Average cost of driving remains flat at 52.2 cents/mile
According to the AAA, it costs an average of 52.2 cents/mile to operate a new vehicle, which is about the same it was last year. On average, the association figures you'll be spending $7,823 to drive 15,000 miles. While you may have noticed that gas prices have been a little lower lately, any savings at the pump are offset by higher insurance rates and the increase of financing when buying a new vehicle. The AAA also breaks it down by vehicle type, so where a small car may cost you $6,219 a year to drive, a large sedan would force $9,373 out of your wallet. A minivan demands $8,639 a year, while the SUV remains the consuming king, gobbling up $9,997 per year. Ownership expenses that fit into the calculation include fuel, maintenance, tires, insurance, license, registration, taxes, depreciation and finance charges. What, no car washes?
[Source: Detroit News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rick Lyon 12:24PM (3/26/2007)
Gas pries lower lately? Ah no, they've been climbing every week since they were down in January's $2 a gallon, or since Pre-Bush's $1.40 a gallon. As for minivans, my Mazda 5 doesn't seem to be included in those calculations.
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Michael Karesh 12:19PM (3/26/2007)
I don't know which to believe, the AAA figure of 52 cents or the CNW figure of about 252 cents just for the energy used to make and operate the car.
The AAA figure certainly sounds a lot more accurate, but only CNW can prove that a Prius consumes more energy than a Hummer :)
Assumptions made by CNW to yield energy costs per mile in the 2-3 dollar range:
http://www.truedelta.com/blog/?p=66
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bgdc 12:35PM (3/26/2007)
***"While you may have noticed that gas prices have been a little lower lately, """
Say what? I paid $3.28 for premium yesterday. Pardon me for not thinking that's low.
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mettmann 12:39PM (3/26/2007)
3.23 for reg
3.56 for premium
on average - in many parts of SoCal..
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Frank 1:24PM (3/26/2007)
Who's idea of low is this? I just paid $3.20 a gallon for REGULAR 87 octane.
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salguod 12:55PM (3/26/2007)
That number seems dead on. I keep scrupulous records on my cars through the Palm software Automobile from Linkesoft. My 3 is about 13 months old and I'm averaging $534.44 per month to keep it going. That works out to $6,413.28 per year. That includes payments, gas and maintenance, but not insurance. I'm also averaging 16,473 miles per year, a bit over their mark.
The CNW numbers are phony baloney. I've tracked 3 cars with this and never came close to those figures, even on my 1960 T'bird.
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akintz 1:16PM (3/26/2007)
Ditto all of the other gas claims. In the last month or two they've been steadily rising - though for the last week or week and a half they've been holding even around here at about $2.75 for 87.
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sk 1:54PM (3/26/2007)
This is how much my car costs me per year.
Lease, Maintenance , Fuel, Insurance and car wash = $7,815 for 2006
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fizzandpop 3:22PM (3/26/2007)
Peeps, just buy an old BMW. Here's my breakdown
Payments=$0
Insurance=$216/year
Maintenance=$427
Gas=5,000 at $3.30 at about 20MPG=$825
Registration=$111
That's just over 3c per mile. Any other smug bastards beat that?
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G-man 3:10PM (3/26/2007)
hmm. i pay about 2.60 for prem so... my 1993 ls400 has cost me in the past year that i've owned it... $2175, for the car, $600 for liability insurance, $200 for two new tires, $150 in oil changes, and 2025 in fuel (15k miles). Grand Total for 1 year.. $5150.
Running costs for my vehicle are only 2975 for one year. I won't gloat. Used cars(lexus) are the way to go.
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salguod 3:44PM (3/26/2007)
Well, the study was for *new* cars, not used.
If you're looking for low cost per mile, the 1993 Escort that I had for 10.5 years before the 3 cost me $0.185 per mile over about 155,000 miles. That includes all costs except insurance. Add in another $0.025 for that and I'm at 21 cents.
Neener-neener-neener. :-D
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Christobevii3 3:59PM (3/26/2007)
I'll keep driving my 20mpg s10 blazer with a 5.3L and 330hp before i'll "save" money from buying a new car. No car payments makes it cheaper than a prius!
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MikeW 7:29PM (3/26/2007)
Please let the Straight of Hormuz (persian gulf where is necks down by Iran) stay unblocked (gulf of tonkin 2). otherwise that 52.2 is going to jump, big time.
Will somebody please impeach bush & co. (at least it would show the world we are not complicit or complacent)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Strait_of_Hormuz.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Straße_von_Hormuz.jpg
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MikeW 6:45PM (3/26/2007)
Please let the Straight of Hormuz (persian gulf where is necks down by Iran) stay unblocked (gulf of tonkin 2). otherwise that 52.2 is going to jump, big time.
Will somebody please impeach bush & co. (at least it would show the world we are not complicit or complacent)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Strait_of_Hormuz.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Straße_von_Hormuz.jpg
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Rick Lyon 10:12AM (3/27/2007)
Talk of Impeaching Bush due to his AG firing those 6 lawyers and staff member pleading the 5th before a senate hearing. hehehe
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