Some cars require that you head to the service station to have everything done – even the simplest maintenance procedures. Other vehicles are much easier to keep on the road, making it simple to perform regular maintenance such as oil changes, brake pad replacements, and tire rotations with nothing more than a few basic tools and a YouTube tutorial.This list compiles some of the most reliable and easiest-to-maintain cars and trucks you can find on the used market. It's in no way comprehensive, but the following ten cars are all an absolute breeze to live with and maintain and are therefore worth knowing about.To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturers' websites and other authoritative sources, including CarEdge. The ten-year estimated maintenance costs are listed for each model in general and not specific to the listed model years. The list is sorted by maintenance costs from highest to lowest. 2000-2009 Subaru Outback Ten-Year Estimated Maintenance Costs: $8,660 Subaru Early models of the Subaru Outback should be much more affordable to maintain than the newer versions. Modern Outback models are much more costly to keep on the road, costing $452 more than the industry average, with a 24.76% chance of requiring major repairs. This makes the 2000–2009 models more attractive to DIYers, especially if those versions have been properly maintained and have low miles. Why Maintenance Is Easy Despite the AWD system in the Outback, this SUV is very easy to maintain. The AWD system is standardized, ensuring simple fixes that can be found online. Access to the boxer engine can be tight, but it’s manageable. DIYers can do nearly all maintenance, including adjusting the timing belt and replacing the head gasket, with the online support of the ”SubaruOnly” YouTube channel, SubaruOutback.org forums, and the Haynes manual. It’s a good idea to keep track of the AWD fluid servicing intervals to keep this SUV going right. 1998-2011 Ford Ranger Ten-Year Estimated Maintenance Costs: $6,954 Ford Older Ford Ranger models are much more affordable to maintain and work on than newer models. The latest generation costs nearly twice as much to maintain over ten years as the 2011 version. This makes an older Ford Ranger a good truck for DIYers to work on, maintain, and drive. With the right maintenance tips, you can keep this truck on the road for many years. Why Maintenance Is Easy The durable design, RWD layout, and massive DIY community make these Ford Ranger model years easy to maintain. Not only is it easy to get the job done with just a few tools, but the Ranger has massive DIY support, including the Ranger Station forums, YouTube series, and Chilton’s Repair Guide. With these resources, you can get the job done and keep your Ranger pickup on the road. 2004-2012 Honda Accord Ten-Year Estimated Maintenance Costs: $5,836 Honda It’s relatively affordable to maintain a Honda Accord during its first ten years on the road. This car has a 16.08% chance of requiring a major repair and is more affordable to maintain than the industry average. Honda lists maintenance schedules every 7,500 miles, which makes it easy to drive without worrying about much longer than most other vehicles. Why Maintenance Is Easy You’ll find plenty of space in the engine bay of four-cylinder Honda Accord models, making it easy to reach everything you need. The long maintenance intervals ensure you won’t have to put the Accord on jack stands every weekend. It’s easy to find YouTube videos that cover the basics, including spark plugs, oil, filters, and brake pad changes. 2012-2020 Nissan Versa Ten-Year Estimated Maintenance Costs: $5,793 Nissan The Nissan Versa is only slightly above the average costs for maintenance and repairs compared to the industry average. In fact, over ten years, you’d only spend $28 more to maintain the Versa than the average. It also has a 16.97% chance of requiring major repairs during your time of ownership, which is slightly higher than the average as well. Still, the Versa is easy for DIYers to maintain, making it a good choice for many drivers. Why Maintenance Is Easy The Nissan Versa is another great subcompact car for DIYers to maintain. During this generation, the Versa came with fewer electronics than most cars, which means fewer electronic quirks. It's extremely easy to change the brakes or perform oil and filter changes thanks to the DIY videos you’ll find posted on YouTube. 2013-2019 Mazda 3 Ten-Year Estimated Maintenance Costs: $5,649 Mazda According to CarEdge, the ten-year maintenance cost for the Mazda 3 is about $792 more than the industry average for small cars, but that can be cut down by performing some maintenance yourself. There’s a 15.80% chance that you’ll need to pay for a major repair on the Mazda 3. Still, this small car can be easy to work on, making it a good choice when you want to handle maintenance needs. Why Maintenance Is Easy The Mazda 3 has a simple drivetrain with reliable parts, which makes it easy to keep out of the repair shop as long as you maintain it. The DIY maintenance guides you’ll find online make it very easy to avoid paying for oil changes and other regular maintenance items. The Mazda 3 is one of the easiest cars to maintain and continues to be a good choice. 1996-2011 Honda Civic Ten-Year Estimated Maintenance Costs: $5,639 Honda The Honda Civic is one of the most affordable cars to maintain. It shouldn’t cost much to keep it running right during the first ten years, and it only has a 16.08% chance of requiring a major repair during the first ten years. Maintenance intervals for some models are listed at 7,500 miles, which means less frequent service, but you need to consult your owner’s manual for the actual maintenance intervals for your vehicle. Why Maintenance Is Easy The Honda Civic has a simple engine layout that makes it easy to get to various parts of the engine to handle maintenance with some regular tools. There’s an abundance of parts available and decades of DIY support, including various how-to videos posted online. It’s a good idea for DIYers to buy a good jack and stands to support the car when performing oil, filter, and brake pad changes, which are straightforward. 2011-2020 Toyota Yaris Ten-Year Estimated Maintenance Costs: $5,503 Toyota The Toyota Yaris is one of the easiest and most affordable cars to maintain and drive. It has a small engine, which is reliable and easy to work on, leading to only a 14.97% chance of requiring a major repair during your time of ownership. The Yaris offers good fuel mileage, making it a smart alternative to the Prius if you don’t want to drive a hybrid. Why Maintenance Is Easy The pure simplicity of the Toyota Yaris makes it easy to maintain, and repairs won’t break the bank when you need them. The Yaris is well-known for being a reliable car that doesn’t cost a lot to operate. If you have a small garage and only a handful of tools, this car could be right for you. You’ll find videos to handle the maintenance and will quickly realize you don’t need many tools to get the job done. 2007-2014 Toyota Camry Ten-Year Estimated Maintenance Costs: $4,597 Toyota Another industry-beating car is the Toyota Camry. This reliable and affordable midsize sedan costs less to maintain than other cars by $1,168 and only has a 12.28% chance of requiring major repairs. As long as you continue to do proper maintenance every 5,000 miles, this car is a dependable choice. Why Maintenance Is Easy This midsize Toyota sedan is one of the easiest to maintain, thanks to the user-friendly engine layout and access to parts that can be found at nearly every auto parts store. This Camry is among the lowest-maintenance midsize sedans you’ll find, with impressive YouTube support for DIYers to handle all the basic maintenance needs. 2019-2024 Toyota Corolla Ten-Year Estimated Maintenance Costs: $4,444 Toyota The Toyota Corolla is more affordable to maintain than the industry average by $1,321 over the course of ten years. These are savings you can put in your pocket. It also only has a 12.28% chance of requiring major repairs during the first decades, which is much better than similar vehicles. The maintenance interval for the Corolla is every 5,000 miles, which has become the industry standard. Why Maintenance Is Easy The Toyota Corolla has a huge support market, and Toyota parts are simple to install and easy to find. There are many clear DIY guides posted online to make service easy, including step-by-step “2020 To 2024 Toyota Corolla DIY Maintenance & Repair Guides” videos that make DIY maintenance much easier than you might expect. The Corolla is such a common car that you can find a YouTube video for nearly every maintenance need, ensuring you can get the job done right. 2010-2015 Toyota Prius Ten-Year Estimated Maintenance Costs: $4,380 Toyota The Toyota Prius might intimidate some DIYers because of the hybrid powertrain, but this car is relatively affordable to maintain and has only an 11.58% chance of requiring major repairs. These are excellent qualities to have in a car that also delivers good fuel economy figures and is one of the most affordable cars to operate. Why Maintenance Is Easy The hybrid elements of the Prius last a long time, which means fewer visits to the repair shop for these items. You’ll also find several maintenance tutorials to make it easy to keep this car on the road. Changing the cabin and engine filters is easy, as is changing the oil. Don’t let the hybrid aspect of the Prius scare you; it is a DIY-friendly car to maintain.
