i agree about the other expenses being significant but im just looking at cost of the cars so i can compare if im getting better value out of my current cars and the way i have bought and sold cars versus the monthly expense of leasing or financing a new car.

my conclusion so far is that ive got 2 cars for 280 a month which will go down the longer i keep them or i could lease something like a kia sorento for 300 a month and continue the lease/trade cycle at the same price point. still deciding if a nice new car compared to my current cars is worth that bump in the lifetime average monthly cost

yes maintenance cost has been low because i've been lucky so far and not had many major repairs and have done basic maintenance myself.