Saving money with preventative car maintenance

Back in February I shared some tips on how to save money by adopting better driving habits. There are some car owner habits that we tend to have even when we are not driving that can end up saving us money.

Neglect is a Money Grabber

Have you ever had something suddenly going really wrong with your car and afterwards you are slapped with an incredibly high bill from your mechanic? In general, I think some of us avoid the mechanic out of fear that we will end up leaving with empty pockets. However, as much as it’s never fun to have to sink money into your car, by investing in routine maintenance, you can actually save yourself a lot of money in the end. When you keep up with the car’s maintenance, you avoid some of the build-up and wear and tear that results in a larger more expensive problem in the end.

You can save money on your general auto maintenance routine by either finding a really good and affordable mechanic, or by doing some of the upkeep yourself. It’s actually not difficult to change the oil and some other minor things on your own. And when you order products and parts from an online supplier such as this instead of from a dealer or auto shop, you can save a lot more in the end as well.

Your Normal Routine Should Include

Products

These products all differ, but in general you need to keep a close eye on them and pay special attention to warning lights on your dashboard. These should be regularly checked (levels refilled) in three-month intervals and completely replaced (like your engine oil) within 10,000-15,000 miles. Note, many service centers and shops out there recommend that you change your engine oil every three months, but you actually don’t need to change it that often. You can save yourself some money by changing the oil based on the car’s actual needs. See this article for what some of the dealers are actually recommending.

• Engine oil
• Brake fluid
• Coolant
• Transmission fluid
• Steering fluid

Parts

• Windshield wiper blades – change every 6 to 12 months
• Battery – change every five years
• Brake pads – change ideally every 50,000 miles
• Drive belt – change every 50,000 miles
• Coolant hoses – change every 75,000 miles
• Air filter – change every 30,000 miles
• Tires – change every 45,000 miles