Annual Motoring Costs - AA v Boards Motorists

Voodoomelon

Current running average: €6088
(68 votes)

Ok, a comparison of the AAs annual motoring costs versus actual motorists costs. This one will be more general than the AAs estimates as it encompasses every type of car, but should still give a good idea of how correct/incorrect their figures are.

Depreciation can be tricky to work out, but basically look up the going price of your car on a motor ad website and subtract it from what you paid for it, Divide this by the number of years you have owned the car.

Interest is the total of your interest payments, if any, throughout the year. Note: EVEN if you bought your car outright with NO loan, enter 3% of the cost of your car here - so if your car cost €5,000, enter €150. This is the money you are LOOSING from not having the cost of your car in a savings account. Obviously, only enter your interest payments on your loan, OR 3% of the cost of your car.

10 year driving licence costs €2.50 a year.

NCT is €50.00 every 2 years if your car is 4 years or older. It is also €50.00 a year now for cars 10 years and older.

Below are the AAs criteria. I put all servicing/oil/tyres etc together as its easier to calculate than having them seperate. Try to include a figure that represents a good average over the years and not necessarily over just he last year as this will screw results (i.e. tyres this year but not the year before, or new exhaust a year ago but not this year).

Mention your car and year, and give a total at the bottom and make sure to vote in the poll.

Car: 2000 BMW 728i

a) Motor Tax: €1204
b) Insurance: €800
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €1666
e) Interest on Capital: €600
f) Garage/Parking: €10
g) NCT: €50.00
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €2200
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €800

Total: €7332.50

Round your total up or down according to the nearest €500.

dmcar02

Ok here goes,

Car: 2004 Seat Cordoba TDi

a) Motor Tax: €582
b) Insurance: €420
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €500?
e) Interest on Capital: €135
f) Garage/Parking: €0
g) NCT: €25.00
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €1000 +/-
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €250

Total: €2904.50

Senna

Car: 98 Freelander D

a) Motor Tax: 630
b) Insurance: 280
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €200 (in realitity 0)
e) Interest on Capital:
f) Garage/Parking:
g) NCT: €50.00
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €2000
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €500

Total: €3410

Car: 98 MR2

a) Motor Tax: €630
b) Insurance: €260
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €500
e) Interest on Capital:
f) Garage/Parking:
g) NCT: €50.00
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €1200
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €600

Total: €3242


€6652 for running two car. Both cars wont be taxed all the time, the Freelander runs on veg oil, so really its more like €5000.

MG ZT
...........
a) Motor Tax: €1000
b) Insurance: €300
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €1000
e) Interest on Capital: €0
f) Garage/Parking: €20
g) NCT: €50.00
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €3500
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €1000

Total: €6872.5

unkel

'01 Rover 75 1.8 petrol manual 80k miles

a) Motor Tax: €551
b) Insurance: €300
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €200
e) Interest on Capital: €50
f) Garage/Parking: €0
g) NCT: €25
h) AA Subscription: €120
i) Petrol/Diesel: €950
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €100

Total €2,298

The poll fails to cater for cars as cheap to own as a Rover 75

Voodoomelon

Reason for €3k minimum was because there was a limited amount of poll options if €15k was to be included. If the AA say the average is around €12k, then surely there's plenty of €15k running costs right?

unkel

dmcar02 wrote: »

e) Interest on Capital: All Mine

Senna wrote: »

e) Interest on Capital:

RoverJames wrote: »

e) Interest on Capital: €0

BTW some people don't seem to understand e) Interest on Capital:

If you bought the car on a loan, here's where you fill in the interest payment for the current year (as opposed to the capital repayment). I guess this is what the OP has done.

If you bought the car outright with your money, here's where you fill in the opportunity cost. That is how much money you would have made investing your money elsewhere but not in your car.

In my case, I own the car outright. The car is worth about 1500. If I sold the car for 1500, I could put the money in a savings account paying about 3%. That would make me about 50 a year. So e) Interest on Capital: would be 50 for me...

Should have remembered that from your previous posts

Trhiggy83

05 bmw 320cd 2 litre 52k miles

a) Motor Tax: €640
b) Insurance: €1350 ---- (dont ask)
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €700
e) Interest on Capital: €0
f) Garage/Parking: 0
g) NCT: €25
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €1450
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €350

Total
-- 4517.5

I didnt realise it was costing me this much, might have a look at trying to reduce this somehow...i was wondering where my wages were goin

Voodoomelon

The €600 figure I entered for interest is the amount of interest I am paying annually on the loan I got on the car. Is this not correct? Can you write me a line Unkel that I can edit into the first post to explain it please.

YOur depreciation figure is a tad conservative unless you got it very very cheap.

Voodoomelon

You say that and have no clue how long i've owned it, how much I paid for it, or what its worth now?

CiniO

Car: 01 Fiat Bravo 1.2 (annual mileage - 16k kms)

a) Motor Tax: €174 (I don't pay tax for whole year)
b) Insurance: €380
c) Driving Licence: 0 (as I use it for work anyway, so no matter if I have a car or not I need it)
d) Depreciation: €150
e) Interest on Capital: 0
f) Garage/Parking: 0
g) NCT: €25.00 (as it's figures from last 3 years, and yearly NCT didn't apply yet)
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €1350
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €500

Total: €2604


Other car

Car: 03 Nissan Primera 1.8 (annual mileage 27k kms)

a) Motor Tax: €551
b) Insurance: €480
c) Driving Licence: 0 (as I use it for work anyway, so no matter if I have a car or not I need it)
d) Depreciation: €900
e) Interest on Capital: 0
f) Garage/Parking: €25
g) NCT: €25.00
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €3000
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €400
k) Motorway tolls: €50

Total: €5400


PS: All above is hugely dependent on annual mileage, and as so on money spend on fuel.
My second car costs me over twice as first per annum, but it's doing way more mileage.

Voodoomelon

Voodoomelon wrote: »

You say that and have no clue how long i've owned it, how much I paid for it, or what its worth now?

was on about the post previous to yours, I do know how long you have your car though :P regarding how much its worth, that makes two of us judging by what you were asking for it last year :pac:

unkel

Voodoomelon wrote: »

The €600 figure I entered for interest is the amount of interest I am paying annually on the loan I got on the car. Is this not correct?

That is correct!

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Can you write me a line Unkel that I can edit into the first post to explain it please.

e) Interest on Capital:

What you pay in interest if you have a loan for your car. If you bought your car outright, enter 3% of the value of your car here - so if your car is worth 5k, enter 150

bazz26

2008 BMW 318d 2.0 diesel 54k miles (annual mileage - 20k miles)

a) Motor Tax: €156
b) Insurance: €535
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €3000
e) Interest on Capital: €0
f) Garage/Parking: €0
g) NCT: €0
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €1820
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €360 (oil, filter and rear brake pads)

Total: €5873

Expect next year to be a little bit higher as I will have to replace tyres and front brake pads, etc.

unkel

bazz26 wrote: »

e) Interest on Capital: €0

Uh-oh. Read previous posts

Tragedy

Car: 2005 MG ZT 2.5 190 SE

a) Motor Tax: €935
b) Insurance: €1400
c) Driving Licence: €0
d) Depreciation: €1500
e) Interest on Capital: €150
f) Garage/Parking/Tolls: €100
g) NCT: €50.00
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €3500 (~14,000 miles)
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €1300 (€500 on 4 tyres, €500 on suspension work, €300 on servicing and misc)

Total: €8935

Merch

Car: 1998 Ford Fiesta 1.25

a) Motor Tax: €348
b) Insurance: €450
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €150?
e) Interest on Capital: €25
f) Garage/Parking/Tolls: €50
g) NCT: €25.00
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €800 (~5,000 miles)
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €150

Total: €2000

thats frugal driving, I'm shocked, thought I was getting it for less, still can't vote though

Voodoomelon

Vote for the lowest if you spend less than €3000.

Toots

Car: 2003 Nissan Primera Accenta 1.6

a) Motor Tax: €445
b) Insurance: €480
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €0 (got a very good deal on my car )
e) Interest on Capital: €135
f) Garage/Parking/Tolls: €100
g) NCT: €25.00
h) AA Subscription: €75
i) Petrol/Diesel: €1050 (about €20 p/w)
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €150

Total: rounded up to €2500

jenizzle

Car: Mazda RX8 231

a) Motor Tax: €551
b) Insurance: €380
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €0
e) Interest on Capital: €225
f) Garage/Parking: €50
g) NCT: €50
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €2400
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €420

Total: about €4100. No depreciation... yet!

jenizzle

jenizzle wrote: »

........

Total: about €4100. No depreciation... yet!

so if you sold it today you'd get what you paid for it? That aside its an annual figure so over the course of 12 months there should be something.

pippip

I saw the aa figure for parking/garage which seems way off. I think there are items included in that which aren't being account for. I.e. Tolls, fines, as these aren't mentioned elsewhere.would prefer a exact clarification on this item

Sort of makes this thread pointless unless everyone is on the exact same calculations.

jenizzle

RoverJames wrote: »

so if you sold it today you'd get what you paid for it? That aside its an annual figure so over the course of 12 months there should be something.

I've only owned it for 6 months, I can't tell what I'll be able to sell it for next year (at the moment, yes I would get what I paid for it), hence the '...yet' part

Magic Beans

Looking at the figures above it seems a lot of people are in denial about the true costs.

pippip

Magic Beans wrote: »

Looking at the figures above it seems a lot of people are in denial about the true costs.

+1 or incapable of working it all out.

Magic Beans

Magic Beans wrote: »

Looking at the figures above it seems a lot of people are in denial about the true costs.

Yep, no finance payments mentioned yet.

Zubeneschamali

Last year: S-Max running costs about €8500, depreciation €6500, total €15K. Mini running €2500, depreciation €2000, total €4500.

It'll be a bit less this year, as depreciation will be more like €4K on the S-Max.

Stevie Dakota

Must say I don't view depreciation as part of the annual cost and it certainly does not concern me, it's not as if I have to come up with the cash for depreciation each year like I do for fuel, tyres, etc. It's only a factor if and when I sell the car.

I own my car outright and plan to hold on to it for some time, so the year I bought it I took a big hit, and the year I sell it I'll get a few bob back. It may be a rather simplistic approach but it's like stressing over the value of your home, why bother unless you are selling it?

Unless you are the kind of goon who buys a new car every 2 years.

Big Nasty

99 E38 735

a) Motor Tax: €1566
b) Insurance: €520
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €500
e) Interest on Capital: €100
f) Garage/Parking: €10
g) NCT: €50.00
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €3120
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €800

Total: €6668.50 / €128.20 per week.

bijapos

06 VW Golf Plus 1.4 ca 25,000km p.a. Purchased new.


a) Motor Tax: €333
b) Insurance: €430
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €2500
e) Interest on Capital: €600
f) Garage/Parking: €50
g) NCT: €25
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €2400
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €400
Total: €6740

1991 Merc 300TD, purchased for €2000, 20,000 km pa,

a) Motor Tax: €1290
b) Insurance: €460
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €400
e) Interest on Capital: €60
f) Garage/Parking: €150 (includes tolls)
g) NCT: €50
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €2200
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €350

Total: €4960

Meh... cheaper than the Golf, has automatic, a/c and way more style. :cool:

01 Scenic, purchased in 2003 for €13000, 8000 km per year.

a) Motor Tax: €333
b) Insurance: €420
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €1500
e) Interest on Capital: €400
f) Garage/Parking: €50
g) NCT: €25
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €850
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €400

Total: €3980


I don't own all three but am involved in the running of them so am aware of the costs.

Big Nasty

MCMLXXV wrote: »

99 E38 735

a) Motor Tax: €1566
b) Insurance: €520
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €500
e) Interest on Capital: €100
f) Garage/Parking: €10
g) NCT: €50.00
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €3120
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €800

Total: €6668.50 / €128.20 per week.

bijapos wrote: »

06 VW Golf Plus 1.4 ca 25,000km p.a. Purchased new.


a) Motor Tax: €333
b) Insurance: €430
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €2500
e) Interest on Capital: €600
f) Garage/Parking: €50
g) NCT: €25
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €2400
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €400
Total: €6740

See that's what I love about a luxobarge. It costs the same to run as a 1.4 Golf!

Zubeneschamali

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

it's like stressing over the value of your home, why bother unless you are selling it?

I don't worry about it, but if I don't think about it at all, I won't have €30K (or whatever) saved when I feel like changing. If I'm socking away money into the car fund at the same speed the cars are depreciating I'll be ready to change when I want to.

Tracking it (roughly) also discourages me from getting the idea of changing too often: as the depreciation levels out, the car gets cheaper to run, and changing looks less attractive.

bijapos

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

Must say I don't view depreciation as part of the annual cost and it certainly does not concern me, it's not as if I have to come up with the cash for depreciation each year like I do for fuel, tyres, etc. It's only a factor if and when I sell the car.

I own my car outright and plan to hold on to it for some time, so the year I bought it I took a big hit, and the year I sell it I'll get a few bob back. It may be a rather simplistic approach but it's like stressing over the value of your home, why bother unless you are selling it?

Unless you are the kind of goon who buys a new car every 2 years.

Thing is though, we are trying to find out the average cost over your ownership of the vehicle, therefore depreciation (and lost interest or finance) comes into it.

MCMLXXV wrote: »

See that's what I love about a luxobarge. It costs the same to run as a 1.4 Golf!

Yep, the Golf is my parents, I tried to convince them to buy something like an E34 or W124 estate. Still have trouble trying to prove to the oul fella my Merc is cheaper to run. :pac:

PaddyFagan

Car: 2006 VW Golf Plus 1.6 FSI (bought new)

a) Motor Tax: 445
b) Insurance: 420
c) Driving Licence: 2.50
d) Depreciation: 3600
e) Interest on Capital: 840
f) Garage/Parking: 0
g) NCT: 25.00
h) AA Subscription: 0
i) Petrol/Diesel: 2000
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: 300

Total: 7632.50

Paddy

Idleater

Car: 2010 Alfa Romeo MiTo 135 multiair 1.4 petrol

a) Motor Tax: 150
b) Insurance: 500
c) Driving Licence: 0
d) Depreciation: 2000
e) Interest on Capital: 0
f) Garage/Parking: 0
g) NCT: 0
h) AA Subscription: 0
i) Petrol/Diesel: 1500 (guess)
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: 300

Sub Total: 4350

Bike: 2003 Suzuki SV1000

a) Motor Tax: 79
b) Insurance: 380
c) Driving Licence: 0
d) Depreciation: 0
e) Interest on Capital: 0
f) Garage/Parking: 0
g) NCT: 0
h) AA Subscription: 0
i) Petrol/Diesel: 1200 (guess)
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: 300

Sub Total:1960

Total €6310

Barry walsh

Car: 1999 Honda Accord Type R

a) Motor Tax: €823
b) Insurance: €700
c) Driving Licence: 0
d) Depreciation: €500
e) Interest on Capital: €0
f) Garage/Parking: €0
g) NCT: €50.00
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €1560
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €500

Total: €4083

Zubeneschamali

Another reason to do the sums out on paper (or here) with depreciation included is because most people get them horribly wrong in their heads.

New cars do not depreciate at 10% per year, folks. More life 50% in three years, with a big chunk of that in the first year.

If depreciation is net considered a new 520d and a new megane would have quite similar running costs over the first couple of years.

Timmaay

Car: 2003 Honda Civic

a) Motor Tax: €614
b) Insurance: €580
c) Driving Licence: 0
d) Depreciation: €600
e) Interest on Capital: €0
f) Garage/Parking: €0
g) NCT: €50.00
h) AA Subscription: €0
i) Petrol/Diesel: €2700
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €300

Total: €4845

Stevie Dakota

Idleater wrote: »

Car: 2010 Alfa Romeo MiTo 135 multiair 1.4 petrol

d) Depreciation: 2000

Hmmmmm.

PaddyFagan

Folks really - can we read the first post on depreciation & interest on capital - Idleater I'm not trying to pick on you but for example...

Idleater wrote: »

Car: 2010 Alfa Romeo MiTo 135 multiair 1.4 petrol

a) Motor Tax: 150
b) Insurance: 500
c) Driving Licence: 0 2.50 (25 for a 10 year licence / 10)
d) Depreciation: 2000 4000 (I'm guessing the car was €20,000 new, so at least 20% in the first year)
e) Interest on Capital: 0 600 (again €20,000 new @ 3%)
f) Garage/Parking: 0
g) NCT: 0
h) AA Subscription: 0
i) Petrol/Diesel: 1500 (guess)
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: 300

Sub Total: 4350 7052.50

It's interesting looking back through the earlier posts - where these two figures are included it looks like 7k is pretty average....

Paddy

johnos1984

Car 1: 2006 VW Passat TDI cover 25k miles per annum
a) Motor Tax: €594
b) Insurance: €950
c) Interest on Capital: €250
d) Depreciation: €2000
e) Garage/Parking: €10
f) NCT: €50.00
g) Petrol/Diesel: €3050
h) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €800
i)Driving license: €2.50

Total: € 7706.50 :eek:

Car 2: 1997 MGF 1.8l weekend car
a) Motor Tax: €551
b) Insurance: €350
d) Depreciation: €0 (bangernomics)
g) NCT: €50.00
i) Petrol/Diesel: €600
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €1500 (it needs bits doing)

Total: €3051

Total motoring costs for me: €10757.50:eek:

I'm rather shocked and pissed off after seeing that...........whoever started this thread needs to apologies

flyingsnail

2003 1.8 Mondeo, 9000 annual mileage

a) Motor tax €551
b) insurance €650
c) Driving licence €2.5
d) Deprecation €450
e) interest on capital €0
f) garage/parking €50 (I am just guessing for the odd time I use on street parking.)
g) NCT €25
h) AA subscription €149
i)petrol / diesel €1800
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacement € 300 (Not sure about that I just bought the car)

Total: €3977.50
€76.49 Per week
€0.44 per Mile

Also on top of that I probably spend about €50 a year on tolls.

Tigger

a) Motor tax €48
b) insurance €160
c) Driving licence €2.5
d) Deprecation €0
e) interest on capital €0
f) garage/parking €12 (I am just guessing for the odd time I use on street parking.)
g) NCT €0
h) AA subscription €0
i)petrol / diesel €1150
j) Servicing/oil/ €800

€2175.50

brought her out today

BrianD3

I've owned the Laguna from new for 8.5 years, in that time depreciation has gone to practically zero but averages out at around 2700 per year (if I still have the car in a year's time the average will be less).

I've done 255k miles (average 30k per year) and reckon I've paid an average of 1.20 per litre. With an average mpg of 43 that's over 32,000 spent on fuel = 3760 per year

The maintenance is a PITA to work out and would involve going through 8 years of receipts and records. When the car was under warranty i used to pay 200 quid for a glorifed oil change but for several years have been doing this myself for <30 quid. Other complications are that tyres have varied signficantly in price over the years.

Opportunity cost: while interest rates on savings may be around 3% net now and just ahead of inflation, IIRC they used to be abysmal. I'll say an average of 2% net. Obviously compound interest then needs to be taken account of.

Overall I reckon around 8.5k per year or around 28 cent per mile.

Voodoomelon

Total updated currently on 44 votes.

johnos1984

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Total updated currently on 44 votes.

I can't believe most of us run a car for less than €3000/year

I think people are voting without working it out correctly

Voodoomelon

See depreciation is the main thing. If lots of people are buying small 8-10 year old hatchbacks/saloons for €2k-€5k, which i'd imagine lots of people are now, they have virtually no depreciation. People are also driving less so lower fuel costs. Should probably stipulate to only vote if you are posting.

Wile E. Coyote

Car: 2007 Renault Megane 1.4

a) Motor Tax: €333
b) Insurance: €420
c) Driving Licence: €2.50
d) Depreciation: €2,000
e) Interest on Capital: €135
f) Garage/Parking/Tolls: €0
g) NCT: €25.00
h) AA Subscription: €60
i) Petrol/Diesel: €6,000
j) Servicing/oil/tyres/repairs/replacements: €500

Total: rounded up to €9,500