Tips for Keeping Car Maintenance Costs Low

Once you’ve purchased a car, regular maintenance is the best way to keep your maintenance expenses low and extend the life of your vehicle. In addition to making sure you prioritize all the recommended scheduled maintenance detailed in your car owner's manual, here are some extra tips that can help you save money over time:

1. Hit all your regularly scheduled oil changes This is one of the best ways to ensure your engine is running smoothly. Check your owner's manual for the recommended interval between oil changes.
2. Consider synthetic oil. Though synthetic oil is a bit more costly, you can get 7,000+ miles between oil changes by using it instead of 3,000-5,000 with conventional oil. This means fewer visits to the auto shop for oil changes. Again, be sure to check your owner’s manual because some cars require synthetic oil, while other cars can use either synthetic or conventional oil.
3. Keep your tires properly inflated. Proper tire pressure can improve your gas mileage. According to Edmunds, keeping your tires properly inflated can save you up to $112 per year! You can usually find the correct tire pressure level for your car printed on the sticker inside the driver’s side door or glove box.
4. Rotate your tires regularly. The front tires tend to wear more quickly than the rear tires, so switching them ensures that all four tires wear evenly. Buying four tires at once can save you in the long run, rather than buying two tires each time they need to be replaced.
5. Ease to a stop. Extend the life of your brakes and tires by accelerating and decelerating smoothly. By easing to a stop, you can extend the life of your brakes and get 20,000-30,000 miles from them rather than the average 10,000 miles. If you’re able to save changing brake pads three to four times, it could equal up to $1,000 in savings over the life of the car. Plus, smooth driving can improve gas mileage, saving you more money!
6. Replace your air filter. Maintaining your air filter not only keeps dirt out of the engine, but also improves fuel economy. Typically, you should replace your filter every 30,000 miles, but check your owner’s manual for the exact specified time. Replacing air filters is inexpensive and can often be a quick DIY project.

 When shopping for a used car, you should always ask about the car’s maintenance report. Look to see if the car has been well cared for over time. This is a clue into whether or not you might be about to inherit some costly repairs. Just starting to shop? Learn the five steps of how to buy a car today.

Sometimes, unexpected car expenses come up even if you’re diligent about maintenance. In those cases, having an emergency fund can be a great way to ensure a big car expense won’t result in taking on debt.

Keeping up with the maintenance of your car not only helps to keep your car on the road longer, but it can also help you save a lot of money over the life of the car. Check your owner’s manual for more tips and directions for maintaining your vehicle.

Looking for more easy ways to save? Here are 10 simple cost-cutting strategies for saving money on any budget.