Chapter Twelve
What is the cost to operate a car in America these days?
As we all know, the cost of buying and owning a vehicle can vary widely, i.e. a Bentley vs. a Kia. Did you know that where you live can have a factor in that as well?
Research shows that Georgia is the most expensive state in the Union to operate a car. But my favorite is Oregon, where it is the most affordable.
The gap is huge, almost double, to keep the ole bucket of bolts running in the peachy keen state of Georgia calculating in insurance, repairs, taxes and fees. Glad I’m not moving to Georgia anytime soon.
The top five most expensive states are:
• Georgia " over $4,000 per year
• California (no surprise) " $3,966 per year
• Wyoming (surprised me) " $3,938 per year
• Rhode Island " $3,913 per year
• Nevada " $3,886 per year
But, don’t think you will get away without paying higher costs. The cost of car ownership is rising continually, as high as 12% per year for maintenance and repair of your fine automobile.
Currently the national average to operate a car per year in this fine nation is $3,201.
The least expensive states:
• Indiana " $2,698 per year
• Montana " $2,660 " sure miss that state
• South Dakota " $2,343 a year
• Alaska " $2,227 " love that state
• Oregon " $2,204 per year " love that state
So the next time you’re looking for a job or a place to move to, you may want to take into account that the prettiest states (in my own opinion of course) will take better care of you when it comes to taking care of your car. Of course, these costs don’t include your monthly payment.
“Some people are like Slinkies … not really good for anything, but you can’t help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.”