About Car Operating Costs

2008 car operating costs

The National Roads and Motorists' Association Limited has conducted a survey of car operating costs for over 500 vehicles using 8 popular categories as reported by VFACTS an Automotive Industry Authority.

Calculations are for private ownership in New South Wales, based on an annual distance of 15,000 kilometres "the approximate national average distance travelled" over an ownership period of 5 years, using average retail prices and contain the following elements.

Depreciation

Depreciation is calculated using the manufacturers recommended retail price including dealer delivery and statutory charges less the forecast residual value for each model. Drive-away deals are included where these are ongoing and not a short term special.

Opportunity Interest

This is the loss in interest from the capital consumed by depreciation calculated at the RBA Policy interest rate of 6.00 per cent. There has been no provision for the borrowing expense of the capital.

Vehicle Registration, Comprehensive Insurance and NRMA Membership

Calculated using private registration rates from the NSW RTA and average CTP and comprehensive insurance estimates for NSW for an owner driver aged 29-55 years of age. The GST impact has been included. NRMA Basic Care rates have been used.

Maintenance Repairs

Vehicle maintenance costs are calculated using manufacturers' recommended service schedules and retail prices and include a range of replacement parts considered appropriate for average city driving conditions.

Fuel

Fuel in cents per kilometre has been calculated using test results carried out to Australian Design Rule ADR79/01 including an appropriate  factor to allow for variations in driving styles and conditions as per previous surveys.

Where ADR79/01 data is not available, average fuel consumption is taken from road tests and research carried out by NRMA Motoring & Services. Average cost of fuel per kilometre is then calculated using the average price per litre for the recommended fuel type for each vehicle using values.

When the 2008 survey was compiled fuel prices had soared by over 21 per cent since the last survey, whole of life costs for the least expensive car in the survey the Hyundai Getz had therefore risen by over 8 per cent.

These soaring costs make it more important than ever to prepare a budget for day to day living with average weekly fuel bill for a light car approaching $30 and $70 a week for your average large Sports Utility Vehicle.

Although the price we pay for fuel is not a constant, we need to formulate an average by looking to the past and calculate a fixed fuel cost. Recent turmoil in the global economic market severely limits the life span of any costs calculated on such fixed pricing. It can vary by where and when we buy it in Sydney let alone a small country town.

Since compiling this survey, the average price for fuel has fallen dramatically. NRMA as the leader in preparing vehicle operating costs recognised this, and is pleased to provide Members with an online tool giving you the ability to amend the cost of fuel, effectively personalising this most volatile factor.

Results for the least expensive cars to operate

Cheapest Private WOL Costs

vfacts class	Model	$Fuel/ week	$Running Costs/ Week	WOL Cents/km	WOL $/Week
Light	Hyundai Getz S TB upgrade 3D hatchback 1.4 L 5 sedan	$30.97	$73.08	44.80	$129.22
Small	Hyundai i30 SX FD 5D hatchback DT4 1.6 L 5 SP manual	$26.29	$72.29	51.22	$147.74
Medium	Kia Magentis EX MG 4D sedan 2.4 L 5 SP manual	$41.12	$90.19	66.88	$192.91
Large	Toyota Aurion Touring SE GSV40R 4D sedan V6 3.	$50.26	$90.29	76.81	$221.57
SUV Compact	Suzuki Grand Vitara (4x4) JT MY07 upgrade 2D W	$45.69	$93.59	62.13	$179.21
SUV Medium	Holden Captiva SX CG MY09 4D wagon DT4 2 L 5 SP	$40.27	$88.24	75.99	$219.21
SUV Large	Nissan Patrol DX (4x4) Walkabout GU VI 4D wagon	$60.96	$117.64	92.81	$267.73
People Mover	Hyundai Trajet V6 2.7 4D wagon V6 2.7 L 4 SP automatic	$56.86	$107.53	79.17	$228.36

 

Fuel prices for the 2008 survey

Description	Cents per litre
Unleaded Petrol	153.05
Premium Unleaded Petrol	161.05
Liquid Petroleum Gas	64.30
Diesel	168.60

Predicting a reliable cost of fuel for the next 12 months is difficult with the impact of larger global events, hurricanes or conflict and the widespread campaigns of fuel discounting particularly in the larger cities. The cost of fuel can fluctuate wildly depending on where and when you buy fuel.

To estimate the effect of these changes on the costs in this report, use this table to add or subtract from the Private Operating Costs weekly changes in fuel costs.

Change in running costs per 5 cents

Vehicle Segment	Extra every 5 cents	$ per week/5cents
Light car	0.38	$1.10
Small car	0.45	$1.29
Medium car	0.52	$1.50
Large car	0.68	$1.95
People Mover	0.61	$1.77
SUV compact	0.56	$1.62
SUV medium	0.73	$2.11
SUV large	0.99	$2.85

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Vehicle reimbursement rates

Vehicle Segment	Total cost over 5 years	Avg cents per km	Avg dollars per week
Light car	$39,021	52.03	$150.08
Small car	$46,517	62.02	$178.91
Medium car	$65,357	87.14	$251.37
Large car	$71,950	95.93	$265.97
People Mover	$68,117	90.82	$261.99
SUV compact	$58,315	77.75	$224.29
SUV medium	$74,701	99.60	$287.31
SUV large	$79,879	106.50	$307.23

Average reimbursement rates are a guide only. For infrequent and irregular use, where annual use to be reimbursed exceeds 2,000km/year or trips are regularly greater than 100km in distance, rates will vary.

For ATO information about claiming a deduction for car expenses, click here.

 Private Costs Summary Report (PDF 203KB/38 pages)

Find out how much your car costs to run each week

Light cars	Medium cars	People movers	Medium SUVs
Small cars	Large cars	Compact SUVs	Large SUVs

This information is prepared by National Roads and Motorists' Association Limited ABN 77 000 010 506. trading as NRMA Motoring & Services is a company limited by guarantee and owned by its Members. Some of the information is provided by subsidiaries of Insurance Australia Group Limited, a separate company owned by its shareholders. The companies are not related, but have a number of business agreements, which allow both companies and their subsidiaries to use NRMA trademarks for their products and services.

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