Why Maintenance Costs Matter
Buying a truck can be all about horsepower, towing capacity or looking good in your driveway. One area that tends to get overlooked is long-term maintenance costs. The total amount you spend on maintaining your truck can vary greatly. Choosing a truck that is inexpensive to maintain will save you aggravation, unexpected repairs, and trips to the repair shop.
1. Toyota Tacoma
The Tacoma is well known for being reliable and holding up well. This means there will be fewer trips to the shop. Parts availability is good, mechanics are used to common repairs and labor rates will be lower due to this.
2. Ford F-150
This truck is by far the best-selling truck in America. The reasoning is simple: it’s easy to work on and there are tons of aftermarket parts available at cheap prices. Oil changes and other basic maintenance can be done easily. You will also have no problem finding a mechanic familiar with these trucks.
3. Chevrolet Silverado 1500
With Silverados you have access to tons of dealership service centers and decent pricing on parts. Engines and transmissions will last you if you take care of basic maintenance. You probably will not need any major or expensive repairs which means your truck can run you for years to come.
4. Honda Ridgeline
This truck is built differently than your typical body-on-frame truck. Because it uses a unibody style construction it makes for easier and cheaper repairs all around. Honda motors are known for their longevity with routine oil changes. You also won’t have to break the bank on really expensive parts.
5. Nissan Frontier
This truck's innards are not very complicated, which is music to any budget-minded consumer's ears. Easy to find replacement parts that also won’t break the bank. Frontiers are known for being reliable and continuing to be bought year after year.
6. GMC Sierra 1500
The Sierra 1500 is just like its fellow half-ton Chevrolet Silverado. Common parts are easy to find and it's built to go the distance. Engines and transmissions will last with basic maintenance and oil changes.
7. Toyota Tundra
Tundras are famous for lasting upwards of 300,000 miles with good care. Repairs will be very predictable on this truck. It is built tough so you can throw at it whatever you want, making it a super long-term truck.
8. Ram 1500
The Ram 1500 rides smoother than a lot of trucks and doesn’t require much to keep it maintained. Things are built to last and you shouldn’t have any major issues. Minor problems that do pop up are relatively cheap to fix.
9. Chevrolet Colorado
This truck is small and manageable but can still handle work like anyone else. Reliability is great and you won’t have to take your truck to the shop too often. Parts are easy to come by and fairly inexpensive.
10. Ford Ranger
This truck does a great job of finding the balance between size, capability, and low maintenance costs. The engine is simple and most trucks aren’t too old so finding parts won’t be difficult. You’ll spend more time on the road and less time in the shop.
Johannes Maximilian on Wikimedia
11. Nissan Titan
Maintenance on the Titan can be really low if you’re willing to go for it. The engine and drivetrain are very solid, as are most of the components. Service intervals are easy and once you learn them you won’t have to visit your shop too often.
12. Mazda BT-50
The Mazda BT-50 is a body-on-frame midsize truck that offers great reliability and is simple to maintain. It is built to go the distance and won’t leave you strapped for cash when it comes to maintenance. Mazda BT-50 engines are built to last and most parts are very inexpensive.
13. Toyota Hilux
This truck is known all over the world for being tough. If you happen to run into trouble you won’t have to worry about mechanics knowing how to fix it because they will. Toyota trucks are also known for their parts being accessible online.
14. Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
Big trucks don’t have to be expensive to maintain. The Silverado 2500HD has a big engine and transmission that are built to last you a long time. As far as bigger trucks go, the prices on routine parts aren't outrageous.
15. Ford Super Duty F-250
Super Duty trucks are known for being work horses and the F-250 is no different. Simple engine and technology that makes common repairs a breeze. You’ll be able to find parts easily and even older trucks will run reliably as long as you keep up with maintenance.
16. GMC Canyon
The GMC Canyon is similar to the Chevrolet Colorado. The Canyon has a smaller frame but doesn’t give up too much on reliability. Parts can be found easily and you also won’t have to pay a premium for labor.
17. Dodge Dakota
Yes the Dakota is older but that makes it cheaper to maintain because things are pretty simple. You also won’t have to deal with some of the expensive tech that is found on newer trucks. Engines and transmissions are built to last and should give you no problems.
18. Hyundai Santa Cruz
This is Hyundai’s answer to a truck and they did a pretty good job at it. With its unibody design you won’t have to pay too much for repairs. Replacement parts are cheap and readily available. Plus you have a reliable engine and easy service intervals.
19. Ford F-350 Super Duty
Heavy duty trucks are built for work which means they can last you a long time as well. Most mechanics are used to working on these trucks so labor rates should be cheaper. The F-350 isn’t going to give you any crazy repairs as you go.
20. Chevrolet Avalanche
Who says suvs are cheap to maintain? With Chevrolet’s Avalanche you will get truck utility with suv comfort. Chevy has some pretty low maintenance V8 engines for this truck. Repairs will be very straightforward and you won't have to worry about crazy parts pricing.
