total cost of car ownership?

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1
hi

If I were to by a car in Zurich what would be my ongoing costs, that are specific to Switzerland or Zurich.

I don't mean fuel, repairs, parking etc..

I mean what are the taxes, compulsory insurances etc?

thanks in advance

matt

2
There is no one answer, taxes and insurance vary greatly depending on make, model, year and engine size.

3
oh ok, so how do I find out what they would be for any specific car?

(particularly the taxes, and maybe a ballpark figure for what I coudl expect to be pay in insurance)

I'm looking for a lower end car, about $5k, so it'll probably be about 10 years old, 1.5 litre, station wagon..

is there a website with info (pref english of course), or where do I find the info otherwise?

If you are knowledgeable enough to guess a ballpark figure that would be appreciated

matt

4
This will get you started with the insurance: http://www.comparis.ch/auto/default.aspx

5
thanks..

so that leaves taxes, road taxes, etc..

anyone?

matt

6
Choose your canton: http://www.strassenverkehrsamt.ch/

7
Roadtaxes for 1.5L car, canton ZH:

1401-1500cc = 313.- per year

1501-1603cc = 330.- per year

Motorway tax (Autobahn Vignette) = 40.- per year (sticker on front windscreen)

Insurance, roughly 1000,- per year, but dependent on age of driver, make of vehicle, type of insurance, etc. Can vary from a few hundred francs to 3,000.-

8
Thant just leaves winter / summer tyres and servicing.

9
Don't forget a parking place at 150 to 200 CHF/month, so 1800-2400 CHF per year.

Also the price of petrol is also an issue. I you drive 15,000 KM per year and average 10 liters per 100 KM then your petrol cost is about 2250 CHF per year or about 15 cents a kilometer. An economical car like a Smart can nearly cut this figure in half but a Range Rover can nearly double it.

Don't under estimate repairs. In the last two years I have put in a transmission, a full set of brakes, glow-plugs, a radiator hose and had some body work done because I backed into a pole. The cost of everything was in the neighborhood of 7000 CHF.

10
Of course, you can cut your annual motoring costs by not backing into poles.

11
That would require me to stop drinking! Out of the question!

12
thanks guys, good point about the winter tires, I had overlooked that

thanks again (great forum!)

matt