Reading the numbers
Does Free Maintenance Close the Gap?
Not in these estimates. BMW and Audi include more scheduled maintenance than Lexus does, and it's a real benefit in the first few years. CarEdge's 5-year and 10-year figures are still higher for both brands.
Scheduled maintenance vs. repairs
Scheduled maintenance is the planned work: oil and filter changes, inspections, fluids, brake checks. Repairs are the unplanned work: a failed sensor, a leaking gasket, an electrical fault. Included-maintenance programs cover the first kind for a set period. They don't cover the second. Repairs are also where reliability differences between brands show up, which is why the reliability data and the cost data line up so closely.
Why the gap widens after year five
Look at the matrix: the Lexus-to-BMW gap is about $2,770 over 5 years and about $8,900 over 10. The second five years cost more for every brand as parts wear out and warranties run out. For Lexus, the 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty covers the engine and transmission for two years longer than the German brands' 4-year/50,000-mile coverage.
What changes your real number
- Miles per year. Commuting on the 405 or the 110 adds miles quickly, and CarEdge's figures assume average use.
- Powertrain. Hybrid systems use regenerative braking, which can lengthen brake-pad life. Pads still need inspection on schedule.
- Tires and wheels. Larger performance wheels and tires cost more to replace, whatever the brand.
- Following the factory schedule. Skipped services cost more later, and a full service record helps at trade-in time.
