10 U.S. Cities With the Most Expensive Car Repairs

New Orleans drivers face steep repair bills relative to the city's median household income of $65,012. Brake hose, alternator, and transmission replacements all rank as the most expensive out of all the cities we evaluated, collectively accounting for 15.46% of annual income. The average repairs from road quality were just slightly better, coming in fourth place overall.

• Median household income: $65,021
• Typical cost of brake hose replacement: $559 (0.86% of income)
• Typical cost of alternator replacement: $955 (1.47% of income)
• Typical cost of transmission replacement: $8,540 (13.13% of income)
• Typical cost of repairs due to road quality: $716 (1.10% of income)

Oklahoma City residents have more income to work with at just under $77,000, but car repairs don't help stretch those dollars. The city's road quality results in $897 in repair costs on average, which is the second highest relative to income in the nation. Drivers who need a transmission replacement should be prepared to shell out more than 11% of the median income, along with 1.3% for a new alternator and 0.75% for new brake hoses.

• Median household income: $76,960
• Typical cost of brake hose replacement: $577 (0.75% of income)
• Typical cost of alternator replacement: $974 (1.27% of income)
• Typical cost of transmission replacement: $8,683 (11.19% of income)
• Typical cost of repairs due to road quality: $897 (1.7% of income)

Drivers in Memphis should be wary if they ever need to replace their alternator or transmission — both rank second as the most expensive compared to income (1.29% and 11.72%, respectively). Road quality-related repairs come in fifth place at just over 1% of income while brake hose replacement comes in seventh place overall.

• Median household income: $70,056
• Typical cost of brake hose replacement: $509 (0.73% of income)
• Typical cost of alternator replacement: $903 (1.29% of income)
• Typical cost of transmission replacement: $8,143 (11.62% of income)
• Typical cost of repairs due to road quality: $746 (1.06% of income)

Cleveland drivers need to watch out for potholes and other road conditions. The average repair due to road quality averages $877 and takes up one of the highest percentages of income out of all the cities we looked at. Transmission and alternator replacements come in sixth and seventh place. But the good news is that the cost of a brake hose replacement doesn't even break the top ten.

• Median household income: $76,118
• Typical cost of brake hose replacement: $537 (0.71% of income)
• Typical cost of alternator replacement: $932 (1.22% of income)
• Typical cost of transmission replacement: $8,365 (10.99% of income)
• Typical cost of repairs due to road quality: $877 (1.17% of income)

Houston has the highest median household income in our top ten, but car repair costs can quickly eat away at those extra earnings. Brake hose replacement is one of the most expensive in the country at $659. Transmission and alternator replacements also rank in the top five when compared to income. Road quality, however, must be a priority in Houston, because those costs came in 19th.

• Median household income: $84,610
• Typical cost of brake hose replacement: $659 (0.79% of income)
• Typical cost of alternator replacement: $1,060 (1.25% of income)
• Typical cost of transmission replacement: $9,335 (11.03% of income)
• Typical cost of repairs due to road quality: $610 (0.72%)

In Detroit drivers are more prone to expensive repairs due to road quality than most other cities, with costs averaging $732. Transmission replacements also take a big bite out of budgets, accounting for more than 10% of the median household income.

• Median household income: $79,294
• Typical cost of brake hose replacement: $569 (0.72% of income)
• Typical cost of alternator replacement: $966 (1.22% of income)
• Typical cost of transmission replacement: $8,620 (10.87% of income)
• Typical cost of repairs due to road quality: $732 (0.92% of income)

Louisville's seventh place finish is largely due to the cost of a transmission replacement taking up nearly 11% of the median household income. Road quality repair costs were also high, ranking 11th out of all the cities we analyzed. Alternator and brake hose replacement costs were a bit more modest, ranking 13th place each

• Median household income: $77,221
• Typical cost of brake hose replacement: $539 (0.70% of income)
• Typical cost of alternator replacement: $934 (1.21% of income)
• Typical cost of transmission replacement: $8,381 (10.85% of income)
• Typical cost of repairs due to road quality: $628 (0.81% of income)

Frequent collisions aren't much of an issue in Milwaukee drivers may feel the biggest sticker shock when they hit a bump in the road; repairs based on quality of the streets are actually the most expensive relative to the median household income. Brake hose, alternator, and transmission replacement costs all ranked in the mid-teens.

• Median household income: $80,485
• Typical cost of brake hose replacement: $557 (0.69% of income)
• Typical cost of alternator replacement: $953 (1.18% of income)
• Typical cost of transmission replacement: $8,524 (10.59% of income)
• Typical cost of repairs due to road quality: $944 (1.73% of income)

Buffalo makes it onto our list thanks to high transmission and alternator costs, which each account for 11.26% and 1.26% of median household income. Both of these repairs are the fourth most expensive relative to income out of all 50 cities we reviewed. Road quality, however, seems to be important in Buffalo with the average related repair costing under $400.

• Median household income: $74,285
• Typical cost of brake hose replacement: $537 (0.73% of income)
• Typical cost of alternator replacement: $932 (1.26% of income)
• Typical cost of transmission replacement: $8,365 (11.26% of income)
• Typical cost of repairs due to road quality: $382 (0.51% of income)

Road quality repairs are the worst-ranking expense for San Antonio, despite having one of the higher median household incomes on our list. Brake, alternator, and transmission replacement costs are a little more reasonable, ranking 14th, 16th, and 15th, respectively.

• Median household income: $82,831
• Typical cost of brake hose replacement: $569 (0.69% of income)
• Typical cost of alternator replacement: $966 (1.18% of income)
• Typical cost of transmission replacement: $8,620 (10.50% of income)
• Typical cost of repairs due to road quality: $710 (0.86% of income)