Do you value this transaction as meaningful or uncontrollable expense?
Do you trust a brand recommended service centre or third-party or DIY?
I would prefer to own a Tesla. I am fortunate with my earnings but I happen to live in unaffordable province named Ontario in Canada. My rat race to get into housing makes me unable to invest in premium electric vehicle. Because of this, I have to justify every single dollar that goes out of my pocket especially on a large purchase as it pushes me back from my housing dream.
You wind up paying for the cost of a lot of tools, but the more you do yourself the bigger your toolbox and the cheaper the job gets next time. Quality tools are worth it, but there is a fine line. Snap-On for example, sell great ergonomic tools on credit, but they are insanely expensive. I used to swear by Craftsman and luckily have almost everything I need from them before they changed hands. Harbor freight tools has discount tools that are perfect for occasional or light duty use. You can buy a cheap MIG welder for $150 for example. Perfect for plain steel exhaust and body repair. Or a complete set of drill bits for $10.
Many auto parts stores will also rent tools for a deposit that they refund once you return the tool. Sometimes you come across a project where the tooling is incredibly expensive. In those cases I'll go to the parts store, rent the tool for retail price, use it, and return it for the deposit back. Parts stores did this to both encourage and enable DIY repairs and reduce costs associated with fraud. Customers used to buy tools, use them once then return them. By offering these used tools as rentals it obliviates the need for someone else to come along and do the same thing.
They are one of the biggest opponents of the "right to repair" movement.
That being said, I'm working-class Michigander who's pretty comfortable with cars and has space to do the work if I need it. The main problem I have is that I'm a small woman so sometimes I just don't have the strength/leverage/whatever needed.
Also as a Michigander (and therefore one of your neighbors - hi!), I'd second the person who recommended leasing one first. Ideally, over the winter, so you can see how the batteries are going to hold up.
I've been fortunate to have mostly reliable 10+ year vehicles, only suffering minor cosmetic damage and expected wear/tear on consumables.
I just got a 2020 car when I should've put the money down on a house. It was a fun thing and I don't regret it - maybe a year setback on replacing rent with loan payments
All cars have tires, brakes, and c/v joints. If you don’t service them, you won’t pass inspection.
Use the dealer while the car is under warranty. Then find the best non-chain local shops.
If you are watching dollars, you will buy a four year old vehicle and drive it for four years. Then sell it.
This is an expense that I view as unavoidable if you own an ICE car. Failure to do maintenance will cause earlier failure, and that's more expensive overall.
I don't DIY: my car is too modern. I switch between a dealer and an independent workshop. I'll use the dealer if there's a recall pending, for instance.