Cars aren’t cheap, and worst of all, buying one is not a one-and-done kind of transaction. There are plenty of costs that go beyond the sticker price that can change the true cost of buying a car, like maintenance, gas and insurance.

The car

The car itself is usually the biggest single cost. There’s a phrase you’ll hear thrown around, MSRP, which stands for manufacturer’s suggested retail price. This price can vary depending on trim level (different versions of the same car) and any optional features on the car.

“So you’ve got the base price,” says Greg Migliore, editor-in-chief of Autoblog.com. “Usually carmakers advertise that as the cheapest, least expensive, most basic car. You probably don’t want that car.”

Optional packages, like a sunroof or satellite navigation, cost extra. Make sure you build out the features you can’t live without before you go to a dealer, so you have a good idea of what you’ll end up paying.

Interest

The average car price in the U.S. was $36,113 at the end of last year, according to Kelley Blue Book. If you choose to finance your purchase, you’ll have to factor in interest.

The amount of interest you’ll pay over the life of your auto loan depends on a few things, including how big your down payment is and the length of the loan. The interest rate itself depends on several factors: your credit score, your debt-to-income ratio, how much you borrow and how much you put down.

But sometimes there are deals to be made.

“If you’re a returning customer, sometimes they’ll give you 0% financing,” says Migliore.

Auto insurance

This is another cost that’s highly variable, where insurance companies tend to use your driving record, the type of car you own and your age to determine your rates.

“They don’t make their formulas public, to my knowledge,” says Migliore. “You’ve just kind of have to shop around for quotes and find one you like.”

NerdWallet found the cheapest car insurance for good drivers in Michigan to be $2,292 per year; in New York it’s $1,097 per year.

Maintenance

There are plenty of things that can go wrong on a car, so you’ll need to budget to keep it running. AAA says average maintenance and tires run about $99 a month for a new vehicle, and you’ll want to make sure you bump your emergency savings a bit to make sure you can cover any bigger surprise expenses.

There are a few ways you can keep these costs low, and Migliore says the best thing to do is be proactive: get your oil changed on time, rotate and align your tires regularly and use the right kind of fuel if your car requires more than regular.