How to compare investment costs in a small operation

The purchase price does not show an investment's full cost. When comparing options, define that they perform the same delivery work over the same period and under similar conditions. Do not combine different service capacity or duration into one total.

Put costs in the same table

For each option, list purchase or lease, financing, energy, fuel, maintenance, consumables and return or disposal costs. Subtract actual resale or residual value at the end of the period. If downtime occurs, separately add documented extra labour, substitute transport and lost contribution from deliveries that could not be completed.

Calculate unit cost from the same output

Divide net period cost by completed deliveries. Days of use can also help compare options, but are not sufficient when delivery volumes differ. Avoid counting the same downtime loss both as an extra expense and as a lost delivery.

Replace quoted estimates with actual energy, maintenance and usage records when available. Mark unmeasured items as estimates and keep them in a separate scenario. The result then rests on observed data and can be recalculated when assumptions change.