The Millennial way of living is to save money. Considering that everyone needs a car, one of the best ways to save money is to take care of your car. With car maintenance, you cut costs down to a minimum. But how do you do that? In this 2024 guide, we will tell you exactly how.
Educate Yourself On the Car You’re Driving
First things first, every car comes with an owner’s manual. This document holds valuable information that might one day save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars. The owner’s manual can tell you anything from routine maintenance checks to dash light information. If you’re looking for additional resources and expert advice on car care, be sure to visit carsneedcare.com.
This information will indeed save you from a lot of unnecessary repairs once the dash lights start flickering. In addition to all that, the owner’s manual tells you the solution to most problems. If you’re buying a used car and the previous owner doesn’t have the owner’s manual, then you can find one online and download it for free.
Do Regular Oil Checks
Checking your oil on a regular basis is one of the essentials when it comes to car maintenance. Not checking the oil will cost you a lot in the long run. However, it’s easy to forget about it. After all, your car is running perfectly fine even if you haven’t done it.
But where there is smoke there is fire, and the smoke will eventually come. If you fail to do an oil check, then you’re putting your car at risk. If your car runs out of oil, then the engine will suffer. Sooner or later, it will go bust. Everyone knows that replacing an engine is far costlier than simply changing the oil. Not only that, but you’re better off buying a new car altogether.
Every car manufacturer makes it easy for you to check the engine. All you have to do is use the dipstick to check the oil level. If the oil level is below the recommended amount, then change it now.
Also, Do Regular Fluids Check
In addition to checking the engine oil, your car has plenty of other fluids that also need checking. More interestingly, you would know this information if you had read the owner’s manual. Some of the other more important fluids that need checking include transmission fluids, power steering fluids, battery fluids, and more.
All of these make sure your car runs smoothly. If you’re driving your car with some of these fluids below the optimal level, then you’re risking costly repairs. The owner’s manual tells you how to maintain the fluid levels on your car. They’re just as important as the engine oil, so don’t neglect them.
Your owner’s manual also has information on when to schedule your next visit to the mechanic. These are routine checks that make sure your car is driving in top-notch condition. But it’s important to go to the right automotive specialist when the time comes. If you’re looking for the right one for your car, then make sure to make an appointment with finetunedautomotive.com.
Change the Filters
Some of you have no idea what a car filter is. This convenient part of your car sends air to the engine and keeps it cool during hot days. When your car runs, this process runs automatically.
But even so, the filter requires changing regularly. Why? Well because your car’s filter can get quite dirty. Since the filter’s job is to filter air, it gets quite dirty quite often. A dirty car filter can rack up maintenance costs by quite a lot. Not only that, but it increases fuel consumption by as much as 15%.
And don’t think that you need a mechanic to change it or clean it. All that it takes is to simply take it out and give it a nice blow. A clean air filter preserves the life of your engine. While it might sound quite unimportant, the reality is far from it.
Get New Tires
You’re not supposed to change the tires of your car often. What you do need to do is change the summer tires for the winter ones when the season changes. Driving on summer tires in the winter can be quite risky – especially if you’re going on a trip in the mountains.
But that’s not what we’re here to talk about. As a general rule of thumb, you’re supposed to change your tires for new ones every six to ten years – depending on how often your drive.
If you go to work everyday and travel constantly, then six years is a good timeframe to change them. If you use your car less often, then you can probably go up to ten years without needing a change.
But some say that the key to lower maintenance costs is to change the tires every six years – regardless of mileage. This all has to do with inflation. The more you lose inflation in your tires, the more fuel your car uses. But what does fuel consumption has to do with maintenance? Well, too much or too little air in your tires is not something any car owner wants. When there is too much or too little air in the tires, it can cause excessive wear and tear. This essentially racks up maintenance costs.
Don’t Buy the First Part You See
Regardless of how much we want it to be true, our cars can break down even if we keep them in top-notch condition. What proper car maintenance does is lower the risk of breaking down.
But accidents can always happen and parts will need replacing. So one way to save money on parts is to shop around. Never buy the first pat you come across as chances are you’ll find a cheaper one by browsing the internet. Your mechanic can tell you where to find parts and avoid paying thousands of dollars on new ones.
While it’s better to buy some parts as new, you can pass easily when buying used in many cases.
