Saving & Spending Home & Auto

15 Best Trucks To Buy if You Hate To Spend Money on Maintenance

These resilient trucks are less costly to maintain than others.

By Jenny Cohen

Edited by Chris Kissell

Updated Sept. 24, 2024

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When shopping for a truck, the actual cost of purchasing the vehicle isn’t the only expense to consider.

Maintenance costs add up over the years. Beyond the initial cost, choosing a truck that can help lower your car costs because it's less expensive to maintain can help you eliminate money stress over your years of ownership.

Recently, CarEdge looked over a series of automotive data points to determine which trucks are the least expensive to maintain.

Following is the list of trucks to consider if you hate spending money on maintenance.

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15. GMC Sierra 3500HD

The GMC Sierra 3500HD will cost you $13,095 in maintenance and repair expenses over the first 10 years of the vehicle, according to CarEdge.

That beats the average for heavy-duty trucks by $1,238. The truck has a 37.94% chance of needing a major repair — which is a fix exceeding $500 — during that first decade.

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14. GMC Sierra 2500HD

GMC’s Sierra 2500HD is similar to the 3500HD, but it is likely to require a little less maintenance. The cost to maintain and repair this truck is $13,029 for the first 10 years of the vehicle’s life.

Like the 3500HD model, it also has a 37.94% chance of needing a major repair over that time.

13. Jeep Wrangler

The Jeep Wrangler will cost you $10,397 in maintenance and repair costs over the first 10 years.

It also has a 31.13% chance of needing a major repair during that time.

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12. Ford F-150

Car and Driver says the Ford F-150 is the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. It comes with a maintenance tag of $10,245 for the first 10 years.

There is also a 30.63% chance you’ll have to pay for a repair of more than $500 during that time.

11. Ford Ranger

Ford’s compact pickup Ranger will set you back $10,045 in maintenance and repair costs over the first 10 years of ownership.

A major repair that costs you more than $500 has a 30.63% chance of occuring.

10. Chevrolet Silverado 1500

If you get a Chevy Silverado 1500, expect to pay $10,003 in maintenance and repair costs for the first 10 years.

The Silverado 1500 also has a 29.99% chance of needing a major repair during that period.

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9. Chevrolet Colorado

The Chevy Colorado is the first pickup to come in under the $10,000 mark for maintenance and repair. It finishes at $9,910 for the first 10 years of the vehicle.

The chance of the Colorado needing a major repair in its first decade is 29.99%.

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8. Nissan Titan XD

Owners of the Nissan Titan XD can expect to pay $8,963 in repair and maintenance costs over the first 10 years of ownership.

If you own a Titan, you have a 25.58% chance of needing a major repair during those 10 years of ownership.

7. GMC Sierra 1500

The GMC Sierra 1500 will cost you $8,948 in repair and maintenance costs over the initial 10 years of the vehicle.

The odds of needing a major repair during the first decade are 26.25%.

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6. GMC Canyon

Expect to pay $8,778 in maintenance and repair costs for the first 10 years of ownership of the GMC Canyon.

This pickup has a 26.25% chance of needing a major repair during the first decade.

5. Nissan Titan

Get a Nissan Titan and expect to pay $8,645 in maintenance and repair costs over the first decade of the vehicle.

You also face a 25.58% chance of needing a major repair during that time.

4. Nissan Frontier

If you get a Nissan Frontier, expect to pay an estimated $8,499 in maintenance and repair costs during the first 10 years of ownership costs.

The odds of needing a major repair on the Frontier are 25.58%.

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3. Honda Ridgeline

The Honda Ridgeline will cost you $8,263 for maintenance and repairs over the first decade of ownership.

You have less than a 25% chance of needing a major repair over the first 10 years of the vehicle, with your odds coming in at 24.23%.

2. Toyota Tundra

The Toyota Tundra is one of only two trucks on this list from CarEdge where you can expect to pay less than $7,000 for maintenance and repair costs over the first decade.

There is an 18.51% chance the Tundra will need a major repair during that time.

1. Toyota Tacoma

The Toyota Tacoma offers your best bet in terms of maintenance and repair costs, at just $6,420 during the first decade of ownership. That beats the industry average for that segment by $3,901.

The vehicle also has an 18.51% chance of needing a major repair during that time.

Bottom line

Trucks tend to lean toward needing more maintenance and not less. But buying the right truck can reduce your risk of high maintenance and repair bills.

If you’re considering a low-cost maintenance option to save money, you might want to check out a sedan instead of a truck. The best vehicles when it comes to low costs for maintenance are sedans, according to CarEdge.

Sedans also need less gas to operate them. So the savings can add up, especially for those hoping to move beyond living paycheck to paycheck.

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