The cost of driving is going up, but it’s maintenance, not gasoline, that's now taking the biggest share of your driving dollar.
According to an annual AAA study, the price of driving will rise 1.96 percent in 2013, compared with last year. The AAA study, based on owning one of 15 top-selling sedans in the United States and operating it for 15,000 miles per year, showed that the average cost for car owners will jump 1.17 cents to 60.8 cents per mile, or $9,122 per year.
The largest component of that total cost will come from maintaining a vehicle, which will see the single largest percentage increase of any category, growing by 11.3 percent to 4.97 cents per mile on average. AAA based its estimates on the cost of maintaining a vehicle and performing needed repairs for five years and 75,000 miles, including labor, replacement parts and an extended warranty policy.
AAA attributed the increase in maintenance costs to a rise in labor and parts charges for some models, as well as a hike in the price of extended warranty policies due to high loss ratios by underwriters. “Many factors go into the cost calculation of owning and operating a vehicle,” John Nielsen, AAA’s director of Automotive Engineering and Repair, said in a statement.
Fuel and insurance price increases will take growing slices of the driving-cost pie. “This year, changes in maintenance, fuel and insurance costs resulted in the increase to just over 60 cents a mile,” Nielsen said.
The study predicted that fuel prices will rise only 1.93 percent -- to 14.45 cents per mile on average for sedan owners -- as gasoline prices remain relatively stable. The average cost of regular gas used by most of the vehicles in the study rose 3.84 percent, from $3.357 to $3.486 per gallon. But this was partially offset by several vehicles in the survey that achieved significant improvements in fuel economy. (Fuel costs in the 2013 study were determined using the national average price for regular gas during the fourth quarter of 2012.)
Average insurance costs for sedan owner are projected to rise 2.76 percent, or $28, to $1,029 a year. Insurance rates vary drastically depending on the driver, driving record, issuing company and region. The AAA study based its insurance cost estimates on a hypothetical low-risk driver with a clean record.
AAA obtained quotes from five of its own clubs, as well as insurance companies representing seven states. Overall, there is an across-the-board but modest increase in insurance premiums for all sedans, with large cars seeing a lower price increase than small- and medium-size sedans.
Depreciation costs in 2013 will also be up slightly, by less than 1 percent, to $3,571 per year. AAA said that this is likely due to growth in new-vehicle sales, which has put more used cars in the marketplace. That in turn drops the resale value of older models in good condition.
One expenditure that's unlikely to change is the cost of tires, which are estimated to remain at 1 cent per mile on average for sedan owners. AAA attributed this stability to a leveling off of past cost rises based on raw materials, energy and shipping.
“Before you make any vehicle purchase, it is important to determine ownership and operational costs and compare them to your current and future financial situation,” Nielsen said.
To figure out your own expenditures, you can download AAA’s brochure, which contains a worksheet that can be filled out and personalized for a specific driver, vehicle and location.
Exhaust Notes - A Blog from MSN Autos - MSN Autos
I think I'll stay with my 17 year old car for a while