Buying a car can be exciting for every member of the family—except the family bank account. The worst part is knowing how many additional expenses not included in the car price that you will inevitably need to pay: gas, insurance, maintenance, repairs, etc. But at Accurate Auto Body, we know that being a responsible car owner goes a long way. It might seem expensive while you do it, but it can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. Learn to keep your car healthy and watch the savings roll in.
First, before you do anything, READ YOUR OWNER’S MANUAL!!! Owner’s Manuals are full of essential information that many drivers deem unimportant: oil type, tire pressure, spare tire location, ideal fluid levels, wiper blade size, meaning of warning lights, and—very important—the recommended service intervals. Knowing and following these instructions, taking the vehicle in to get serviced as recommended (and before long road trips), and keeping detailed records of vehicle maintenance and payments will take you and your car a long way.
Nowadays, gas is every car’s biggest expense. Read our tips for conserving gas to take fewer visits to the pump. But every trip to the gas station is an opportunity for auto responsibility:
- Fill up your tank only until the pump stops automatically, putting more gas in can cause overflow and waste
- Clean your windshield to extend the life of your wiper blades
- Clean any stains, like bird poop, that can cause permanent damage to the car’s paint
- Check your tire pressure and top off your tires if necessary
That last one is very important: tire pressure has a huge impact on gas mileage and tire longevity. To find the ideal range of tire pressure in pounds per square inch (psi), use what the car’s Owner’s Manual lists as your minimum pressure, and what the tire’s sidewall says as your maximum pressure. Keep tire pressure between those two, inflating it close to the maximum before taking long highway trips or transporting heavy objects.
Keeping a clean air filter is also essential to maximizing car efficiency—and minimizing expense. Filters should be checked and cleaned every 10,000-12,500 miles. Longevity depends a lot on road conditions: rural drivers who spend most of their time on dirt roads may have to replace their filters after the first check, whereas urban or suburban drivers can make filters last up to 50,000 miles with periodic cleaning. Either way, avoid using paper disposable filters; go for the more expensive performance air filters whose wire and cotton build is greener and last longer.
How to use this Information
At Accurate Auto Body we love cars, and we love it when you love your car. Bring your car in to your local Colorado auto body shop for periodic checkups, Denver bumper repair if you need it, Denver car painting if you want it, and many other mechanic and aesthetic services that will make you love your car as much as we do.
What do you think is the most important thing to do to save on auto expenses?
