Contact Information: Contact: Elaine Beno/Carol Thorp 714-885-2333
New AAA "Your Driving Costs" Brochure Available at Auto Club's 75 Offices
Driving Cost Calculated at 52.2 Cents per Mile for 2007; Owners Can Calculate Own Costs
| Source: Auto Club of So. Calif.
LOS ANGELES, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- April 5, 2007 -- The Automobile Club of Southern California
is helping consumers understand the costs of driving a car by offering a
new "Your Driving Costs" brochure explaining the costs of owning and
operating a new vehicle.
The 2007 brochure, "Your Driving Costs; How Much Are You Really Paying to
Drive?" offers substantial information about how much it costs to drive new
vehicles equipped with standard and optional equipment including automatic
transmission, air conditioning, power steering, antilock brakes and cruise
control. It is available at all 75 Auto Club offices.
Driving costs in each category are based on average costs for 5 top-selling
models selected by AAA, including passenger cars, minivans and SUVs. AAA
projects the cost of owning and operating a new vehicle in 2007 as
basically unchanged from a year ago at 52.2 cents per mile, or $7,823 per
year, when driving 15,000 miles annually. Fuel prices are based on the
fourth quarter 2006 U.S. price for regular grade fuel, which averaged
$2.256 per gallon as tracked in the AAA Fuel Gauge Report
(www.fuelgaugereport.com).
Southern California driving costs are higher than the national average in
nearly all driving cost categories because of higher insurance, maintenance
and gasoline costs, according to the Auto Club's Automotive Research
Center. The Auto Club estimates that the average Southern Californian
driving a new car this year will incur costs of approximately $8000 to
10,000.
"Buying a new car is the second largest purchase a consumer will make after
a home," said Steve Mazor, manager of the Auto Club's Automotive Research
Center. "New vehicles have higher costs from insurance premiums and
registration, which are based on vehicle value."
The calculated driving costs in the brochure include: finance charges and
license fees incurred with car payments, depreciation, insurance, gasoline,
maintenance and tires. Paid off used cars, by comparison, have much lower
depreciation and insurance costs -- reducing their driving costs by about
one-third.
The brochure also contains a worksheet that can help a vehicle owner to
calculate their own vehicle ownership and operating costs. This knowledge
can help motorists make informed choices about their vehicle selection and
use, according to Mazor.