Cars that are well taken care of are unlikely to break down when you need them, offer excellent service, and can be resold for higher. They even last longer, allowing you lots of preparation time before your next car purchase. Unfortunately, while maintenance saves you money in the long term, it’ll also cost you some in the short term and at different intervals of your car ownership journey. That said, how much you spend depends on the make and model, and for Mazda lovers, these three will cost you the least to maintain after 10 years.
1. Mazda MX-5 Miata
Mazda MX-5 | Sjoerd van der Wal via Getty Images
While sportscar convertibles aren’t exactly well known for their ease of maintenance, Mazda’s offering in the segment, the MX-5 Miata, is a different story. According to CarEdge, it’s the third least expensive car to maintain on the automaker’s lineup, ahead of all of the brand’s SUVs. It’ll cost an average of $5,761 to keep with the maintenance and repairs for the first decade.
Naturally, this is significantly less than other convertibles on the market, with an average of $7,290 for the same period.
There’s only a 1.73% chance that your MX-5 Miata will need significant repairs for the first year of ownership, with the annual maintenance cost for this period being roughly $209. By the decade’s end, the possibility of needing a major repair will have risen to 16.77%.
By this time, the maintenance costs will have likely risen to $1,064. For context, major repairs are anything that costs $500 or more. As one of the easiest convertibles to maintain, the Mazda MX-5 Miata also holds its value pretty well, meaning you can resell it at any point.
2. Mazda 6
Mazda’s big family sedan, the Mazda 6, is the second least expensive model to maintain, with average costs amounting to $5,507 for the first 10 years. This is a $1,589 difference from the industry average for popular sedans.
Over the first year, the probability of needing a significant repair is just 1.67%. This increases to 2.78% in the second year, and by the tenth year, it’s at 16.22%. CarEdge notes that this is 5.28% better than its competitors in the market.
Also, maintenance costs for the first year are minimal at $195, rising to $227 in the second year and $277 in the third year. Eventually, they get up to $1,023 in the tenth year.
Unfortunately, it’s been discontinued in North America, with the automaker now focusing on the more popular SUVs with models like the Mazda CX-5 and Mazda CX-9. Since it was discontinued in 2021, you could still find a used model in excellent condition.
3. Mazda 3
Available in sedan and hatchback body styles, the current Mazda 3 is one of the cheapest offerings on the automaker’s lineup, with a $22,550 starting price. Historically, it also offers Mazda’s lowest 10-year maintenance costing about $5,409 for repairs and routine changeups during the first decade of ownership.
For context, the average for popular alternatives in its market segment is $7,096 meaning a $1,687 difference in favor of the 3.
Chances of needing significant repairs at the one-year, five-year, and ten-year marks are 1.67%, 7.88%, and 16.22%, respectively, with the annual maintenance costs rising as well. You’ll likely only need to spend $186 on maintenance during the first year. This rises to $414 at five years and $1,013 at 10 years.
Also notable is the Mazda 6, the 16.22% chance of needing major repairs is 5.28% better than you’re likely to get with other sedans on the market.
Keyword: 3 Least Expensive Mazdas to Maintain After 10 Years