The True Cost of Owning A Bugatti Veyron

Bugatti Veyron

Ever since the supercar was first conceived as a type of vehicle, it has remained the ultimate driving machine. They’re expensive, luxurious, extremely fast, produced in limited numbers, and have all the other attributes that go along with a car that costs more than most people’s homes. We’ve seen many spectacular supercars over the years, but everything change in 2005 when the Bugatti Veyron was first unveiled. The original model was quite the looker and came with a massive price tag. But the most attractive feature was the vehicle’s absurd 8.0-liter, W16 engine that had four turbochargers. Bugatti would go on to produce a variety of different models over the years, and eventually would make one that holds down the record for the fastest production vehicle of all time  Most any Bugatti Veyron has at least 1,000hp, and the more expensive models have even more. As we all know, Bugatti has since discontinued the Veyron, and the models that they will sell this year will be the last Veyrons ever. The car has had a great run, but as many will agree, it’s awfully expensive. In fact we decided to dive into just how expensive it really is.

In order to even consider purchasing a Veyron you have to be extraordinarily wealthy, obviously. We’re talking hedge fund owner or Saudi Prince wealthy. Ferraris and Lamborghinis will generally run from anywhere between $200,000 to $600,000 new, but a Veyron will go for much higher. Now, there have been a variety of different models of the Veyron that have been released over the years in addition to a few one-offs. These cars will cost anywhere from $1 million to as close to $4 million depending on the model.  Here are a few recent listings with one going for 3.5 Million. Additionally, since the Veyron has now been discontinued it’s likely to be more expensive in after-market sales since you can no longer buy the car new.

bugatti_veyron_grand_sport+interior

It doesn’t matter what car you drive, any car will have maintenance issues. You’ll blow a clutch or maybe the engine stops working; it is foolish to think that your car will never need a visit to the garage. Car enthusiasts often fiddle and mend their cars themselves, but what about fixing a Bugatti Veyron? Would you actually feel comfortable tinkering or repairing your million dollar supercar? It doesn’t even matter because Bugatti won’t let you. The Veyron has actually been designed so that there is no hood on the car. If you want to show off the inner workings to your friends, all you have is a small compartment that allows you to view merely a fraction of the engine. You actually can’t get into the rest of the car without practically taking the entire thing apart. Also like many other high-end brands, Bugatti wants you to service your Veyron at very specific garages. So if you ever need any type of repair you have to take it to a high-end garage with supercar specialists to work on it, which is obviously more expensive than alternatives. So what are the costs?

If you want to get an oil change and some standard service, which is typically the cheapest work you can get a garage to do, you’re looking at about $21,000 dollars. Yes, that’s just for an oil change and maybe a tire rotation. Since we are on the topic of tires, you’re also going to be paying a lot for your Veyron’s. The Bugatti Veyron uses very specific tires, and at top-speed, those tires only last about 15 minutes before needing to be replaced. Want a new set? Get ready to pay $42,000 dollars for new tires. Oh and the wheels also need to be replaced entirely after every other tire change. They will run you about $69,000 for a set. Bugatti also encourages that you replace the tires and wheels a few times throughout the year. So if you get an oil change, replace the tires, and then replace the wheels/tires for a Veyron in one year, you’re looking at $132,000 in just parts (excluding labor). Hopefully your transmission will never break on your Veyron, because it costs around $120,000 alone to replace. The Veyron also only gets about 15mpg on the highway, so you will be frequently visiting gas stations and obviously you have to use the most premium form of gasoline to fill it up. Based on data from FuelEconomy.gov, the average Veyron costs $83 dollars to fill up and the estimated annual fuel cost is around $4,700 dollars. Comparatively, a standard 2014 Honda Accord has an estimated annual fuel cost of just $1,450.

Bugatti_Veyron_16.4_–_Heckansicht_(6),_5._April_2012,_Düsseldorf

And we cannot forget about insurance. Insuring any car can be expensive, and for supercars they’re even more pricey. No insurance company is going to give you a break for insuring a $1.5 million dollar car that can exceed speeds of 200 mph. Additionally, many first-time supercar owners end up in an accident within the first few months of owning their car. Should you live in VA, CA, or some other state that steals from its residents using a car property tax, then expect to pay over $50,000 annually just for the right to own your Bugatti. You read that correctly, $50,000.

So at the end of the day, is it actually worth it to own a Veyron? Those that can realistically afford one will tell you “yes”, but as you can see, there are many other factors and costs to consider. When an oil change runs you $21,000 dollars, you might think twice before pulling the trigger on that $2 million dollar car. But I suppose if you can actually afford the initial cost of the Veyron, then you can probably afford all the additional costs that are associated with the car. Again that’s a big assumption. For a rough estimate, let’s say you bought that $3.5 million dollar Veyron we listed earlier that’s currently for sale, had the oil changed four times in a year (that’s realistic), had the tires replaced once, then later replaced the wheels, and obviously you’ll need to pay for insurance. Those are pretty conservative estimates. Including the initial cost of the car, in one year alone you could easily spend $3,745,000. That means you’ll spend $245,000 on tires, oil, and insurance alone, in one year. Ouch. Enjoy your car!

Photo from Bugatti

Written by Sebastian Hensiek

From Philadelphia, Sebastian is a fan of music, writing, art, and entertainment.