Cutting Car Costs

Repairs and Maintenance

Force Yourself To Save: When you make your car payment each month, put $20 – or whatever you can afford – into a savings account for repairs and maintenance. When you pay off your car, continue to make the same monthly car payment you were making to the lender – but put it into a savings account for repairs. Ultimately, you may decide to use it for a down payment on a new vehicle.

Stay on Schedule: Regular oil changes, a clean air filter, changing the antifreeze every year or two, and other regular maintenance will make your car run more efficiently and last longer with fewer repairs. Find a good mechanic and stick with a schedule for routine maintenance. Operating a vehicle with just one tire under-inflated by 6 psi (40 kPa) can reduce the life of the tire by 10,000 km and increase the vehicle’s fuel consumption by three percent. For improved fuel efficiency and enhanced safety, give your tires the attention they need. (www.About.com)

Get Good Help: The cost for service and repairs can vary a great deal among dealerships and independent repair shops. Ask for recommendations from friends and relatives, make a few calls to compare prices, and check out complaints with the Canadian Council of Better Business Bureaus (visit www.ccbbb.ca). Dealerships will often charge more for service but they are also more reputable than some smaller mechanic businesses.

Know When to Say When: Don’t give up on your older car just because it needs repairs. Even a $2500 new transmission may be a bargain when you compare it to the $10,000 annual tab of a moderately priced new car. But, if you are finding yourself forking over a wallet full of cash for repairs again and again, it may be time to shop for a new car.

Finally…

Dump The Wheels: Try going without your car (or a second car or a third one) for a week or a month. If you can make it, you may want to dump that car and rent on the occasions when you really must have a vehicle. Considering that even a “cheap” new car costs about $7500 a year to operate, you can end up ahead by hoofing it, using public transportation, and hailing a cab once in a while.