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Repair vs Replace Calculator for Owner Operators

Should you fix the truck or buy another one? Compare what each choice costs over the same years, and see how big a repair you could pay before replacing wins.

The same for both trucks

yrs
$/gal
$
% a year

The numbers below are examples. Change every one to match your trucks.

Keep and fix the old truck

$
$
$
$

Sell it and buy another

$
$
$

Replacing costs $33,486 less over 3 years

Even a free repair would leave keeping the old truck more expensive, because its yearly costs are higher than the other truck's. The repair is 27% of what the old truck is worth today.

Keep and fix

$412,200

over 3 years. $137,400 a year, $1.37 a mile.

Repair now
$8,000
Fuel a year
$103,333
Upkeep a year
$15,000
Downtime a year
$9,000
Cost of money a year
$2,400
Loss in value
$15,000

Replace

$378,714

over 3 years. $126,238 a year, $1.26 a mile.

Repair now
$0
Fuel a year
$88,571
Upkeep a year
$6,000
Downtime a year
$3,000
Cost of money a year
$12,000
Loss in value
$50,000
To see the loan and cash flow of the other truck year by year, use the Truck Ownership Simulator. To compare a purchase with a lease, use Lease vs Buy. To check a used truck before you buy, use the Used Truck Inspection Checklist.

Each choice is the cost of running the truck you end up with: upkeep, downtime and fuel for each year, the cost of money on what is tied up in the truck, and the value the truck loses. Keeping adds the repair you need now. Selling the old truck at its value today pays toward the other one. It is cost before income tax, and it leaves out Section 179 and other tax effects. Your numbers stay in this browser. This is an estimate for planning, not tax or financial advice.

Numbers tight? Let a dispatcher find better loads.

This tool is free. If it shows you are leaving money on the road, Grow Trucking finds loads, negotiates rates and does the paperwork for owner-operators and small fleets.

Talk to a dispatcher Call (845) 400-9179

Also: About Grow Trucking · Refer a carrier · Trucking blog

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Is it cheaper to repair or replace a semi truck?

It is cheaper to replace when the old truck's yearly running costs and lost days add up to more than the other truck's price costs you. The calculator prices both over the same years: fuel, upkeep, downtime, cost of money and lost value, plus the repair you need now if you keep the old truck.

  1. Enter the years you plan to keep the truck, your miles a year, diesel price, what a day down costs, and your cost of money.
  2. Enter the repair you need now and the old truck's yearly upkeep, days down, MPG and values.
  3. Enter the other truck's price, yearly upkeep, days down, MPG and end value.
  4. Read which choice costs less and by how much.
  5. Check the break-even repair to see how big a repair you could pay.
  6. Try other years to see if the answer holds.
What each choice adds up
CostKeep and fixReplace
Repair nowThe repair quoteNone
Fuel a yearMiles / old MPG x diesel priceMiles / new MPG x diesel price
Upkeep a yearOld truck's repairs and maintenanceOther truck's repairs and maintenance
Downtime a yearDays down x cost of a dayDays down x cost of a day
Cost of money a yearRate x old truck's value todayRate x other truck's price
Loss in valueValue today minus value at the endPrice minus value at the end

Every number is one you type. Nothing in the calculation is a market figure. It shows cost before income tax and leaves out Section 179 and other tax effects. Selling the old truck at its value today pays toward the other one, so its value is not counted a second time. The example numbers on the page are for illustration only.

Last reviewed September 2026. Sources: ATRI: Operational Costs of Trucking; IRS: Publication 946, How to Depreciate Property; EIA: weekly U.S. on-highway diesel prices.

Frequently Asked Questions - Repair vs Replace Calculator

How do I decide whether to repair or replace my semi truck?
Compare what each choice costs over the same number of years. For each truck add up fuel, upkeep, downtime, the cost of the money tied up in it, and the value it loses. Keeping also adds the repair you need now. Whichever total is lower is the cheaper choice. This calculator does that with your numbers.
How much repair is too much on a truck?
There is no fixed percent that works for every truck. The calculator shows a break-even repair: the most you could pay for the repair now and still tie with replacing. If it is below zero, the old truck costs more to run every year, so even a free repair leaves replacing cheaper.
Why does the cost of money matter?
Money tied up in a truck could be paying down a loan or earning something else. The tool charges each truck a yearly rate on what is tied up in it: the old truck's value today, or the other truck's price. Use your loan rate, or what the cash could earn.
How should I count downtime?
Multiply the days a truck sits broken in a year by what a day down costs you. That may be the profit you miss, a rental truck, or both. An old truck that is down 15 days a year at $600 a day costs $9,000 a year, which can be more than the repair.
What should I enter for what my old truck is worth?
What you could sell it for today, as it is, not what you paid or what you owe. Ask a dealer for a trade-in or sale price, and check what similar trucks sell for. Then enter your best guess for what it would be worth at the end of the years you are comparing.
Should I fix a big repair like an engine or transmission?
Enter the quote as the repair you need now, and be honest about the upkeep and downtime after it. A new major part can lower upkeep on that system, but the rest of the truck is still old. Compare the total with the other truck over at least 2 to 3 years.
Does the calculator include taxes or Section 179?
No. It shows cost before income tax. A purchase may qualify for tax deductions that change the answer, so check with your accountant. The IRS explains depreciation and Section 179 in Publication 946.
How many years should I compare?
Use the number of years you plan to keep the truck you choose. A short comparison favors keeping, because the big price of a newer truck shows up right away. A longer one favors the truck with lower yearly costs. Try 2, 3 and 5 years to see if the answer changes.
Where can I find the numbers for this?
Your own records are best: repair and maintenance bills, days down from your log, and fuel from your fuel card. For cost benchmarks, ATRI publishes an annual report on the operational costs of trucking. The Cost Per Mile Calculator and Maintenance Scheduler on this site can help you gather your own.

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Go Further With Repair vs Replace Calculator

Guides, services and reference pages that go with this tool.