THE COST OF RUNNING A VEHICLE // 2
COMMON OPERATING COSTS TO CONSIDER
The cost of tyres varies and depends on the size and
quality of tyre. A set of tyres will usually last 30,000 to
Vehicle service, repairs and maintenance
Your vehicle should be serviced at regular intervals – usually
every 10,000km or every 12 months (whichever occurs
first). This may vary depending on your vehicle. Check your
manufacturer's recommendation.
Repairs and maintenance required for your vehicle vary
and could include replacing wiper blades, toping up oil,
power steering fluid or brake fluid, or replacing brake pads.
The cost of petrol per litre fluctuates so the annual costs
will vary.
To roughly work out the cost of the petrol you use each
year, check www.fuelsaver.govt.nz/car
Or you could look at your past expenses to estimate how
much you spend a week or month.
The annual cost of vehicle insurance depends on the type
of cover you have and varies for each individual.
Check your insurance policy to find out the annual costs
OTHER COSTS TO CONSIDER
• Driver licence renewal fees if needed
• Driver licence medical certificate and/or eyesight certificate if needed.
For information about driver licensing fees and if a driver licence medical certificate is required,
www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicle-fees
or call the NZ Transport Agency driver licensing contact centre on 0800 822 422.
EXAMPLE
Dawn owns a 2016 automatic Mazda3 that she keeps regularly maintained and serviced. She uses her car one
to two times a week to go to the shops or to visit her friends. Often Dawn’s daughter drives her to the places she
needs to go, such as to the supermarket or a medical appointment.
Dawn is turning 82 years old and her driver licence is up for renewal. She also needs to relicense her car and
obtain a new Warrant of Fitness. As she rarely uses her car, she is looking into the expense of running her
vehicle over a year. Here is an estimate on how much it may cost to run her vehicle during 2019.
COMMON OPERATING COSTS TO CONSIDER
ESTIMATED ANNUAL COSTS FOR A 2016 AUTOMATIC
MAZDA3 (AS AT 9 JANUARY 2019)
Warrant of Fitness
(annually for vehicles less than six years old)
$60.00 (estimated average)
$0 (Dawn doesn’t need to purchase new tyres until
next year)
Vehicle service, repairs and maintenance
