Saving Money on Your Vehicle Maintenance and Repair By Jack Chary At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Vehicle expenses are extremely costly to anyone, no matter who they are. Whether you need a new transmission or you are just having your oil changed, in addition to rising gas prices can put a damper on even the most well planned budgets. However, there are so many things car dealers, car repair men, and other people we trust with our vehicles aren’t telling us, that could save everyone money. By considering these few options you can open up a whole new world of savings, in an area of your budget that you might of thought was destined to not only be a huge expense, but as well as a huge sacrifice.

1.) Change your own oil. Unless, you have something worked out with the dealer you purchased the car from regarding your oil changes, you should seriously considering learning how to change your own oil. It is surprisingly simple if done correctly, and it requires few tools. You can usually get a quickie lesson from your local auto parts store, where you can purchase your new oil, filter, and learn how and where you can dispose of your used oil. Changing your own oil take thirty to forty-five minutes and will usually cost you anywhere from $15 to $20. You also don’t have to change it every 3,000 miles, because most car manufacturers actually typically suggest changing the oil every 5,000 miles, 7,500 miles or even longer.

2.) Learn to change your own flat tire. You should take the time to know where your spare is, what kind of shape its in, and make sure you have all the parts to your jack. Knowing how to change your own tire is cheaper and faster than waiting for a tow truck.

3.) Just like your flat tire and your oil, you should know how to change your windshield wipers, air filters, and know how to vacuum out your own car. A lot of mechanic shops, especially if your getting it inspected offer to do these things, but there is always an extra charge. It may not seem like much to you, but it does add up over time. Do yourself a favor and just learn to do it on your own.

4.) Check the salvage yard. So, your mechanic just told you that you need a new transmission, and your dreading the huge dent that is going to make in your savings account. But, you might consider having your mechanic check around and try to purchase the part from a nearby salvage yard. Vehicles that have been totaled in a car accident, usually still have several salvageable parts on them, and the salvage yard will usually remove the parts that are salvageable and sell them. If your mechanic won’t do it, ask him to hold your vehicle, get in writing exactly what type of part you need, make sure you have the correct year, make, and model of your vehicle and you can do the checking. You will be surprised how much you can save by purchasing your parts through a salvage yard, than brand new from an auto parts store. Also, most salvage yards will replace the part if it turns out to be faulty once you get it into your vehicle.

5.) It is possible to have too much insurance. If your car is paid off and it’s only worth a couple thousand dollars, you probably should even bother to have full-coverage on it, because with the money you save you could save up to buy a new car. You shouldn’t skip on liability, and if your have a lien against it you are usually required to keep full-coverage on it, but it is never a bad idea to ask your insurance agent to re-evaluate your coverage to see if they can save you money or you could always do some price shopping. Most car insurance companies try to keep there rates competitive, so don’t be afraid to check around and see how much you can save, you will probably be glad that you did.

6.) Extended warranties. Most car dealers offer you extended warranties, just about the time your original warranty expires. But, by the time the original warranty expires you should know enough about your car to see if it is even worth it. Most of the time they are so expensive, that it ends up being a hassle more than a bargain.

7.) Addicted to automatic car washes? A lot of auto parts stores stock the stuff you need to wash your own car, or you can even bother to do it manually at the car wash instead of going through the automatic. You will be amazed how much money you will save, even if it’s only a few bucks, those dollars sure do add up!

As you can see there are a lot of ways to save money on your vehicle that you may not have even thought about. Your car repairs and maintenance don’t have to be as dreaded as you think they have to be, because with just a little self-empowerment and knowledge you can save yourself quite a bit of dough.

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