True Cost of Car Ownership Hits $11,577 Annually — Depreciation, Insurance, Fuel Add Up Fast
Average car ownership costs $11,577/year ($965/month) with depreciation consuming 39.2% ($4,822), insurance 17.3% ($2,124), fuel 20.1% ($2,465), and maintenance 11.3% ($1,386), while the 10% rule recommends cars stay under 10% of gross income.
Autonomous Vehicles Crash Twice as Often But Prove Safer Overall — 9.1 vs 4.1 Per Million Miles
Self-driving cars crash at 9.1 per million miles (vs 4.1 human) but only 2 deaths from fully autonomous vehicles through March 2026, while Waymo achieves 2.1 incidents per million (2.3x safer than humans) despite higher crash frequency.
EPA Kills Start-Stop Systems — "Almost Universally Hated" Technology Gets Axed as Biggest Deregulation Ever
EPA eliminated start-stop emissions credits February 12, 2026, calling the "almost universally hated" technology unnecessary as drivers finally get the feature removed from new vehicles after years of complaints.
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Used Car Prices Fall for First Time This Year — Manheim Auction Prices Down 1.6% as Older Vehicles Gain Demand
Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index fell 1.6% in April 2026 (first monthly decline this year) as tax refund season ended, though prices remain up 1.8% YoY with used EVs climbing 7.2% YoY on higher gas prices.
Women Make 80% of Car Buying Decisions But Only 38% Feel Confident — Dealerships Underestimate Biggest Market
Women make 80-85% of car-buying decisions and purchase 62% of new cars spending $200 billion annually, but only 38% feel confident (vs 58% of men) and 77% bring a man to dealership to avoid being taken advantage of.
Car Repossessions Hit 1.73 Million — Subprime Delinquencies Reach 32-Year Record High at 6.5%
Subprime auto loan delinquencies hit 6.5% (32-year record) with 1.73 million repossessions in 2024 as loans from 2022-2024 with high prices, high rates, and thin equity default at unprecedented rates.