Used-car prices fell. Upkeep prices rose.
A look at the gap between buying a vehicle and maintaining it, using the latest U.S. price data available on October 6, 2026.
Data compiled by CarInspectionChecklist.com · August 2026 data · Updated October 6, 2026
- Maintenance & repair
- +5.2% Year over year
- Used cars & trucks
- -2.3% Year over year
- Gap in annual changes
- 7.5 points Percentage points
Source: BLS CPI-U, August 2026. U.S. city average; not seasonally adjusted. These are price indexes, not quotes for one car.
How did vehicle costs change?
What does the gap tell buyers?
The maintenance-and-repair index rose 5.2% from August 2025 to August 2026 while the used-cars-and-trucks index fell 2.3%. The difference between those published annual changes was 7.5 percentage points.
A falling purchase-price index can coexist with rising upkeep prices. For someone comparing used cars, the asking price and the likely maintenance work deserve separate attention. The data does not establish whether one car is good value or how much an inspection would save.
Compare the annual changes
| Motor vehicle maintenance and repair | +5.2% |
|---|---|
| Used cars and trucks | -2.3% |
| All items | +3.4% |
| Motor vehicle insurance | -5.1% |
CarInspectionChecklist.com. Vehicle-cost gap, August 2026. Compiled October 6, 2026 from BLS CPI-U. https://carinspectionchecklist.com/research/vehicle-cost-gap/
How was this comparison made?
We selected four categories from Table 1 of the BLS August 2026 CPI release, published September 11, 2026. We calculated each annual change from the August 2025 and August 2026 unadjusted indexes, rounded it to one decimal place, and checked it against BLS’s published annual change.
We subtracted the published used-car change from the published maintenance-and-repair change to obtain the gap. The downloadable CSV includes both index values, the calculated change and the source reference so the comparison can be reproduced.
Maintenance and repair covers motor vehicles generally. It is not a measure restricted to used cars. The U.S. city average does not supply state rankings, vehicle-model estimates, repair bills, inspection outcomes or household savings. Insurance coverage and driving circumstances vary; its index change is not a promised reduction in a premium.
When will the data change?
BLS schedules the September CPI release for October 14, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. This page uses August data and makes no forecast of the September result. We will review the comparison when the new release is available.
For a broader reference, see our used-car statistics. If you are checking an individual car, use the used-car inspection checklist to organize what you observe and what a mechanic should inspect.