But the state remains one of the cheapest in the nation for such repairs, and automotive experts attribute its low prices to decent weather and road conditions, driving habits and cheaper living costs.
“We are easier on vehicles, we don’t beat them up as hard and our labor costs, overhead costs and costs of living will all be less” than many states, said Matt Overbeck, the mechanical division chairman of the Automotive Service Association of Ohio.
Vehicle repairs associated with check engine lights in Ohio on average cost $308 in 2011, up from $298 in 2010, according to CarMD. At the national level, the average cost of repairs fell last year by 6 percent to $334.
CarMD produced its report after analyzing more than 160,000 repairs made on vehicles with problems associated with check engine lights.
Last year, the cheapest states for car repairs connected to check engine problems were Indiana ($283.95); Maine ($289.56); Wisconsin ($289.90); Iowa ($289.91); and New Hampshire ($292.66).
The most expensive states were Wyoming ($389.18); Utah (378.54); California (367.86); Montana ($364.29) and Arizona ($362.65).
Repair costs in sparsely inhabited states, such as Montana and Utah, are often higher because there are few maintenance shops, and the lack of competition means there is not any downward pressure on prices.
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