AAA survey: Cost of operating vehicle more expensive

An April survey by the American Automobile Association in Southern New England has found that the cost of operating an automobile now averages 54.1 cents per mile.The cost has increased 1.9 cents since a year ago.In 2008, AAA estimates it will cost $8,121 to own and operate a new passenger car driven an average of 15,000 miles per year.AAA spokesman Lloyd P. Albert, senior vice president of public and government affairs, said the 2007 cost per vehicle averaged $7,823, or 52.2 cents per mile.”While the cost of some driving expenses declined since the start of 2007, higher gasoline prices have more than offset these savings and pushed the overall cost of vehicle ownership and operation higher this year,” Albert said.AAA research shows that the annual cost of driving a small sedan is $6,320 while a large sedan costs $9,769. Similar savings can be realized by driving a minivan instead of a larger and less-fuel efficient sport utility vehicle, he said.The annual estimated cost of driving a minivan is $8,644 compared to $10,448 for a four-wheel- drive mid-size SUV.The AAA has calculated the average cost of all expenses associated with owning and operating a vehicle over five years and 75,000 miles of driving. The costs were categorized into small, medium and large sedans, and involved the five top-selling models.The small sedans were Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla.The medium sedans were Chevrolet Impala, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry.The large sedans were Buick Lucerne, Chrysler 300, Ford Five Hundred (renamed Taurus for 2008), Nissan Maxima and Toyota Avalon.SUV calculations included the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan Pathfinder and the Toyota 4Runner. The minivans were Chevrolet Uplander, Dodge Grand Caravan, Kia Sedona, Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna.AAA members can obtain a copy of the brochure, Your Driving Costs, at any branch office in Southern New England.Gasoline prices continued to increase throughout the region as the cost-of-operation research was completed. As of April 7, prices ranged upward to $3.85 per gallon for premium unleaded at a full-serve station. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded was hovering near $3.20 in Southern New England but was higher in other parts of the country, according to AAA.