From repairs and safety inspections to car insurance and maintenance, what states offer the most affordable upkeep costs?
Research from DealA ranked U.S. states with the following metrics, using sources from CarMD, GO Banking Rates, Factory Warranty List and Your Mechanic. Here are the highlights.
States with Least Expensive Overall Car Maintenance and Repair Costs
1. Maine
Total Car Repair and Maintenance Costs: $2,253.19
Coming in first as the most inexpensive overall state in which to own and maintain a car is Maine.
This state has the cheapest car insurance average and one of the more inexpensive car maintenance costs.
2. New Hampshire
Total Car Repair and Maintenance Costs: $2,330.86
New Hampshire is the second most inexpensive state for overall car repair and maintenance costs. The low average insurance cost for New Hampshire makes a significant difference.
3. Virginia
Total Car Repair and Maintenance Costs: $2,432.24
Virginia follows as the third most inexpensive state with a total cost of $2,432.24, only a couple hundred dollars in price difference from the other two cheapest states. Again, Virginia has a comparatively low average price for car insurance costs.
States with Most Expensive Overall Car Maintenance and Repair Costs
1. Michigan
Total Car Repair and Maintenance Costs: $4,664.30
Michigan is the most expensive state overall, and it seems to be due to that linking factor previously mentioned: car insurance prices. Michigan’s average annual car insurance price is $3,466. That’s more than $1,000 more than Maine’s combined costs.
2. Louisiana
Total Car Repair and Maintenance Costs: $3,849.69
The second most expensive state overall is Louisiana, also with an expensive car insurance cost, at $2,608 per annum, which is more than every cost of Maine combined.
3. Nevada
Total Car Repair and Maintenance Costs: $3,705.60
Nevada, yet another state with high car insurance costs — $2,486, again as expensive as every cost for Maine combined.
States with Cheapest Car Repair Costs
1. Ohio
Average Labor Cost: $136.00 | Average Parts Cost: $205.83 | Total: $341.83
Ohio is the least expensive state for car repairs. On average, costing a total of $341.83, which encompasses both labor and parts.
2. Maine
Average Labor Cost: $136.30 | Average Parts Cost: $205.82 | Total: $342.12
In a close second place is Maine, costing a total of $342.12 on average. This is only 29 cents more expensive than Ohio.
3. Wisconsin
Average Labor Cost: $138.12 | Average Parts Cost: $206.33 | Total: $344.45
Wisconsin, like Maine, has both ranked well on car affordability indexes in recent years,. With a total average cost of $344.45 for car repairs, it’s again a relatively small margin when compared to Maine.
States with Most Expensive Car Repair Costs
1. California
Average Labor Cost: $145.16 | Average Parts Cost: $265.57 | Total: $410.73
Consistently ranking as one of the most expensive states to live in among various financial reports and research, California is also the most expensive state in the U.S. for car repairs. Cost, on average, is $410.73 for labor and parts.
2. Connecticut
Average Labor Cost: $137.79 | Average Parts Cost: $268.70 | Total: $406.49
Another state that in recent years has ranked as one of the most expensive to live in, Connecticut comes in as the second most expensive for car repairs here, costing car owners $406.49 on average.
3. Colorado
Average Labor Cost: $149.43 | Average Parts Cost: $254.20 | Total: $403.03
Colorado comes in at $403.03 on average. Colorado also had one of the highest costs for the labor of repairs.
States with Lowest Car Tax Rates
1. Alaska
Car Tax Rate: 0% | Average Car Insurance Cost per Annum: $1,533.00
There is a three-way tie for the top spot for car tax rates. Alphabetically, first up is Alaska, with 0% and an average car insurance cost of $1,533 per year, around $127 per month.
1. Montana
Car Tax Rate: 0% | Average Car Insurance Cost per Annum: $1,963.00
Montana has a 0% state car tax rate and an average insurance cost of $1,963 per annum.
1. New Hampshire
Car Tax Rate: 0% | Average Car Insurance Cost per Annum: $1,070.00
New Hampshire also has a 0% car tax rate and a $1,070 per year cost for car insurance, or approximately $90 per month.
4. Oregon
Car Tax Rate: 0.5% | Average Car Insurance Cost per Annum: $1,548.00
Oregon takes the next spot, with a car tax rate of 0.5% and an average car insurance cost of $1,548 per year, a similar monthly rate to Alaska.
5. Alabama
Car Tax Rate: 2.0% | Average Car Insurance Cost per Annum: $1,724.00
Alabama has a car tax rate of 2%, a four-times increase compared to Oregon. And its average car insurance costs per annum come to $1,724, or approximately $143 per month.
States with Highest Car Tax Rates
1. California
Car Tax Rate: 7.3% | Average Car Insurance Cost per Annum: $2,135.00
California’s car tax rate of 7.3% is the highest in the country, and a car insurance cost of $2,135 per annum is also the highest.
2. Indiana
Car Tax Rate: 7.0% | Average Car Insurance Cost per Annum: $1,270.00
Indiana is in a three-way tie with Rhode Island and Tennessee with a 7% car tax rate. However, Indiana has one of the lowest annual costs for car insurance. Its average car insurance per annum is $1,270, or approximately $105 per month.
2. Rhode Island
Car Tax Rate: 7.0% | Average Car Insurance Cost per Annum: $2,092.00
Rhode Island is also tied at a 7% care tax rate. However, Rhode Island’s average car insurance costs per annum come to $2092, which is more than Tennessee and Indiana (the other two states it tied with on car tax).
2. Tennessee
Car Tax Rate: 7.0% | Average Car Insurance Cost per Annum: $1,477.00
Tennessee in the third tie for second place. The state car tax rate is 7%, and the average cost of car insurance per annum is $1,477, or approximately $123 per month.
5. Nevada
Car Tax Rate: 6.9% | Average Car Insurance Cost per Annum: $2,486.00
Nevada’s state car tax rate of 6.9% is almost 14 times higher than that of Oregon. And with its average cost of car insurance per annum coming to $2,486, it also has one of the highest costs in that respect.
States with Cheapest Car Safety Inspection Cost
1. Delaware
50 Point Safety Inspection Cost: $89.99
Four-state tie. Delaware costs $89.99 for a 50-point safety check and includes an oil and filter change in the price for the state quotes gathered.
1. Montana
50 Point Safety Inspection Cost: $89.99
In addition to a low inspection cost, Montana also has the lowest rates for car tax and insurance. Montana happens to be one of the states where safety inspections are not a legal requirement.
1. New Hampshire
50 Point Safety Inspection Cost: $89.99
New Hampshire is next and this is a state that legally requires drivers to have periodic safety inspections.
1. Oregon
50 Point Safety Inspection Cost: $89.99
Oregon is also another state to have appeared with the lowest car tax rates. Oregon is another state where such safety checks are not legally required.
5. Hawaii
50 Point Safety Inspection Cost: $92.29
Hawaii is the second-placed state for the lowest safety inspection costs.
6. Alaska
50 Point Safety Inspection Cost: $92.55
Alaska cost just a few cents more than Hawaii. It is another state where inspections are not legally required.
States with Most Expensive Car Safety Inspection Cost
1. Ohio
50 Point Safety Inspection Cost: $98.70
While Ohio has the highest cost for a safety inspection test, it also includes an oil and oil filter change.
2. Alabama
50 Point Safety Inspection Cost: $95.11
Alabama is one of the least in place for legally binding safety checks on a vehicle at $95.11.
3. Louisiana
50 Point Safety Inspection Cost: $95.08
While Louisiana is the third most expensive state for this procedure, as of 2012, there is an option of getting a certificate valid for two years instead of one, which makes the necessity of having this safety check done less frequent and as such, lowers the cost spread.
States with Least Expensive Car Maintenance Costs
NOTE: *For this section, quotes for other general maintenance were unavailable: i.e. other perishable fluid replacements, timing belt replacement, and battery replacement. All quotes were taken for a Honda Accord, one of the most commonly owned cars in the United States.
1. Montana
Oil Change: $89.99 | Tire Rotation: $94.25 | Air Filter Replacement: $156.29 | Brake Pads Replacement: $402.94 | Total Maintenance Cost: $743.47
2. Hawaii
Oil Change: $92.29 | Tire Rotation: $94.25 | Air Filter Replacement: $157.65 | Brake Pads Replacement: $409.73 | Total Maintenance Cost: $753.92
3. Alaska
Oil Change: $92.55 | Tire Rotation: $94.25 | Air Filter Replacement: $157.81 | Brake Pads Replacement: $410.49 | Total Maintenance Cost: $755.10
States with Most Expensive Car Maintenance Costs
1. Washington
Oil Change: $94.80 | Tire Rotation: $104.25 | Air Filter Replacement: $179.14 | Brake Pads Replacement: $457.13 | Total Maintenance Cost: $835.32
2. New Jersey
Oil Change: $93.38 | Tire Rotation: $104.25 | Air Filter Replacement: $178.30 | Brake Pads Replacement: $452.94 | Total Maintenance Cost: $828.87
3. Rhode Island
Oil Change: $93.57 | Tire Rotation: $104.25 | Air Filter Replacement: $178.18 | Brake Pads Replacement: $452.38 | Total Maintenance Cost: $828.38
Methodology
DealA used CarMD for the average cost for car repairs in each state. To get an average for the car insurance rates by state, DealA used GO Banking Rates; for car tax rates, Factory Warranty List was cited, and for safety inspection costs and general maintenance costs, DealA used Your Mechanic to get quotes, using one of the most commonly owned cars in the U.S., a Honda Accord.
All costs (excluding tax, as that is a percentage and not a raw number) were added to get the overall repair and maintenance costs of owning a car in the U.S.
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