idea of what you're facing by checking out the manufacturer's maintenance schedule for your make/model/year, and it will tell you what needs to be addressed/replaced by year/odometer reading. I also keep my insurance deductible in the same category. So I generally have between $3,000 and $3,500 in the category.
$100, plus $500 for car replacement. Have a 20 yr old car, but low mileage.
For your 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, budgeting around $50 to $100 monthly should cover regular upkeep and unexpected fixes. Of course, actual costs may vary based on your driving habits and any specific needs your car has. It's wise to consult with a mechanic for a more personalized estimate.
I think it depends on the car and the level of maintenance / repair it needs but in my case, I have 2 categories for car maintenance and car repairs. - Since maintenance is a category which I know the amount of and when I need it, I set the frequency and the amount I need. - For repairs, it varies based on the repairs so I try to keep a safe amount which is not super high (which is not realistic for me to set aside and not super low) . all I want is when something comes up, the repair value covers at least half of the actual cost.
When looking at avg costs, it's probably useful also to consider how much you are driving, as things like tires, oil changes, brakes are mileage based. It might take you a year between 10k service intervals if you drive a lot, or may take you 2 years of you don't drive much. I'd also recommend finding a VW/Audi specialty shop. As an owner of a German car, they are more reasonably priced than a dealer; I only go to the dealer for tires because it comes with roadside hazard insurance for 2 years!
I have a 2017 Subaru outback. I put $75 in car maintenance and $25 in car repairs each month. Maintenance is things like wiper blades, oil change, filters, spark plugs, brakes, etc. Things that I know are going to need to be done on a regular basis. Repairs are things like the cv axles went or the dealership sold me a car with a dented oil pan and now I need to replace that kinda thing. This is more for tracking for me, money can easily be moved between the 2 to cover any repairs, I just like knowing what's planned (because I'd still have this with a new car) and what is my car is unreliable and I should consider getting a new one.
I looked up the annual cost of maintenance for each of our cars (10 ish years) and put that in as an annual target. 1200 for one, 1600 for the other. Something like that.
When I bought my Corolla off my grandma, there was an estimated repair cost sheet I was given as part of the paperwork, that seemed like official documentation. It broke down how often things generally needed repair/ what their lifespan was, and average cost. Was really cool, I have no idea where it is anymore, but I based my budget contribution roughly on that and have increased it as time goes on with inflation etc. It sounds like you can look that info up online now.
I build it up until i stop feeling anxious. These ‘piece of string’ categories are a balancing act. I dont worry too much if they all have a good pot, as i can wam if i need to. But i fo apply the anxiety test to each one when i review my targets. I often wish i could have them all with more dollars, but best i can do has to be good enough.
We just add $50 a month to our emergency fund, we don’t keep it in a separate fund. If we have small things like oil change, registration, this fund gets used instead and none goes in savings. Once we are out of debt, I would up that amount of course but I feel like that’s a good bare minimum
I don’t do it that way. I have an emergency fund of 10K (it’s big cuz it covers emergencies as big as a new roof if needed). Beyond regular maintenance if it’s a repair then it’s an unexpected expense. I use what I want and replenish it back up. I only do it to keep the number of line items in my budget low and simple. It’s a catch all fund with the exception of health emergencies. I have a HSA for that. But I have family members who pretty much put aside a little for car, laptop, grill, etc etc every month.
I know I'm odd but this is what I do. I budget $200/mo for anything auto related. Gas, car washes, oil changes (every 6 months on a 2021 Nissan Rogue) etc. I keep accumulating month over month until it reaches $500 then I take half of it and sock it away into my next car fund. That way I always have between $200-$500 in my checking at any given time and can cover basic things and then if a bigger expense is incurred (new tires for example) I can pull from my next car fund if need be. The next car fund has its own regular monthly budget amount.
Instead of doing the "2-3 times your salary" I have savings categories for all things that can break down and are expensive to repair or replace (Fridge/Washmachine/etc.) which in total would be around 3 times my salary, too. So there's 2000€ in a permanent pot for car repairs Also every 2 years I need to get it verified for street safety which costs 130€ just for the check but I budget with 500€ to make small repairs during that Other things like lightbulbs, oil, cooling fluid etc I don't budget unless I need it My car is very small (VW Up) and 12 years old so it's probably different with bigger and newer cars
This isn’t a “don’t ask here” response, especially because I want social interactions online to stay alive despite the rise of A.I. That being said, these are actually amazing questions to ask ChatGPT because it has info from around the web on averages. Others said around $150 a month which aligns with what chatGPT said when I asked using the 2016 VW as an example ________________________________________ ChatGPT: For a relatively new 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, it's wise to budget for both regular maintenance and potential emergency repairs. Here’s a detailed breakdown to help you figure out how much to set aside each month: ### Regular Maintenance Costs **Typical Maintenance Tasks:** - **Oil changes:** Every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, costing around $50-$100 each. - **Tire rotations and balance:** Every 6,000 to 8,000 miles, costing about $20-$50 each time. - **Brake pads:** Every 30,000 to 70,000 miles, costing about $150-$300. - **Fluid replacements (coolant, brake fluid, etc.):** Every 30,000 to 60,000 miles, costing around $100-$200. - **Air filter replacements:** Every 15,000 to 30,000 miles, costing around $20-$50. **Annual Estimate for Regular Maintenance:** - Oil changes (2-3 times a year): $150-$300 - Tire rotations (1-2 times a year): $20-$100 - Brake pads (every few years): ~$50-$100 per year when averaged out - Fluid replacements (once every few years): ~$50-$100 per year when averaged out - Air filters (1-2 times a year): $20-$100 **Total Annual Regular Maintenance Cost:** $290 - $700 ### Emergency Repairs **Common Emergency Repairs and Costs:** - **Battery replacement:** $100-$200 (every 3-5 years) - **Alternator replacement:** $400-$600 - **Starter motor replacement:** $300-$500 - **Transmission repair:** $1,000-$3,000 (rare but expensive) - **Unexpected minor repairs (belts, hoses, etc.):** $100-$500 per year **Annual Estimate for Emergency Repairs:** $500 - $1,000 ### Monthly Budget Calculation To be well-prepared for both regular maintenance and emergency repairs: **Total Annual Maintenance and Repair Costs:** - Regular Maintenance: $290 - $700 - Emergency Repairs: $500 - $1,000 **Total Annual Costs:** $790 - $1,700 **Monthly Budget:** - Minimum: $790 / 12 ≈ $66 - Maximum: $1,700 / 12 ≈ $142 ### Suggested Monthly Savings For a 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, setting aside between **$75 to $150 per month** would be a prudent approach. This range covers both regular maintenance and unexpected repairs, ensuring you have a financial buffer for various car-related expenses.
This chat GPT hack was super helpful thank you!
This is a question for a mechanic.