9 Easy Ways To Help Save Money On Auto Maintenance And Repair

Running a car can cost thousands of pounds every single year, factoring in every tiny expense. This isn’t even considering the initial cost, and the cost of any interior or technological upgrades. It’s an expensive endeavour, but fortunately, there are ways to save money in this scenario.

One way is in regards to your car’s maintenance and repair schedule. It’s impossible to save money on petrol, obviously, so this is pretty much the only way to cut back. Below, you’ll find numerous savvy tips that can help ease your wallet and make your driving life a much more cost-effective one.

 

1. Be aware of the usual charges for maintenance and repair

 

 

Certain fixes come with a standard price, or at least, a price range. Knowing these prices before you take your car into a shop helps you to know if you’re getting a good deal or not. Some online services let you type in your postcode to find out the rough charges in your district. I’d recommend reading up before you take your car in.

2. Read the owner’s manual thoroughly!

This is the official document that’s prepared by the manufacturer, so it’s safe to assume they know what they’re talking about. The manual will be able to give you information on possible problems with your car, and how to troubleshoot them. It can tell you what type of oil your engine needs, as well as essential information like tyre sizes.

 

 

 

It will also be able to recommend to you how often to take your car in for servicing. All this knowledge is not only useful to you, but to the garage you take the car to. They’ll want to know information like this, so if you have it to hand it’ll make the repair quicker, and cheaper. If you’ve lost your manual, it’s possible to find a replacement, so don’t fret!

3. Take it to an official dealer

Most official car dealers also offer maintenance and repair services for cars that they specialise in. For example, a Mercedes dealer like https://www.mercedes-benz.inchcape.co.uk offers these services for Mercedes owners. The same is true for Mini owners and Mini dealers, Ford owners and Ford dealers, etc.

This is a good way to make sure your car gets the best treatment possible. Sure, you could go for a general mechanic, but each car is different and it’s unlikely that they specialise in yours. By sticking with the dealer of your specific brand, you ensure that your car is in the hands of the people most qualified to repair it.

How does this save you money? Well, it makes sure that the job is done once, well, and your car doesn’t have to go back into the shop.

4. Follow your car’s maintenance schedule

The maintenance schedule refers to the frequency of which your car is likely to need checking and servicing. If you stick to this pattern, the performance of your car will be greatly extended and you’ll thank yourself for it. Doing so can save you the costs of any repairs needed due to negligence on your part.

5. Carry a spare tyre

If one of your tyres falls flat when you’re on the road, and you don’t have a spare, you’re in trouble. Continuing to drive with a damaged tyre will only make the condition of your car worse. A worse condition means more repairs are needed, which means the costs will be higher.

So, by carrying a spare, you can fix your car there and then. Of course, you should still take it into the shop at the next possible chance, but as temporary measures go this is sound.

6. If you need parts, buy them cheap

There are dozens of used car parts sources available online, from eBay to AutoBarn. Depending on what you need, you may be able to find it for much cheaper than it would cost brand new. Of course, I’d still recommend reading reviews and ensuring the integrity of the seller, but you can save a quick buck this way.

That being said, don’t skimp on quality just to save a couple of pounds. The functionality and safety of your car is far more valuable than a minor saving.

7. You can do a couple of jobs yourself!

 

Of course, the ultimate way to save money is to do some things yourself. For obvious reasons, I’d leave the more advanced stuff to the professionals, but you can save them time and you money first.

For example, it’s rather easy to change your air filters at home, as well as change your wiper blades. Sources such as www.wikihow.com/Change-Your-Air-Filter could help you out with the former. It really doesn’t take long.

As for wiper blades, you’ll need to completely turn off the engine so they don’t randomly start up, then the rest is easy. Just pull the blades away from the windshield, squeeze the tab to release them, slide them off and put the new ones on.

You can also change your oil at home, which is a five minute job once you’ve bought some. Make sure you buy the right type for your engine, though. In short, it’s possible to do some, but not all, of your car’s maintenance jobs yourself. Just make sure you read up before you begin, to avoid mistakes.

8. Change the way you drive

 

Preventive maintenance involves changing the way you drive in order to reduce the chance of any possible damage. For example, harsh acceleration is bad for your engine, which can increase oil consumption. This means you’ll need to buy more oil, sooner. All in all, if you make sure you drive as efficiently and as safely as possible, you’ll find that your repair costs swiftly decrease.

9. Profit

Well, not really profit – just a couple of savings here and there. You won’t be able to save a lot on vehicle repair, but you can save some, and it all adds up!