what resources are available to help determine tco 
any information source about the operating costs of an item will be helpful consumer reports is a good source for many items including technology and automobiles resources like kelley blue book and edmunds are good sources for information about auto purchases 23the bottom linethe total cost of ownership can be a useful statistic in a number of situations from business operations to personal purchases if you re making a major purchase remember to look beyond the purchase price to the total costs involved with the product such as maintenance or repairs 