The Car Running Cost Calculator has been really good in helping me get a handle on using the car versus options such as using public transport. By clicking on the example button in the calculator the actual costs over 10.38 years are provided. By adjusting these figures others can also get a handle on how much their car is costing them per kilometre.
Now one thing came to mind and that was, what if people sell a car sooner. How does that affect their cost per kilometre?
Whilst not scientific, the first thing I needed was an estimate of how much a car drops in value from the day you purchase it. One site gave a figure of 24% in the first year and then 6% each year after that. I thought that was a good figure as it roughly corresponds to what my car was worth after 10 years.
I took the figures my example data provided and then divided the number of kilometres by 10.38 to give my yearly travel distance of 13,627 km per year. I left all the figures for each year the same with the only change being the residual value of my car. I plugged this information into a spreadsheet and obtained two interesting figures.
The first was the effect of the high depreciation in the first year and then the straight line 6% drop in value each year after that. In years 14 and 15 the car would go negative so I entered a notional value of $500 which I consider the car would then be worth. Maybe more, maybe less, but at least I have something to work with. This figure isn't about getting rid of the car at an earlier year, but shows me the cost per kilometre assuming I keep the car for a long time and there's not major unexpected costs.
Year 1: 88 cents per kilometre
Years 2-13: 42 cents per kilometre
Year 14: 33 cents per kilometre
Year 15: 27 cents per kilometre
What is good about these results is you can quickly see after the first year, my car is costing me roughly 42 cents per kilometre. It should be noted I didn't finance the car and used savings to purchase the car. That meant I did lose some interest on the money that I haven't factored in. Over the 10 years I'd estimate this to be around 2-3 cents per kilometre.
Let's now look at what I was really after. What is the cost per kilometre and how is it affected by disposing of the car earlier.
Year 1: $2.22 / km
Year 2: $2.06 / km
Year 3: $1.91 / km
Year 4: $1.76 / km
Year 5: $1.60 / km
Year 6: $1.44 / km
Year 7: $1.29 / km
Year 8: $1.14 / km
Year 9: 98 cents / km
Year 10: 83 cents / km
Year 11: 68 cents / km
Year 12: 52 cents / km
Year: 13: 37 cents / km
Year 14: 30 cents / km
Year 15: 30 cents / km
When you look at these figures you really can't help but be amazed at how much per kilometre it costs if you turn over your car regularly.
A few factors to consider when comparing your costs to mine are that my car was more expensive than the average car at around $35,000. Being a small people mover (possibly heavier) it means my cost of fuel may also be higher. I also drive only around 14,000 km a year which is under the average. Those who drive a lot bring their cost per kilometre down quicker. Basically by driving more you spread your fixed costs (registration, insurance and the cost of the car) over more kilometres each year.
For example a lower cost car costing around $25,000 and using say 80% of the petrol and driving twice as far a year would almost halve the cost per kilometre if the car was kept over a long period of time. In terms of disposal the cost per kilometre would be around 89 cents per kilometre in the first year dropping by 6 cents per kilometre per year after that.
I hope others find this information and the Car Running Cost Calculator useful for them.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.CarRunningCostCalculator.com.au
Now one thing came to mind and that was, what if people sell a car sooner. How does that affect their cost per kilometre?
Whilst not scientific, the first thing I needed was an estimate of how much a car drops in value from the day you purchase it. One site gave a figure of 24% in the first year and then 6% each year after that. I thought that was a good figure as it roughly corresponds to what my car was worth after 10 years.
I took the figures my example data provided and then divided the number of kilometres by 10.38 to give my yearly travel distance of 13,627 km per year. I left all the figures for each year the same with the only change being the residual value of my car. I plugged this information into a spreadsheet and obtained two interesting figures.
The first was the effect of the high depreciation in the first year and then the straight line 6% drop in value each year after that. In years 14 and 15 the car would go negative so I entered a notional value of $500 which I consider the car would then be worth. Maybe more, maybe less, but at least I have something to work with. This figure isn't about getting rid of the car at an earlier year, but shows me the cost per kilometre assuming I keep the car for a long time and there's not major unexpected costs.
Year 1: 88 cents per kilometre
Years 2-13: 42 cents per kilometre
Year 14: 33 cents per kilometre
Year 15: 27 cents per kilometre
What is good about these results is you can quickly see after the first year, my car is costing me roughly 42 cents per kilometre. It should be noted I didn't finance the car and used savings to purchase the car. That meant I did lose some interest on the money that I haven't factored in. Over the 10 years I'd estimate this to be around 2-3 cents per kilometre.
Let's now look at what I was really after. What is the cost per kilometre and how is it affected by disposing of the car earlier.
Year 1: $2.22 / km
Year 2: $2.06 / km
Year 3: $1.91 / km
Year 4: $1.76 / km
Year 5: $1.60 / km
Year 6: $1.44 / km
Year 7: $1.29 / km
Year 8: $1.14 / km
Year 9: 98 cents / km
Year 10: 83 cents / km
Year 11: 68 cents / km
Year 12: 52 cents / km
Year: 13: 37 cents / km
Year 14: 30 cents / km
Year 15: 30 cents / km
When you look at these figures you really can't help but be amazed at how much per kilometre it costs if you turn over your car regularly.
A few factors to consider when comparing your costs to mine are that my car was more expensive than the average car at around $35,000. Being a small people mover (possibly heavier) it means my cost of fuel may also be higher. I also drive only around 14,000 km a year which is under the average. Those who drive a lot bring their cost per kilometre down quicker. Basically by driving more you spread your fixed costs (registration, insurance and the cost of the car) over more kilometres each year.
For example a lower cost car costing around $25,000 and using say 80% of the petrol and driving twice as far a year would almost halve the cost per kilometre if the car was kept over a long period of time. In terms of disposal the cost per kilometre would be around 89 cents per kilometre in the first year dropping by 6 cents per kilometre per year after that.
I hope others find this information and the Car Running Cost Calculator useful for them.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.CarRunningCostCalculator.com.au
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