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All sorts of marketing ploys are used by new car retailers to secure a sale (brand new cars).
The real cost includes ongoing servicing, repairs, new tyres on a regular basis (for safety), depreciation, ......
So my question is:
Is there a guide for car buyers that clearly compares vehicles in terms of total cost for the purchaser (presumably there would be constraints on this such as assuming ownership for x number of kilometres, only having minor repairs/dents sorted ....)
Thanks for your help on this.

There is no guide that breaks down vehicles model by model that we are aware of. It really is up to each individual to do their own homework because of the many variables involved.

Depreciation is a good example, if you were to pay the full retail price for a new car and the next sale was heavily discounted, the depreciation on your car would be a lot more than the owner who managed to buy at a lower price.

Some new vehicle distributors build in a 'free' service plan into their price structure as well which can be seen as a benefit for many.

The servicing costs between diesel and petrol are another factor which need to be factored in as are the additional costs of Diesel ownership with Road User Charges and higher registration costs.