Number Maintenance Cost Planner
Cars rarely surprise you — the schedule tells you what is coming, if you do the arithmetic. Enter where your odometer is and how much you drive, and this planner maps the standard service schedule onto your next two years, with a cost range for every item.
The default car — 86,000 miles, 12,000 a year, two-year window — has " + _plan['total'] + " of scheduled upkeep coming (" + _plan['annual'] + " a year). These are general industry intervals, labeled as general guidance: your owner's manual wins wherever it differs.
How it works
Maintenance is a calendar, not a surprise. The planner assumes each service was last done at the largest schedule multiple at or below your current mileage (a car at 86,000 miles on a 7,500-mile oil cycle was last serviced at 82,500), then projects forward at your driving rate: next due = smallest schedule multiple above current mileage; cost per service = parts range + (labor hours × $125/h national rate — the same model as the Repair Cost Estimator). The schedule itself is the widely used industry-consensus set for gasoline cars: oil & filter 7,500 mi, tire rotation 7,500, cabin filter 20,000, engine air filter 30,000, brake fluid 30,000, brake pads 45,000, coolant 60,000, transmission fluid 60,000, serpentine belt 90,000, iridium spark plugs 100,000, 12V battery about every 48,000 mi (roughly four years at average mileage). It is general guidance, not your manufacturer's schedule — some cars specify 10,000-mile oil, some 5,000; some coolant is 100,000-mile long-life. EVs skip the engine items entirely (no oil, plugs, belts or transmission fluid, and brakes last far longer with regenerative braking), and the planner drops them when you select Electric.
Formula & worked example
Formula: For each scheduled item: next due = smallest interval multiple above current mileage; cost = parts range + labor hours × $125/h; the window total sums every occurrence at your yearly mileage.
Worked example: A car at 86,000 miles driving 12,000 a year has $1,020 – $2,160 of scheduled upkeep in the next two years — about $510 – $1,080 a year — led by three oil services, the 90,000-mile belt and brake work, and the 100,000-mile plugs.
When to use this
- You are budgeting a car you plan to keep — what will the next two years of upkeep actually cost?
- A dealer service menu feels padded and you want an independent schedule to compare it against
- You are choosing between two used cars and want their scheduled-maintenance bills side by side
- You bundle services into single visits and want to see what lands together
How to use it, step by step
- Enter the odometer as it sits today.
- Enter your real yearly mileage — commuting math, not optimism.
- Pick the vehicle type (EVs drop the engine items automatically).
- Set the horizon: 1 year for budgeting, 2–3 for keep-or-sell decisions.
- Read down the due list; note the clusters — those are your combined-visit candidates.
- Check your manual for the items where it disagrees, and adjust your own list.
What the inputs mean
| Input | What it is | Typical values |
|---|---|---|
| Current odometer | Today's mileage — the anchor every interval is measured from | Any mileage; the plan re-bases instantly |
| Miles per year | Your driving pace; US average is roughly 12,000–14,000 | 5,000 (second car) to 25,000+ (commuter/sales) |
| Vehicle type | Gasoline/diesel gets the full schedule; EVs drop oil, plugs, belt, coolant and transmission items | Hybrid keeps the engine items |
| Horizon | How far ahead the plan sums — annual cost is the window total divided by the years | 1–3 years |
Another worked example
At 42,000 miles driving 15,000 a year, the two-year window totals $1,195 – $2,352 ($598 – $1,176 a year): four oil services, the 45,000-mile brake pads, and the 60,000-mile coolant and transmission services all land inside it — a faster pace pulls big services closer, which is why high-mileage drivers feel maintenance "all at once."
Frequently asked questions
Why does my manual's schedule differ from this plan?
Because it knows your engine and this planner does not. Manufacturers tune intervals to their engines, oils and warranties — a turbocharged engine may spec 5,000-mile oil where a mild hybrid specs 10,000. Use the planner for budgeting and the manual for wrench decisions; where they disagree the manual wins, and the budget math barely changes.
What does an EV actually need, then?
From this list: tire rotations, cabin filters, brake fluid on a time cycle, battery-loop coolant eventually, and the 12V battery. No oil, plugs, belts or transmission fluid — and regenerative braking stretches pads dramatically. Select "Electric vehicle" and the planner removes the engine items.
Is dealer maintenance worth the premium?
During the warranty period, dealer records make warranty claims frictionless — a real, if unglamorous, value. After the warranty, an independent shop following the same schedule typically saves 25–35% on labor. What is never worth it: skipping the service entirely because the dealer quote felt steep.
Should I follow the severe-service schedule?
If your driving is mostly short trips, stop-and-go, towing, dust or extreme temperatures — yes; that is what "severe" means, and it describes a large share of real cars. Severe schedules typically halve oil and fluid intervals. It is the cheapest insurance on this entire page.
What is the second example — a lower-mileage car?
At 42,000 miles driving 15,000 a year, the two-year window totals $1,195 – $2,353 ($598 – $1,176 a year) — more services per year than the 86,000-mile car, because the 45,000-mile brake service and the 60,000-mile fluid services all land inside the window. Mileage pace, not age, drives the bill.
🧾 The whole cost of the car, not just upkeep
The Car Total Cost of Ownership calculator adds payments, depreciation, fuel and insurance to the maintenance picture — per year and per mile.
Why is there no timing belt in the schedule?
Because it is not universal: many engines use a timing chain designed for engine life, and belt intervals vary (60,000–105,000 miles) by manufacturer. A missed belt on an interference engine destroys the engine, so this one belongs to your manual, not a generic planner — if your car has a belt, treat its interval as sacred.
Does the planner cover tires?
No — tires are condition-and-compound wear, not a mileage interval (30,000–60,000+ miles depending on the tire and your right foot). Budget them separately; the rotation line in the plan is what makes them last to the long end of that range.