Cars

Vehicle cost and finance calculators

The instalment is only part of the cost of a car. Work out what a vehicle really costs each month and over five years, and compare options side by side.

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Nothing you type is stored or sent
Your own prices and fuel costs

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Car ownership cost calculatorThe true monthly cost of a car: finance, fuel, insurance, tyres and lost value.Petrol vs diesel vs hybrid vs EVPurchase price against fuel or electricity cost, with the break-even point.Vehicle comparison toolPut up to five vehicles side by side, with specs you enter and the true cost of each.Toll route cost calculatorSANRAL toll tariffs for the plazas on your route, by vehicle class, one way or there and back.AARTO demerit points and traffic fines checkerLook up a traffic charge in Schedule 3 for its fine and demerit points, add up points and see how they compare with the limit.

Finance

Car finance calculatorMonthly instalments with deposit, trade-in and balloon payment.

Cost of owning a car

Car ownership cost calculatorThe true monthly cost of a car: finance, fuel, insurance, tyres and lost value.Petrol vs diesel vs hybrid vs EVPurchase price against fuel or electricity cost, with the break-even point.Car depreciation calculatorEstimate what a car will be worth after a number of years.Car vs e-hailing vs taxi cost comparisonCompare your own car, e-hailing, minibus taxis and a pass, using your own trips.

Compare vehicles

Vehicle comparison toolPut up to five vehicles side by side, with specs you enter and the true cost of each.

Fuel and trips

Fuel cost calculatorLitres and rands needed for a trip, from distance, consumption and price.Fuel consumption calculatorWork out your real litres per 100 km from a tank of fuel.Road trip cost calculatorFuel, tolls and other costs for a trip, shared between passengers.Toll route cost calculatorSANRAL toll tariffs for the plazas on your route, by vehicle class, one way or there and back.

Buying and selling

Trade-in vs private saleCompare a dealer trade-in offer with what a private sale would leave you.

Fines and rules

AARTO demerit points and traffic fines checkerLook up a traffic charge in Schedule 3 for its fine and demerit points, add up points and see how they compare with the limit.

About CarMzansi

A car costs more than its price tag. Finance interest, fuel, insurance, tyres, services, licence fees and the value you lose each year all add up. CarMzansi puts them in one place so you can compare vehicles on what they cost to own.

You supply the car, we do the sums

Fuel prices change every month and every vehicle differs, so these tools ask you to type in the figures for the car you are looking at. Where a tool shows an example fuel price or consumption figure, it is only an example and says so. We do not publish vehicle specifications, so what you compare is what you type in.

Finance maths

Instalments use the standard loan formula, including a balloon payment if you choose one. The explanations show the formula and a worked example.

These are estimates for information only. They are not financial advice.

Where to start

Buying or financing a car. Start with the car finance calculator for the instalment, then the car ownership cost calculator for the full monthly cost.
Comparing cars. The vehicle comparison tool and the petrol, diesel, hybrid and EV comparison put two or more options side by side.
Running costs. Find your real consumption with the fuel consumption calculator, then use it in the fuel cost calculator and the road trip cost calculator.
Value and selling. The car depreciation calculator estimates how value falls, and the trade-in versus private sale calculator compares your options when you sell.
Do I need a car? The transport cost comparison sets a car against fares and e-hailing.

Why the cost is more than the instalment

Interest, fuel, insurance, tyres, services, licence fees and the value the car loses each year all add up. A cheap instalment on a long loan can still be the most expensive way to own a car. Seeing every cost in one place is the point of these tools.

What these tools cannot do

They do not know your quote, your insurer's price or what a dealer will offer. Replace the example numbers with real quotes, and use the results to ask better questions.