Cost of car ownership climbs

The average annual cost of owning and driving a car has climbed by $400, AAA reported on Thursday.

The measurement is based on gas, maintenance, tires, financing, depreciation and insurance for a "typical" sedan. The average price for fuel in Nevada was $2.83 last month, a 66 cent increase from March 2009.

AAA calculated if a car is driven 15,000 miles a year, the cost to run it in 2010 will be $8,487, up from $8,095 in 2009.

"Paying more at the pump is not only increasing the operational costs of vehicles, but it's also affecting depreciation values," said Michael Geeser, a spokesman for AAA Nevada.

Geeser said with the growing appeal of fuel-efficient cars, guzzlers are losing value at an increasing rate.

Average annual costs also vary among vehicle types, according to AAA:

• Small sedan: $6,496

• Large sedan: $10,530

• Minivan: $9,301

• Sport utility vehicles will cost $11,085 to operate in 2010 - an $826 increase from last year because of higher fuel costs.