We all know how expensive owning a car is, but have you ever calculated the amount of money you put into maintaining your vehicle. Apparently, it costs around $8,469 a year to own a car that drives 15,000 miles a year. However, the number doesn’t include monthly costs of the car itself or interest. For many people, that’s a serious amount of money that cannot be ignored. Even if you’re frugal with your car and budget, that number is no joke.
So to help you out, here are some serious ways to save money so you can make the most of your vehicle.
Learn to do your own repairs and diagnostics
With a help tool such as an OBD2 scanner, you can easily pick up on what problems your car is having (provided you understand the diagnostics codes) and perform simple maintenance fixes on your own. There are many articles on the internet that show what’s the best OBD2 scan tool, so simply pick one within your budget and a set of car maintenance tools then start learning. Learning how to do your own repairs and maintenance isn’t as difficult as it seems. Cars are logical machines and every part has a purpose. Once you learn the purpose of each part and how to repair or fix each one, you’ll start saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year. It’s a long-term investment, but it’s a smart one if you plan to drive for a long time.
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Find a garage and stick with it
If you’d prefer not to do your own repairs (or if you simply don’t have the time) then pick a garage and stick with it. Don’t underestimate how powerful word of mouth referrals can be. If the mechanic knows that you’re a friend of one of their regular clients, then they’ll likely give you priority, they’ll fix your car faster and they may even lower the price of things like maintenance and regular repairs. Always consider going to approved mechanics before you visit third-party garages that aren’t covered by your insurance plan. If you haven’t visited a mechanic yet, then consider looking at directories such as Google Maps or Yelp to look at reviews of local car mechanics.
Shop around for car insurance
Your circumstances can rapidly change, and it’s important that you report these changes to your car insurance company so they can change how much you pay. This is important because adding a teenage driver to your car can get quite expensive. However, moving into a home with a secure garage can drastically lower the price you pay for insurance because the car is more secure. Learn how to manipulate your car insurance costs by looking at the factors that insurance companies rely on. Whether it’s your job title, modifications you’ve added to the car or the amount you use it, these are all things that car insurance companies look at to determine how much you pay. Look online for tips on how to tweak these to your advantage, but don’t lie because you could get into serious trouble for misleading your insurance company.
