A second car can quietly become one of the most expensive conveniences in a household. The vehicle may sit in the driveway most days, yet the bills keep arriving for insurance, registration, fuel, maintenance, tires, and repairs. That math has some men taking a fresh look at whether the second set of wheels still earns its keep.
The question becomes especially interesting when the second vehicle does not replace another expense. It simply adds another one. AAA’s 2026 ownership analysis puts the average annual cost of owning and operating a new vehicle at $12,863, or about $1,072 per month. That figure includes several expenses beyond gasoline, which makes the second-car decision much bigger than a debate over fuel economy.
