3 Tips for Cutting Car Maintenance and Repair Costs

Beyond monthly rent or mortgage costs, owning a car is the biggest ongoing expense for most people. While paying off the car is one thing, the costs of car ownership go beyond that and include spending money on fuel, insurance, maintenance and repairs.

And while some costs are fixed, like car insurance and state tag fees, for the budget-conscious, there are certainly ways to reduce your vehicle expenditures. Here are three tips for reducing your car maintenance and repair costs.

1. Do Your Own Maintenance

Even if you’re not a “car person,” there are plenty of simple maintenance tasks you can easily tackle on your own, saving you the expense of a mechanic’s labour. For example, changing your air filter is as easy as opening the air filter casing, pulling out the old filter and replacing it with a new one. Even something like replacing your brake pads is doable on your own with a little preparation and know-how. Doing it yourself will only cost you the expense of the brake pads, whereas you’ll pay between four to 12 times more for a full set of pads at the repair shop. Car parts are easy to source as well, with a whole range of being accessible online. For example, you can check out bulletproof diesel parts, and have the parts you need delivered directly to your door, so you do not even need to leave the house. Once you have the parts you need, if you are unsure of how to correctly fit them, you can also watch video tutorials online, these are also readily available to everyone for free.

2. Keep Tabs on Your Car’s Condition

While it’s tempting to ignore routine car maintenance when everything seems to be running fine, you’re actually doing your car — and yourself — a favor by regularly keeping track of its condition. In fact, noting your car’s fluid levels each time you fill up the tank is easy and will save you big expenses down the line. For example, depleted power steering fluid can damage the power steering pump, while running out of oil can lead to major engine failure.

However, these are some major expenses you can avoid altogether by regularly checking your fluid levels. Likewise, checking your tires’ tread depth can help prevent blowouts and the costs for replacements. Not sure how to go about it?  Just make sure to measure the tread along the entire width of each tire to ensure the tread wear is even — thereby extending the life of your tires — as uneven tread wear can signal other problems.

3. Know When Certain Parts Need Replacing

If you know when your car parts are due for replacement, you can better anticipate and budget for repairs. Whether it’s time or mileage, most car parts have a known lifespan, so make sure to keep good records of each replacement part you pay to install.

For instance, a timing belt will generally last between 60,000 and 100,000 miles, while the serpentine belt will last up to 150,000 miles. Meantime, a car battery will last four to five years, as long as you keep the terminals clean and make sure the cables aren’t damaged.

Whether it’s conducting your own maintenance, keeping tabs on the condition of your car, or knowing when your parts are due for replacement, saving money on car expenses boils down to taking an active role in your car’s health. Ultimately, the time and money you spend on car maintenance now will help you avoid bigger expenses and major repairs down the road.