Nevada ranked most expensive place to own a car

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Inflation has been raising costs for Americans everywhere, but Nevadans are paying more for at least one thing: car ownership.

For the second year in a row, car costs for residents in the Silver State are the highest, estimated to be around $8,064. The average cost across the nation is roughly $6,100. Those numbers are for sedans while the most expensive vehicle to own and operate would be a half-ton pickup, which comes in at $12,932 a year. Lower on the annual cost curve, a medium SUV at $11,305 per year.

“We wanted to paint a picture of the American people on how to approach it from a monetary standpoint,” said James Campigotto, a Data Journalist for American Trucks.

The report by American Trucks says that the numbers were based off an average of gas prices, insurance premiums, maintenance expenses, and vehicle tax, just to name a few. Campigotto mentioned the number one reason we place so high is our states vehicle tax which sits at 8.25%. In second place we have Kansas at 7.5%.

Local dealerships are not exempt either. Ryan Dolan, who owns a car dealership in Reno explains that the auto world is still feeling the impacts from the shut downs that occurred during the pandemic.

“Manufacturing and all that stuff just doesn’t happen and it takes a long time to get the world back up to speed through part suppliers and all the things that need to happen,” Dolan said.

Dolan goes on to explain that rental car companies were not buying cars as no one was traveling. Once the world slowly began to open they bought up tons of used cars, driving up the demand, and prices.

“The parts, the vehicles, everything has just skyrocketed over the last 3 to 4 years, and unfortunately not only are we paying for it, the consumers paying for it,” says Dolan.

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