A car can be a major expense no matter where you live. Whether you are own a car in Thailand or Tennessee. Between car payments, insurance and maintenance it can really add up to a considerable expense throughout the year.
Where you live does factor into how much it will cost, however. There are major regional differences within the US in terms of insurance and even maintenance and knowing this can be a big factor in which type of car you end up buying.
For instance, Arizona has its own set of circumstances that will factor into the cost of owning a car. In this article, we will go over what the costs are when you own a car in Arizona.
1. Insurance
After the car payment, the insurance is likely to be the biggest expense for your car when you live in Arizona. After all, the price of a car is not that much different if you buy one from Glendale car dealerships or in another part of the country.
However, insurance regulations differ from state to state so there is a very big gap between what you will pay to insure your car in Arizona compared to a high-cost state like Massachusetts.
On average, car insurance in Arizona is roughly $1,000. The make, model, and coverage you choose will all have an effect on the price so take that figure with a grain of salt. It could be more or less than that. But, on average Arizonans pay less than most of the states in the US when it comes to insurance.
2. Repairs and Maintenance
Labor costs also vary slightly across the country and it costs slightly less in Arizona than elsewhere. Getting your car repaired will cost slightly less than the national average for most repairs.
What does end up costing more than in some states is the maintenance. Arizona is a very arid environment and it can cause some problems with your car. For instance, head gaskets easily dry out and shrink in the desert climate. When this happens you could see oil leaks happen in various parts of the engine and this can cost a lot to fix no matter where you live.
Replacing the battery is also more frequent since the high temperatures can cause the battery to lose fluids and die earlier than in more mild climates.
3. Gas
The price of gas is influenced by the taxes imposed by each state in addition to Federal taxes. Filling up your tank in Arizona is more expensive than in most of the country. It comes in around 8th place on the list of states with the highest gas prices. Topping the list are California and Hawaii, but Arizona is not that far behind.
4. Where to save
The most obvious area to save on your car ownership costs in Arizona is when it comes to insurance. Make sure to shop around to get the best quote. Also, make sure that your insurance is right for you and that you aren’t paying for items that you don’t need.
An older car may not need theft coverage, for example.
