The cost of insuring, fueling and maintaining the average sedan in America rose by 1.96 percent over the previous year to a price of $9,122..
According to AAA’s annual “Your Driving Costs” study, this is based on someone driving 15,000 miles per year and works out to a cost of 60.8 cents per mile.
“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. “This year, changes in maintenance, fuel and insurance costs resulted in the increase to just over 60 cents a mile.”
Based on 15,000 miles per year, the cost of vehicles by class include:
Cost per Mile Per year
Small Sedan……. 46.4 cents…………. $6,967
Medium Sedan…. 61.0 cents…………. $9,151
Large Sedan…… 75.0 cents……….. $11,248
Sedan Average… 60.8 cents…………. $9,122
SUV 4WD………. 77.3 cents………… $11,599
Minivan………….. 65.3 cents………… $9,795
In-depth findings of this year’s study, including a breakdown of specific costs by category of vehicle and various annual mileages, are contained in the ‘Your Driving Costs’ brochure which is available at select local AAA branch offices or online.
“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 assist consumers in determining their individual driving costs, the AAA ‘Your Driving Costs’ brochure contains a worksheet that can be filled out and personalized for a specific area, driver and vehicle.
Maintenance were the biggest part of the increase in costs, from 2012 to 2013, growing by 11.26 percent to 4.97 cents per mile on average for sedan owners.
AAA’s estimates are based upon the cost to maintain a vehicle and perform needed repairs for five years and 75,000 miles including labor expenses, replacement part prices and the purchase of an extended warranty policy.
Driving the increase in maintenance costs is significant increases in labor and part costs for some models and a major increase in the price of extended warranty policies due to high loss ratios by underwriters.
Gasoline prices were relatively stable compared to the prior year, leading to a minimal fuel cost increase of 1.93 percent to 14.45 cents per mile on average for sedan owners.
The average cost of regular grade fuel (used by most of the study vehicles) rose 3.84 percent, from $3.357 to $3.486 per gallon. However, several vehicles in the ‘Your Driving Costs’ study had small improvements in their fuel economy ratings, which partially offset the fuel cost increase.
Fuel costs in the 2013 study were calculated using the national average price for regular, unleaded gasoline during the fourth quarter of 2012.
The cost of tires did not change from 2012 to 2013, remaining at one cent per mile on average for sedan owners. The stable price is attributed to a leveling off of past increased costs for raw materials, energy and transportation from factories to distributors across the country.
Average insurance costs for sedans rose 2.76 percent (or $28) to $1,029 annually. Insurance rates vary widely by driver and driving record, issuing company and geographical region.
AAA insurance cost estimates are based on a low-risk driver with a clean driving record. Quotes from five AAA clubs and insurance companies representing seven states showed across-the-board modest increases for all sedan sizes, with large cars having less of an increase than small- and medium-size sedans.
After seeing a drop in 2012, depreciation costs were up slightly in 2013, increasing .78 percent to $3,571 a year. This change may be a consequence of recovering new vehicle sales, resulting in more used cars available in the marketplace and thus the softening of the resale value of clean older models.
