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Sticker shock

Next time you’re in the market for a new car, consider this: A more expensive auto can actually cost you less. How’s that? The purchase price is only one expense–albeit a major one–of car ownership. Gas, maintenance, financing, insurance, and other expenditures factor into the equation, too. Tallying up these car-ownership outlays may be a better way to comparison shop.

One source for finding the overall cost of owning a car is Edmunds.com. The online car-shopping guide gives you invoice prices, car reviews, and a host of additional information, including side-by-side comparisons of the true cost to own. The comparisons reveal interesting examples, such as a $36,301 Ford Expedition and a $40,057 Toyota Sequoia. When considering total expenses over five years, you will actually pay $85 more for the Ford. Your actual costs may differ, as the "true costs" are based on assumptions and averages, but they certainly give you something to ponder.

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