Best and worst States to own a car,

If you bought a car in Alaska or Hawaii you'd probably expect to cost more than if you bought in, say, Michigan or Ohio, because of the additional cost of transport concerned. Gas prices are higher in those States, too, so one expects the car to cost more in the long run.

But why should cost $ 9,000 more to own and operate a car in Connecticut, than it does in New Hampshire, just 100 or so miles the road?

The answer is because New Hampshire has no sales tax, and the cost of everything from insurance companies for fuel and maintenance is low. So a machine costing $ 29,000 will $49,890 in five years if you live in Connecticut, but only $40,602, if you live in New Hampshire.

Forbes.com slide show: best and worst States to own a car

Where you live may make a big difference in the cost of owning a vehicle — a lesson worth remembering the next time you're shopping for a new car. The price may vary State to State, thanks to the regional incentives, for example, and destination, or the transport expenses may vary depending on the distance that the car must be shipped. In addition, you must consider more than just the sticker price or monthly payment of the lease. You must ensure that it, finance, maintain and keep the gas tank full.

Automotive research site Edmunds.com lets car buyers to see the big picture with its proprietary formula "true cost to own", which takes note of where you live to calculate the cost for depreciation, financing, taxes, taxes, insurance premiums, the five-year average fuel costs, maintenance and repairs on a range of new and used vehicles.

Forbes asked Edmunds analysts to come up with a weighted average sales by the State, which revealed that the New Hampshire, South Dakota, and South Carolina were better to own a vehicle, while Hawaii, California and Alaska are the most expensive. The gap between the cheaper, New Hampshire and the most expensive, Hawaii, is nearly $ 13,000.

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The two biggest factors tend to be taxes and the cost of insurance. In Oregon, for example, car buyers are charged an average of $ 129 in taxes, but in Arizona, which will pay an average of $4,346. Insurance is cheaper in South Dakota ($4,723) and more expensive in Alaska ($11,481). In West Virginia and Louisiana insurance will run about $ 11,000 in five years, but you pay half that if you live in Georgia or North Dakota.

The costs of maintenance and repair may also affect how much the car in time. Work rates for service technicians in your State can vary, for example. And if your State has no sales tax on spare parts, will cost less. Maintenance and repairs will cost an average of $ 1,350 more in Maryland than in nearby New Jersey, for example.

You're not likely to lead to New Jersey to get your car maintenance, so if you're one of those States with a high cost to own, at least you can compare the total cost of ownership for the various vehicles on your shopping list. Remember that purchasing a vehicle more expensive means that probably pay higher VAT and more interest on your car loan, you could end up costing more than they bargained for.

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