what is an example of capex 
the purchase is often capitalized and treated as capex when a company acquires a vehicle to add to its fleet the cost of the vehicle is depreciated over its useful life and the acquisition is initially recorded on the company s balance sheet this is treated differently than opex such as the cost to fill up the vehicle s gas tank the tank of gas has a much shorter useful life to the company so it s expensed immediately and treated as opex the bottom linecapital expenditures are purchases made by a company and capitalized on a balance sheet rather than being fully expensed at the time of purchase assets that are capitalized can be accounted for over their useful lifetime and depreciated capex can tell you how much a company invests in existing and new fixed assets to maintain or grow its business 