The BIG SUV TCO Challenge

[SAND]

Jeez guys, do I detect a bit of performance anxiety in these replies? The title says 'BIG SUV' challenge, so it is self-evident that the running costs associated with 6 cylinder, permanent 4x4 SUV's will be different to for example, double-cabs and dare I say 'double-cabs with permanent cannopies' like Fortuners etc. For example, the 4x4 system on a Jeep needs to be serviced with filters and oil every 60000 km, and the engine takes 9L of oil! So please guys, do your own 'small SUV' TCO threads and save us the rude comments. I think there are several SUV in this class that can CONSTRUCTIVELY compete in the cost comparison for the positively minded.

But you refer to a Fortuner in your original post in 'justifying' your purchase, and that its TCO would probably be higher than your Jeep; but you don't want to compare it?

[jelo]

Jeez guys, do I detect a bit of performance anxiety in these replies? The title says 'BIG SUV' challenge, so it is self-evident that the running costs associated with 6 cylinder, permanent 4x4 SUV's will be different to for example, double-cabs and dare I say 'double-cabs with permanent cannopies' like Fortuners etc. For example, the 4x4 system on a Jeep needs to be serviced with filters and oil every 60000 km, and the engine takes 9L of oil! So please guys, do your own 'small SUV' TCO threads and save us the rude comments. I think there are several SUV in this class that can CONSTRUCTIVELY compete in the cost comparison for the positively minded.

I get the feeling you're not getting the point.

[Oppies3800]

I get the feeling you're not getting the point.

I think his trying to justify his purchase against a group of non-existing vehicles.

He wins so his happy...

Funny way of competing if there's no competition

[Mad Manny]

Jeez guys, do I detect a bit of performance anxiety in these replies? The title says 'BIG SUV' challenge, so it is self-evident that the running costs associated with 6 cylinder, permanent 4x4 SUV's will be different to for example, double-cabs and dare I say 'double-cabs with permanent cannopies' like Fortuners etc. For example, the 4x4 system on a Jeep needs to be serviced with filters and oil every 60000 km, and the engine takes 9L of oil! So please guys, do your own 'small SUV' TCO threads and save us the rude comments. I think there are several SUV in this class that can CONSTRUCTIVELY compete in the cost comparison for the positively minded.

Can you list all the vehicles that comply please.

[leonlieb]

So in other words:

a 6 year old car, costing you R 159995 less R 16000 deposit financed over 72 months at roughly 10% interest will cost about R 2700 in repayments.

Therefore, an amount of R 3500 per month was for repairs & maintenance....

That's quite scary! I know you will have this regardless of which vehicle you buy, but I guess I just never thought of it this way....

How would this figure have looked if lets say you purchased a car for lets say R 220 000.00 less R 22 000 deposit over 72 months at roughly 10% interest - repayment would have been roughly R 3700 per month

lets say it had a balance of service plan for 2 services and had 1 year warranty left.

Should be interesting to see how this would affect the TOC...

Would it be higher than R 6200 per month? or less?


Can one speculate that opting for higher purchase price and newer vehicle that you will spend less on repairs and maintenance and therefore lower TOC?

I don't think one can speculate anything and would have to compare actual figures. These figures might even be different for 2 of the exact same vehicles. If one was a lemon which required more frequent repairs or was driven more which required more frequent servicing the figures will differ.

I don't think that this can be used as any type of indication which vehicle has lower TOC as a rule, although interesting to see the TOC of a specific vehicle

[DaveL]

Ok, so my 2004 Mercedes ML 350 doesn't qualify for the TCO challenge (it's a petrol version). But I could not resist doing the sums.

Bought in 2010 with 198,000km on the clock, in perfect condition, for R110,000. It was not financed, but I could estimate the payments over 60 months at R2900pm.

I have only driven 52,000km in the 69 months since then.

The numbers look like this:

No code has to be inserted here.

[Dave Faddel]

You are by default excluding with this criteria:

All Petrol SUVS (There are many in that class)
Most Range Rovers (Up until the most recent ones, but these are still new and under motor plan mosty)
Taureg/AudiQ7/Porsche
Land Cruiser 200
Nissan Patrols
Lexus
Infiniti
Merc ML/GL/G

I am sure this list can be added to significantly.

Agree 100%, Stoltz (OP) has seriously not given his post much thought. Basically excludes ALL large SUV's ... strange post

[RPiet]

So in other words:

a 6 year old car, costing you R 159995 less R 16000 deposit financed over 72 months at roughly 10% interest will cost about R 2700 in repayments.

My biggest concern here is that anyone in their right mind would finance especially a second hand vehicle over 72 months.

The money you até willing throwing away into the banking system could pay for a lot of fuel and repairs.

[Talia]

Jeez guys, do I detect a bit of performance anxiety in these replies? The title says 'BIG SUV' challenge, so it is self-evident that the running costs associated with 6 cylinder, permanent 4x4 SUV's will be different to for example, double-cabs and dare I say 'double-cabs with permanent cannopies' like Fortuners etc. For example, the 4x4 system on a Jeep needs to be serviced with filters and oil every 60000 km, and the engine takes 9L of oil! So please guys, do your own 'small SUV' TCO threads and save us the rude comments. I think there are several SUV in this class that can CONSTRUCTIVELY compete in the cost comparison for the positively minded.

Interesting description of Fortuners. You will certainly make more enemies than friends.

[Chris Stoffel]

Jeez guys, do I detect a bit of performance anxiety in these replies? The title says 'BIG SUV' challenge, so it is self-evident that the running costs associated with 6 cylinder, permanent 4x4 SUV's will be different to for example, double-cabs and dare I say 'double-cabs with permanent cannopies' like Fortuners etc. For example, the 4x4 system on a Jeep needs to be serviced with filters and oil every 60000 km, and the engine takes 9L of oil! So please guys, do your own 'small SUV' TCO threads and save us the rude comments. I think there are several SUV in this class that can CONSTRUCTIVELY compete in the cost comparison for the positively minded.

Well then! We do all point out, on a regular basis, that our SUV's are tough as nails because they are based on LDV's.

Don't we?

[Redman]

Like the way the TCO was calculated. Doubt that even if there were no exclusions to this post, that a lot out there will be able to supply that information. Ignore the OP exclusions and post some other SUV data here.

2.7l 6 cylinder. Some crank failures will mess op the TCO on a few calculations (note: no brand bashing)

This sort of support the saying: Goedkoop koop is duur koop.

[Ismail-VWTiguan]

The car with the worst TCO that I have owned was my 2011 3.0 tdi VW Touareg. Purchase prce 290k and odo on 150000km repair costs in one year 90k. The vehicle had a maintenance plan till 180000km. Sold it before it did 180000km. Great car to drive but. Sold for 245k. Now I have a 2013 FX30 d infiniti, low mileage, only 33k. So far so good. Ride quality and overall fit and finish is excellent. This one is a keeper.

[leonlieb]

My biggest concern here is that anyone in their right mind would finance especially a second hand vehicle over 72 months.

The money you até willing throwing away into the banking system could pay for a lot of fuel and repairs.

Agreed!

But I merely used this example from info I got from the opening post:

(a) Term: 66 months.
(b) KM driven: 84478km from 164665km at purchase.
(c) Floor price in 2012: 159995.
(d) Full purchase cost including Roadworthy, License & Registration, and Finance charges including Interest: R207791.
(e) Then over the term I calculated fuel cost at average yearly diesel costs and consumption of 13.2L/100km. Total fuel cost was R73972.
(f) Repair and Maintenance and Tires. R158094.
(g) License fees. R2952.
(h) Insurance. R41852.
(i) Sold 2017 at -R75000.

Interesting Results:

- Total Cost of Ownership over the term was R409 660, or 256% of floor price.
- Maintenance was 99% of floor price. So if you think you have a great deal looking at the price....just factor in another 100% for maintenance.
- TCO per km driven was R4,85/km.
- TCO per month was R6200pm, while the bank repayment was only R2700pm


So I assumed a 72month term with 10% deposit, but it could very well have been a shorter term and bigger deposit....

[Surfer01]

We bought our Jeep GC in 2012 with mileage 100k when it was 7 years old for approximately R192000 with repayments at about R3200 per month over 60 months. We paid it off within 3 years. It had a full service history and this has been maintained since our purchase. I have done about 88k in the vehicle taking across France and Spain. Not cheap to run but cheaper than cars like the Porshe Cayenne.

[stoltzmr74]

Post edited to exclude 'rules'....to allow for any TCO contributions...looking forward to see yours.

[Hedgehog]

Anyone who actually accumulates all that data over the life of ownership...

Must be a hoot around the braai fire.

[stoltzmr74]

Hedgehog, well if you think about it, the TCO is not that difficult to calculate and you need not be a beancounter...or a ‘hoot at the braai’.The hope I had was to illuminate the cost of owning these vehicles by expressing it as a cost per km....and from some replies, it seems to have put some people to think. Others seem to make assumptions on my character. 🤕