Despite Gas Price Rise, Driving Costs Dip .1 Cent in Third Quarter, AAA Says
12 October 1999
Despite Gas Price Rise, Driving Costs Dip .1 Cent in Third Quarter, AAA Says
ORLANDO, Fla.--Oct. 11, 1999--Steadily rising gas prices during the summer months were offset by a small decrease in fixed driving expenses, slightly lowering the overall cost of owning and operating a new car in the third quarter, according to AAA.Motorists now spend an average of 47.4 cents per mile in vehicle-related expenses - down .1 cent per mile from the second quarter. The decrease lowers the average annual expenditure $15 since last quarter to $7,110 based on 15,000 miles of driving.
The nation-wide average price of self-serve regular unleaded gasoline increased 14 cents per gallon during the third quarter.
AAA's study of driving costs is based on computations made by Runzheimer International of Rochester, Wisc. The management consulting firm specializes in transportation, travel and living costs. The average per-mile cost is determined by combining operating and fixed costs.
During the third quarter of this year, motorists spent an average of 11.15 cents per mile on operating costs such as gasoline, oil, tires and maintenance, down .05 cent since the second quarter.
Fixed costs, such as insurance, depreciation, registration, taxes and financing, averaged $14.91 per day, down 2 cents in the last three months.
New England and the West were the most expensive regions to own and operate a car, each with total costs of 49 cents per mile. The Midwest had the lowest cost, at 45.5 cents per mile.
Other regional costs were: Mid-Atlantic, 48.7 cents; Southwest, 47.8; Great Lakes, 47; and Southeast, 45.8.
AAA's cost estimates are based on a composite national average of three domestically built 1999 cars: a compact Chevrolet Cavalier LS, a mid-size Ford Taurus SE and a full-size Mercury Grand Marquis GS.
AAA is a not-for-profit federation of 90 clubs with 1,100 offices providing nearly 42 million members in the United States and Canada with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services.
AAA - YOUR DRIVING COSTS
1999 THIRD QUARTER UPDATE
REGIONAL OPERATING COSTS FIXED COSTS TOTAL COSTS
AVERAGES (a) PER MILE PER DAY PER MILE
NEW ENGLAND 11.05 cents $15.61 49.0 cents
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CT,ME,MA,NH,
RI, VT
MID-ATLANTIC 10.94 cents $15.52 48.7 cents
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DE,MD,NJ,NY,PA
VA,WV
GREAT LAKES 10.94 cents $14.80 47.0 cents
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IL,IN,MI,OH,WI
MIDWEST 10.63 cents $14.33 45.5 cents
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IA,KS,MN,MO,
NE,ND,SD
SOUTHEAST 10.58 cents $14.47 45.8 cents
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AL,AR,FL,GA,KY,
LA,MS,NC,SC,TN
WEST 12.36 cents $15.04 49.0 cents
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AK,CA,CO,HI,ID,
MT,NV,OR,UT,WA,WY
SOUTHWEST 11.10 cents $14.68 46.8 cents
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AZ,NM,OK,TX
National
Average (a) 11.15 cents $14.91 47.4 cents
(a) Based on the composite average of a 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
LS 4-cylinder, Ford Taurus SE 6-cylinder, Mercury Grand Marquis LS
8-cylinder, driven 15,000 miles-per-year under stop-and-go driving
conditions and retained in service for four years.
Prepared by Runzheimer International Rochester, Wisconsin
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