Maintaining Can Cost More Than You Think

Many people associate the cost of their car with how much they have to pay when they buy it,

however, things such as the cost of maintaining your car, insurance, and filling up your gas tank add more to the cost of your vehicle than the

price tag suggests.

Being aware of these "hidden" costs of your vehicle can significantly help you choose the

right vehicle for you and your life style.

The U.S. Department of Labor's recent research report "Consumer Expenditures in 2013" shows that the US average car owner

pays roughly $9,000 a year to own and maintain their vehicle.

According to the Consumer Expenditures report, of that $9,000, $3,300 goes to the

purchase and payments towards the vehicle, $2,400 is for gasoline and oil, and $3,300 for

insurance and maintaining the vehicle.

How to Reduce the Cost of Maintaining Your Car

Research has shown that the average cost of maintaining a small sedan is about 59.5

cents for every mile that you travel in your vehicle.

By comparison, the cost of maintaining a large sedan averages 97.5 cents per mile,

and at 38 cents more than the small sedan, can cost $3,800 more if you drive at least

10,000 miles a year.

Maintaining Different Engines

Keep in mind how much power you actually, and honestly, need to have when choosing

an engine.

An eight cylinder engine may get your more torque than a four cylinder engine but will

guzzle significantly more gas both while driving and idling.

With gas prices dropping pretty substantially this year it may not seem like such an issue,

but the difference at the pump is still noticeable regardless of the price of gas.

Maintaining Your Car Can Be Easy

One of the best ways to save on gas and the cost of maintaining your vehicle is to avoid

driving it in the first place.

Walking or riding a bicycle when you can is a good way to not only save car money, but

also improve your health with daily exercise.

Other alternatives include city buses, subways, and car pooling with coworkers or

friends.

Just because you own a car doesn't mean you are required to drive it everywhere you

go.

Treating your vehicle as commodity that it is and not taking it for granted can make the

true cost of owning a car must less of a burden and more of a luxury.