I won’t show you charts and graphs of the economy to tell you that lowering your car maintenance costs will go a long way. An ant once said to a grasshopper in a fable, “I’m saving for a rainy day.”
Does it feel like you did?Here are 5 ways to lower your car maintenance costs:Take note of your BLOWBAG – No, this isn’t the paper bag you breathe in and out of when you feel anxious about paying for car maintenance. BLOWBAG stands for Battery, Lights, Oil, Water, Brakes, Air and Gas. Properly keeping these in check will help you avoid paying for more in the long run. Invest in a good brand for your battery\engine oil (preferably a synthetic one that helps with the friction). An oil change can take up to $80+, air filters from $10+ and fuel filters from $25+ — which still beats hundreds of dollars in car repair.Keep the wheels turning – Keeping your tires in check if they are properly inflated/have the right tire pressure increases fuel economy.
Worn out, under-inflated tires on the other hand has your engine cranking a little bit more. Make sure your treads still provide enough traction and that your tires are inflated to the right pressure, and increase your mileage by up to 3%. (Everybody knows getting more mileage out of your gas = savings!)Suspension – A new suspension system for a car can cost up to hundreds and hundreds of dollars — it may even go as high as $2000 for the bigger cars. The cost of suspension alignment? Just above $70. Who insures the insurance? – Taking up traffic school may be the biggest hit here — as insurance is inevitably going to be part of what you’ll always pay for when you get a car. The cost of insurance could even go up by $100 per point in your driving record.
Taking up a defensive driving course at a respectable traffic school (which only takes you less than a day, really) will make those points disappear, making you pay less. And if it helps, (and you pay attention) you avoid accidents and scrapes on the road, further lowering your car costs.Watch your speed – Lower your overall driving speed by 5mph under the speed limit. You will get there in almost the same time, and by doing so, it may lower your fuel usage by up to 25% going to the same destination at a higher speed.
Tags: battery engine, car co, car maintenance, charts and graphs, defensive driving course, fuel economy, fuel filters, inflated tires, oil water, pressure increases, traffic school