Cars have become more expensive to maintain: owners' expenses have increased by almost 50% over the year.

      The largest share of expenses traditionally went to fuel. Total spending at gas stations amounted to 226 billion rubles, which is 45% higher than the previous year's figures. The number of transactions increased by a third, reaching 158 million operations, while the average check grew slightly — by only 7%, to 1,400 rubles.

      The most noticeable growth was demonstrated by the category of car maintenance services. Thus, spending on car washes increased by 70%, and the number of visits rose by 79%. In auto services, the annual growth in expenses was 55%, with the average cost of one visit reaching 5,800 rubles.

      The overall increase in car maintenance expenses, along with a relatively stable average check for fuel, may indicate several trends. Experts attribute this to both the increased intensity of personal vehicle use and rising prices for service services, as well as an increase in the frequency of their consumption, reports the portal volga.news. The data suggests that maintaining a car in working condition is becoming a significant item of expenditure in the budgets of Russians.