The real cost of running a car (it's not just the monthly payment)

Most people judge a car on one number: the monthly finance payment. It's the number the dealer leads with, and it's the one that fits neatly into a budget.

But the payment is only part of what the car costs you each month.

The costs people forget

• Insurance — often the biggest surprise, especially for younger drivers or higher insurance groups.
• Fuel or charging — work it out from your real weekly mileage, not a brochure figure.
• Road tax — check the rate for the exact model before you commit.
• Servicing, MOT and tyres — spread them across the year as a monthly amount.
• Parking, tolls and cleaning — small on their own, steady in total.

A simple rule of thumb

Add the running costs to the finance payment and look at the total as one monthly figure. That's the real cost of the car.

A car isn't just the monthly payment.

Our car affordability calculator does this for you — finance plus running costs, set against what you actually take home.