pwd - Analyses of cars and their infrastructure show that the costs are huge and are heavily subsidized by other taxes. I'm not anti-car -- rather obviously since I own 2 purely fun cars (down from 3 Porsches), but it's hard to refute.

OTOH, we no longer have streets awash in horse crap and I often wonder if cars aren't safer than horse travel -- historical acconts show people in the in mid-1800s with frequent injuries from horse riding (esp. when drunk).

BTW, mandatory to register a bike in my town (and most others) -- cops only enforce if you wear a black T-shirt.

Maryland for 69 911e
Historic tag: $40 for two years
Insurance: $20/month (not primarly car)
Gas: $1.70/gallon

Monthly "investment" in parts/labor/restoration $500
Winding out third gear on a nice day: priceless :)

Oh, I'll give it a try...Randy, I suggest you look up a bit of info on ODOT's budget, number of employees, etc. Also where it's funding comes from..the gas tax and road use taxes. When I read info given to me by then Oregon State Rep Liz VanLeeuwen, ODOT had nearly as many employees as there are miles of State Highway...and it was totally funded by fuel and "road use" taxes imposed on commercial vehicles. I know that as a state employee you must uphold the #1 rule of the bureaucracy, which is to protect and expand the bureaucracy. However, I do question your unnamed "Analyses". BTW, when Liz gave me this material, she was trying to head off one of Oregon's many gasoline tax hikes, because she sincerely believed it was unneeded. Alas, the liberal Reps outnumbered the conservative ones.

Michigan

Plate Fee $130
Colector Ins. $480
Gas /Gal $1.70
Emission Insp. None.....Priceless

Uh... I'm not a state employee -- or is that what you meant?

But ODOT is just the tip of the iceberg -- don't fergit (or forget either) that the feds paid 90% of all the Interestates here, and a lot for all the US Hwys.

One named analysis: Alan Durning - The Car and the City. I guarantee you won't like it! But I've never seen anyone sucessfully refute his facts.

Anyway, if we are going to subsidize cars, I'm gonna buy another one.... waiting for that 300 hp; 2500 lb. Boxster...

I thought you were a UofO prof...if not, my apologies. But if you are? The last time I looked, the U of O was a state university. The car and the city? Hmmm, where I live it isn't a city by any stretch of the imagination. Want to talk heavily subsidized transportation? Oh gosh, let's not mention Portland's light rail...ridership numbers, how much each ride is subsidized by those poor ignorant slobs who insist on driving, through their property and income taxes. Sorry Randy, you won't change my mind, nor will I change yours. IMHO, Oregon does not have a funding problem, it has a spending problem. There is a reason why Clark County Washington is growing like crazy while just across the Columbia river, Multnomah County, Oregon isn't. There is a reason Oregon has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation...and I believe that to be a climate unfriendly to business because of over taxation and over regulation. Me? Living on a retirement income with everything paid for? Oregon isn't that bad, despite it's current 9% income tax rate. Would I suggest this as a place to live to a younger person who chooses private industry employment over government? Nope. Poor government management here, better opportunities elsewhere. The new state slogan, adopted after the state paying a high priced Portland based ad agency an amount still not disclosed? "Oregon. We love dreamers." It's appropriate.
I wouldn't have charged 6 figures or more for mine tho: "Oregon. Porkbarrel spelled backwards."

1979 930

Houston, TX

Registration/License: ~$50/yr
Insurance (appraised value $24,500): $600/yr
Fuel this afternoon: $1.559/gal super-unleaded
Gas Mileage ~ 11 mpg (worse than my truck!)

Yearly Operating Costs.....
 

In the county that I live in (South Georgia) my operating costs are as follows:

License/registration fees $30.00/year
Insurance (full coverage) $240.00/6 months
fuel costs: $1.50 per US gallon @18-25mpg
synthetic oil: $3.50/US quart (change oil twice a year)
smiles per gallon: Priceless

Actually, my 1980 911SC has been relatively inexpensive to operate. I have spent some serious $$ repairing things the previous owners ignored and upgrading the interior, but the actual operating costs are reasonable.

Fred Cook

SmileWavy

No. I don't work for UofOh - never have. I _used_ to be a univ. prof, but never in Orygun (but have 2 degrees from here). In Wyoming most recently.

I also am not enamored with the dreamer slogan.

But we used to have more growth than we can handle -- until the tech bust. I'll take the social and economic situation here over Wyo. any day (but would like to import some powder snow).

Back to costs -- I am still surprised by the very low registration fees -- what are they in NY and Pa.?

Phoenix, AZ 1985 Carrera

1) Registration: $37/year

2) Insurance: ~$500/year, full coverage (collision, theft, etc); secondary vehicle on policy

3) Premium fuel: $1.65/gallon

At least you have the good beer in Belgium (the Disneyland of beers)! :D

you gotta visit NYC & metro to understand how road construction business is really accomplished.. just like the good ole days.

I guarantee you won't like it !

http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/munky2.gif

Hey guys, thanks a lot. It confirms what I suspected: the US is (on face level...) dirt cheap.

A few remarks:
1) I forgot to mention the Belgian compulsory yearly "technical control" (for all cars over 4 years old): US$ 45
2) I did not mention that we also have the "over 25 years old" classic car arrangement. Car tax is then abt. $30 per year, but you cannot stray beyond a 20-mile circle around your registered address (unless if you are invited to some "classic" gathering...so you send yourself an invitation email, I guess!)
Insurance (provided you have another "full rate" car!) is about $150 for a "classic car"...

At risk of straying into uncool OT territory, correcto: car and fuel taxes are siphoned off into other state management budgets. In Belgium, the tax on large displacement engines is based upon the hypothesis that large cars mean rich people (we don't traditionally drive barges over here), hence they can pay more taxes...c'mon now, let's be social! I'm not really going to discuss whether that's justified or not, it's been covered "ad nauseam" by (amateur) politicians and other assorted well-opinioned responsible citizens, to each his own. Right now I'm (cynically) quite pleased that there are tremendous taxes on cigarettes (a pack of 20 Marlboro lights cost exactly US$ 4.44, I just checked with a collegue :D ) because those taxes are poured into the "social security" fund to cover for part of my medical bills etcetera (yes, and to pay for the cement boots of having a massive administration...alas, alas...).

I drive my Carrera all of 4-6000 miles per year since I've had it. Man, has that car cost me money per mile!!!
:( but not more than YOUR Ferrari, Wayne :D THOU SHALT PAY FOR THY SINS !!!

Don't forget sales tax! Here in Michigan we have the privlege of paying 6% sales tax on all vehicle purchases. So if a vehicle is sold 5 times over its life time, the State cashes in 5 times on the same vehicle!!!!!!!!!!!!

V.A.T. - Value Added Tax - in Belgium is a whopping 21% of the LIST price. If you get, say, a 5 or 10% rebate, that is not granted on the tax part! Needless to say, there is NEVER any discount on a new Porsche...
(Yes, Mikkel, I know: you guys in Denmark are REALLY being...twistinserted...)

Oh so that's why you started this thread!!?? :D ;)


Every time I see a 993 I'm reminded what I could have been driving if things weren't so far out here :mad: The swedes are getting a lot of danish car interested immigrants these days ;) And I see more and more "swedish" Bmw's, Mercedes and Porsche's on danish roads.... The swedes must really love danish roads :D :D

Jefferson City Missouri:
'86 Carrera Vehicle Registration: $28.00 per year
Full coverage ins. ($1000 ded.): $420 per year
Gallon of 93 octane: $1.59

Here's NJ:

Premium Fuel: $1.50 - $2.00. This will go up by 15 cents if Gov. McGreedy gets his way.

Insurance is very variable but it's no secret that we're the highest in the country. Depends on county you live in, age, record, car etc etc. I pay approx $350 for limited use collectors insurance. I'll be looking at broader coverage alternatives in the spring.

Registration:

Note: The fees for senior citizens 65 and older and handicapped citizens are $7 less than those stated below in all passenger car categories.

Weight Class Model Weight Fee
1 1970 or older Under 2700 lbs. $32.50
2 1970 or older 2700 lbs--3800 lbs. $41.50
3 1970 or older Over 3800 lbs. $62.50
4 1971 – 1979 Under 2700 lbs. $35.50
5 1971 - 1979 2700 lbs--3800 lbs. $46.50
6 1971 - 1979 Over 3800 lbs. $69.50
7 1980 and newer Under 3500 lbs. Fewer than 2 years old $56.00
More than 2 years old $43.50

Hmmm, the idea of wt. classes makes sense to me, but with a difference that ranges from $32.50 to $69.50 -- why bother? Seems like it's more trouble than its worth.

I still think we should make all mass transit free and get everyone who doesn't _want_ to drive off the road.

Well the weight classes may inspire one to remove the A/C and rear seats from their 911.

I'm already inspired -- also need to remove about 15 lbs of spare tire from driver. Have already ditched hefty girfriend for a more svelte model.

So, will NJ send me a rebate? Not a resident but my state is the only other one to prohibit pumping your own gas....