All about car in the Netherlands.

I like this question and I would love to find acoprehensive answer to it.

When you own a car then you have fixed costs an variable costs.

Fixed costs:
- Road-tax: this is based on the weight of the car, the type of fuel and where you live in the Netherlands. Small car is approx. €30 each month, big car can be €80 each month for a gasoline car
- Insurance: this depends on how many Km you would drive each year, the age of the car, and the type of insurance. Can be between €50 and €200 each month.
- Each car has to be checked once a year on several points. If everything is ok the it will be around €25. If repairs are needed then it completely depends on what has to be repaired / replaced
- Maintenance, about every 10000 Km a car needs maintenance where the oil will be changed and other things if needed (like spark plugs, tires, windscreen wipers, coolant fluid, etc.)

Variable costs:
- Fuel
- Fluids like windscreen wash

When looking for a car you have to decide what kind of fuel you want to use: gasoline, diesel, gas, electric
- Gasoline: widely available, if you do not drive much, choose this
- Diesel: cheaper, can drive more Km, but you have to drive at least 20000 Km each year to make this choice economic because road-tax is higher
- Gas: cheapest, can drive less Km, not everywhere available, is used in combination with Gasoline. Only economically if you drive at least 20000 Km because road-tax is higher.
- Electric: economical but low mileage, usually about 300 Km before you have to recharge again

Other things to keep in mind:
Depending on where you live, you need a parking permit to be able to park your car in the street you live. You pay this every year.
The fixed costs you always pay as long as you own a car, even if you are not using it.

I used to have a Volvo XC70 that costed me about €120 each month on insurance and road-tax. It was totally not fuel economic (could drive about 5 km / liter in the city and 10 km / liter on the highway). One time I needed new tires and some other small things and this costed me €1600...
At the moment I do not own a car, I was only driving 3000 km each year. Maybe next year I will get a car again.

O.K. I better start getting used to riding a bike 

Thanks alot buddy really appreciate the detailed reply

Thanks for detailed description.

It was very helpful.
Are there any online insurance calculators available?

And insurance review aggregator similar to health insurance site?

You can find online car insurance comparison sites by searching for “autoverzekering”.
Please note that several sites want you to enter a lisence plate number, some let you select a car from a list alternatively.
Also most sites will be in Dutch, so I hope you can read and understand Dutch.

Please note that the amounts for costs can be different from what I told in my previous message.