Preventive vs reactive maintenance: a 12-month cost comparison

This worked model compares two 30-vehicle fleets over 12 months. It uses the cost inputs already published in this article, with Fleet A labeled preventive and Fleet B reactive. The inputs are assumptions, not audited customer accounts or measured savings delivered by Fleet by Elevera.

Costs in the model

The total below includes the nine listed cost categories. It excludes lost route revenue and any additional estimate for administrative or operational disruption.

Fleet A: €18,400 + €11,200 + €9,400 + €2,800 + €8,100 + €4,200 + €6,800 + €1,400 + €0 = €62,300.

Fleet B: €4,200 + €19,800 + €14,100 + €6,400 + €31,200 + €11,800 + €27,400 + €8,200 + €18,400 = €141,500.

The difference is €141,500 − €62,300 = €79,200, or €79,200 ÷ 30 = €2,640 per vehicle over the modeled year. Relative to Fleet A, Fleet B’s listed costs are €79,200 ÷ €62,300 = 127.1% higher.

What the rows show

Towing and replacement rentals total €1,400 for Fleet A and €26,600 for Fleet B. Their difference is €25,200. Fleet A’s towing cost must remain in that comparison.

Fleet A has €14,200 more scheduled-service cost in the model. Other rows differ too, including body damage and vehicle rental. The table cannot establish that the service spending caused those differences or turn them into a preventive-maintenance return on investment.

Use the calculation with your own records

Keep the same categories and accounting period for each fleet. Record invoices and rental charges separately from estimates of lost revenue. Check whether workshop invoices already include labor before adding a separate labor category. Avoid counting the same downtime cost in both a rental invoice and an operational estimate.

These inputs do not establish recommended service intervals, the share of breakdowns that maintenance would prevent, or a typical industry saving. They also do not establish whether these cost categories overlap with another damage-loss model. Do not add the totals to a separate loss estimate without checking its definitions.

Inspect the Fleet by Elevera maintenance workflow and the current plans and included modules. Use records from your own operation to decide what the comparison means for your fleet.

A cost table needs reliable source records. Connect findings from the daily vehicle inspection routine to the relevant service work. The maintenance overview guide explains how to review that work in Fleet. Keep incident and claim costs separate until you have checked for overlapping invoices.