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SALT LAKE CITY -- Most people are paying about the same to operate their car this year compared to last year.
AAA says some costs have gone up, but since gas prices are lower, the cost of running a car is holding steady. AAA estimates driving costs based on an extensive list of factors including gasoline, maintenance, tires, financing, depreciation and insurance.
New Car Dealers of Utah executive director Craig Bickmore believes gas prices will stay lower for the forseeable future. He says that's a good sign.
"Auto stocks are up, bank stocks are up, the market's up, everything's up. Spring is out and the sun is shining," he said.
Bickmore says people are buying more used cars now, driving used car prices up and new car prices down.
"At some time that pent up demand will explode, and the demand supply curve will switch. I don't think you'll see these prices down the road," he said.
For now, AAA says the overall cost of a new sedan is 54 cents per mile, a tenth of a cent less than in 2008. For a car driven 15,000 miles a year, that amounts to $8,095 annually. That's $26 less than last year's estimated cost of $8,121.
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com
