10 American Cars That Quietly Drain Your Wallet Over Time

For many of us, one of the biggest things we think about when buying a new vehicle is how much it is going to cost us in the long run to keep it on the road. Both maintenance and fuel costs can creep up on us, even in the most budget-friendly-seeming models, but some out there boast costs that more than creep up on us; they can bankrupt us.

While American auto brands have turned out some of the best models ever and have built themselves a steady reputation over the last few decades for hardy, go-anywhere, tug-anything models, there is no denying that some of our homegrown car, SUV, and pickup truck iterations will cost you a fortune to keep on the road. European and luxury models may have garnered a reputation for high maintenance costs, but we are going to look at some of the most expensive American models to maintain.

Ram 3500

Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $1,696

Base Trim Engine

6.4L V8

Base Trim Transmission

8-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

405 hp

Base Trim Torque

429 lb.-ft. @ 4000 RPM

According to RepairPal, the average yearly maintenance cost for a full-size pickup truck is a hefty $936, which is some way above the rest of the market ($652 a year), but the Ram 3500 takes this to a new level with an average five-year maintenance bill of $8,480. Per year, that means it will cost you $1,696 to maintain and keep roadworthy, or over double the full-size truck average.

That’s not where it ends, either. The most fuel-frugal 3500 is the turbo-diesel-equipped beast, and even that can only muster a combined EPA rating of 21 mpg (17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway). We aren’t surprised, though, as the Ram 3500 weighs in at up to 7,536 pounds and boasts gargantuan maximum dimensions of 238.8 inches (L) x 83.5 inches (W) x 80.3 inches (H).

If you are in the market for a proper work truck, though, you could do a lot worse than with a Ram 3500. There are two main engine options. A standard-fit 6.4-liter HEMI V8 that is good for 405 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque allows you to tow up to 18,150 pounds, while the HO 6.7-liter Cummins inline-six takes things even further.

If you opt for the turbo-diesel Cummins mill, not only do you get slightly better combined mpg ratings, but you also get a 430-horsepower/1,075-pound-foot inline-six that can tow up to 36,610 pounds when equipped with the TorqueFlite HD eight-speed auto box.

Ram 2500

Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $1,694

Base Trim Engine

6.4L HEMI V8 ICE

Base Trim Transmission

8-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

405 HP @5600 RPM

Base Trim Torque

429 lb.-ft. @ 4000 RPM

As the slightly lower work-capable sibling of the Ram 3500, the Ram 2500 is slightly cheaper to maintain, but can handle a little less in terms of payload and towing ability.

The 2025 Ram 2500 is available with the same two main engine options and horsepower outputs as the 3500, but the towing is slightly lower all around. The HEMI V8 under the hood of the 2500 means you can tug up to 17,750 pounds, while the Cummins inline-six means you can pull up to 20,000 pounds.

The $2 difference in yearly maintenance costs is negligible, so if you are looking for something that can tow more than you’ll likely ever need, the Ram 3500 would be the one to look at, but if you are looking for a monster of a pickup truck that does slightly better on fuel consumption and starting price, the Ram 2500 is the one to look at.

Starting prices for the 2025 Ram 3500 are $46,750, while the 2025 Ram 2500 has a slightly lower starting price of $45,565. The most fuel-efficient Ram 2500 is also the model that boasts the Cummins inline-six, and is tipped to do a little better on the highway than the Ram 3500.

Ford F-450 Super Duty

Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $1,031

Base Trim Engine

6.7L Powerstroke V8 ICE

Base Trim Transmission

TorqShift 10-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

475 HP @2600 RPM

Base Trim Torque

1050 lb.-ft. @ 1600 RPM

With a five-year ownership cost of $86,220, this year’s largest F-Series truck is not a cheap beast to own. Over the years, on average, it will cost you $5,156 in maintenance, $14,536 on interest, $21,000 on fuel, $15,965 on insurance, and you will lose $29,564 (34 percent) to depreciation. Starting prices for this year’s roll-out are set at $61,330, and for that price, you get the choice of two diesel engine options: a 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 or a 6.7-liter HO Power Stroke V8.

To get the highest towing capacity from the standard-fit V8, you will need to add the Gooseneck Tow Package, which includes the fifth wheel prep, while if you want the massive 40,000-pound towing capability from the HO V8, you’ll need to add the Max Tow Package.

GMC Sierra 3500HD

Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $899

Base Trim Engine

6.6L V8 ICE

Base Trim Transmission

Allison 10-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

401 hp

Base Trim Torque

464 lb.-ft.

With a starting price of just under $50,000 for the 2025 GMC Sierra 3500HD that boasts a regular cab and long bed, pricing is relatively in line with the other heavy-duty trucks on our list. But the main difference is that the 3500HD is estimated to cost you a lot less in maintenance each year.

According to CarEdge, the five-year costs for the 3500HD are still very high at $74,637, but noticeably less than models like the Ford F-450 Super Duty. This year’s GMC Sierra 3500HD is available in six grades: the Pro, the SLE, the SLT, the AT4, the Denali, and the Denali Ultimate. As you go up the trims, luxury and specialist features blend better with the still immense work capability.

The entry-level Pro trim is built for everyday work and durability with animated LED projector headlamps, the Trailering Package, and an auto-locking rear diff; the SLE takes things up a little by adding the MultiPro Tailgate, a bigger, 12.3-inch infotainment display, and a 12.3 digital display cluster; while the SLT adds a bit more luxury in the shape of leather seat trim and slightly plusher looking interior materials.

The 3500HD AT4 is the trim you want to look at if you want to take this monster off-road; it comes equipped with off-road-tuned suspension, skid plates, and a bolder, more aggressive trail-ready look. The Denali trim is where the luxury really starts, though, with more refined leather around the cabin, wood and metal accents, and slightly better connectivity, while the Denali Ultimate is the last word in heavy-duty luxury.

Prices for the 3500HD Denali Ultimate start at an eye-watering $95,500, but it does get you all the work ethic of the other trims plus full-grain leather trim, open-pore Paldao wood trim, a Bose Premium audio setup, and all the toys you could need for maximum towing capacity.

Jeep Gladiator

Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $793

Base Trim Engine

Pentastar 3.6L ICE

Base Trim Transmission

TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Four-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

285 HP @6400 RPM

Base Trim Torque

260 lb.-ft. @ 4400 RPM

Part off-road beast, part pickup truck, the Jeep Gladiator brings a huge amount of rugged grit to the mid-sized segment in the form of a 285-horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, heavy-duty skid plates, an impressive water fording depth rating of up to 31.5 inches, and either the Command-Trac or Rock-Trac 4WD system to take care of traction on the loose stuff.

You can also add a huge plethora of off-road gear in the form of the Willys Package, which gives you an E-Locker rear axle; the Rubicon Package, which adds 4:1 low-range gearing, Tru-Lock locking front and rear diffs, electronic sway-bar disconnect, and 33-inch all-terrain tires; or the Mojave Package, which adds FOX internal bypass shocks, a Desert Rating badge, and one-inch suspension lift.

There are also some higher-end off-road packages you can add, like the Rubicon X, Mojave X, and NightHawk packages, which give you features like a forward-facing TrailCam, leather upholstery, a 12.3-inch Uconnect infotainment rig, heritage paint schemes, and sport-tuned suspension (NightHawk). So, it really is one of the most ideal pickup trucks to take into the boonies.

But, it is still very expensive to buy and own over the long term. Starting prices for the 2025 Gladiator are $38,695 for the base trim with no special off-road additions, and, according to CarEdge, it is going to cost you $3,968 over five years to maintain ($793 per year). That makes it a lot more expensive than the yearly average maintenance cost for a mid-sized pickup truck of $548.

Dodge Durango

Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $766

Base Trim Engine

3.6L Pentastar V6 ICE

Base Trim Transmission

TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

295 HP @6400 RPM

Base Trim Torque

260 lb.-ft. @ 4000 RPM

The Dodge Durango is an aggressive-looking blend of a family SUV and muscle car. You get three rows of seating as standard, which can be cut down to two if you opt for the gnarliest iteration, the SRT Hellcat Durango, though the base 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that is under the hood kicks out 295 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.

You can tow up to 6,200 pounds with it at stock level; there is 43.3 cubic feet of storage space available, and the 4,896-pound beast can hit 60 mph in around seven seconds. If you opt for the Durango SRT Hellcat, which boasts a 710-horsepower/645-pound-foot 5.7-liter supercharged HEMI V8, you can tow up to 8,700 pounds and hit 60 mph in as little as 3.5 seconds. It is a beast.

All this SUV fun comes at a cost, though. At the entry level, it is reasonably priced ($38,495), but if you opt for the more potent SRT Hellcat, you are looking at a starting price of $84,995. Then you have fuel consumption, which is in line with HD trucks; the stock-level Durango can achieve a combined 20 mpg, while the SRT Hellcat can achieve a meager 13 combined mpg, costing you between $3,250 and $4,650 a year on gas. Then there is the average five-year maintenance cost of $3,850 ($766 a year). To put that into perspective, the average mid-sized SUV will cost you, on average, $573 a year, or $2,865 over five years, so the Durango, in any form, is quite ahead.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $737

Base Trim Engine

6.2L V-8 ICE

Base Trim Transmission

8-speed auto-shift manual

Base Trim Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

490 HP @6450 RPM

Base Trim Torque

465 lb.-ft. @ 5150 RPM

Value for money-wise, you don’t get much better than a C8 Corvette Stingray. For $70,000, you can get an aggressive sports car with supercar power, rail-like handling, a monster of a naturally aspirated V8 under the hood, noise for days, and a lot of street envy. There are, of course, cheaper alternatives to the C8 Corvette, but if you want the real deal and available 0–60 mph times of 2.9 seconds, this American legend has to be the answer.

The engine under the hood is a 6.2-liter LT2 V8 that boasts a dry sump, an old-school pushrod configuration, a cross-plane crankshaft, Active Fuel Management, and it can scream out its full 490 horsepower at 6,450 rpm and peak torque of 465 pound-feet at 5,150 rpm. It is everything you could want from a relatively affordable sports/supercar.

But, alongside all its wonderful pros, the Stingray is not the cheapest car to keep on the road. RepairPal doesn’t keep a record of the sports car market averages for repairs. We have used the compact car market’s average yearly maintenance bill of $526 as a benchmark (which includes some sports cars like the MX-5, the Lancer, and the Impreza).

The Stingray’s annual maintenance bill of $737 can be seen as relatively good for a car of its caliber, but over five years, that seriously adds up. Over five years, on average, it will cost you $3,685 to maintain, and that is before the fuel costs. Each year, it will cost you $3,200 to keep a Stingray filled up with gas, or over five years, $7,500 more than your average modern car. In its defense, this isn’t your average modern car, but compared to the more affordable sports cars that still deliver, the Stingray is a bit of a wallet-whacker.

Dodge Hornet

Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $682

Base Trim Engine

2L Hurricane I4 ICE

Base Trim Transmission

TorqueFlite 9-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

268 HP

Base Trim Torque

295 lb.-ft.

The Dodge Hornet is another one of Dodge’s SUV/muscle cars that can do a bit of both. Though it is a little less powerful. There are four grades available: the Hornet GT, the Hornet GT Plus, the Hornet R/T, and the R/T Plus. Prices start at an impressively low $29,995 for the base trim and stretch up to $47,485 for the top-tier R/T Plus.

Both the GT models come equipped with a gas engine, while both the R/T models boast a potent plug-in hybrid that can give you slightly better fuel returns (25 combined mpg for the GT models vs. 29 combined mpg for the R/T models).

For its initial price point, the Hornet looks good and can deliver in a fair few ways, but the five- and 10-year costs for it are not as good. According to CarEdge, the cost of owning a Dodge Hornet over five years is $59,305. This includes $3,416 on maintenance, $6,903 on interest, $9,625 for fuel, $12,975 for insurance, and $26,387 on depreciation. Over 10 years, it will cost you $10,932 on maintenance alone (because more serious problems are estimated to start happening) or $2,724 more than the market average for other popular SUVs over the same period.

Chevrolet Traverse

Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $656

Base Trim Engine

2.5L I4 ICE

Base Trim Transmission

8-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Front-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

328 HP @5500 RPM

Base Trim Torque

326 lb.-ft. @ 3500 RPM

Four trims are available for the 2025 Chevrolet Traverse, ranging from the standard everyday grade (the LT) and the off-road specialized Z71 to the high-end Traverse RS. Prices start at $40,700 for the entry-level grade and top out at $54,100 for the most luxurious option.

For a full-size crossover, the Traverse boasts a very impressive 98 cubic feet of storage space, seven passenger seats, and generous legroom over all three rows (front: 44.2 inches/second row: 41.4 inches/third row: 32.1 inches). It is safe to say, they have taken the crossover a long way.

The full-size crossover market is not as extensive as other SUV markets, with models like the Buick Enclave and the Mercedes-Benz GLS both earning the moniker. Compared to both the GLS and the Enclave, the Traverse does better for yearly maintenance bills, but it has been rated as “D” by CarEdge for value rating. Over five years, it will depreciate by up to 47 percent, will cost you just north of $11,800 for insurance, maintenance costs come in at $3,073 (according to CarEdge, which differs slightly from RepairPal), and interest will cost you $9,201.

Ford Explorer

Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $624

Base Trim Engine

2.3L Turbo Inline-4 Gas

Base Trim Transmission

10-Speed Automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

300 hp

Base Trim Torque

310 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm

With a starting price of $40,050 and available in four trims, this year’s Ford Expedition is well-equipped for everyday use, with a touch of sporty guts, thanks to the available Explorer ST and its 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6.

There are two engine options available. Both are EcoBoost models, but the first three trims, the Explorer Active, Explorer ST-Line, and the Explorer Platinum, are equipped with a 300-horsepower 2.3-liter EcoBoost inline-four. The Explorer ST comes equipped with a 400-horsepower EcoBoost V6 and is certainly the one you want if you want weekend fun to go alongside its usability.

While the yearly average maintenance bill of $624 may only be slightly more than the mid-sized SUV’s market average of $573, it is the five-year costs that make the Expedition an expensive American SUV to own. After five years, the Expedition is estimated to lose up to 57 percent of its original value, which puts it up there with some of the depreciation rates of the most luxurious SUVs on the market.