Money-Saving Car Maintenance Tips

Looking to save some money so you can pay for the groceries? Well, you might be surprised how easy it is to save enough for one week’s groceries simply by implementing a few car maintenance tips. Although nothing can replace regular car service as a way to keep your car in good shape, there is always something you can do yourself that will cut back on your maintenance costs and your day-to-day motor vehicle running expenses.

Let’s take a look at the list you can follow that will put extra dollars in your pocket every month.

• Keep your tyres properly inflated at all times. Every time you visit the service station to fill up make sure you check the tyres. This can give you a 3% savings on a 50 L tank full which, in today’s terms, means about $2 every tankful.

• We have mentioned regular car servicing above, but it needs to be reiterated once again. A well tuned motor vehicle will not only improve emissions but can also improve mileage by up to 4% giving you at least another $2 per week in savings.
• Make sure your air filters are replaced regularly. Don’t wait until you are having your vehicle serviced to do this. Do it yourself and you will make your car more efficient and reduce the damage that can occur in your engine.
• Always use the correct oil. When topping up your oil levels between services make sure you use the best grade oil possible. Although this may cost a little extra, the benefits will be more than recouped because you will improve your fuel consumption by up to 3%.
• Driving sensibly not only save lives but also saves money. Road rage, which results from temper tantrums, usually is combined with speeding and rapid acceleration. By driving sensibly on the highway and maintaining a cool demeanour at all times may end up saving you not only stress but also hundreds of dollars a year in reduced fuel consumption.
• Try to plan your vehicle usage more carefully. By combining errands into one trip you can save substantially in petrol used and kilometres travelled. Just imagine if you can do this by just 5% you’ll save around $40 a month.
• Turn down the air conditioning to the absolute minimum setting. Running it on maximum can increase your petrol consumption by up to 25%. You can work out the figures yourself but at this rate you can save a few dollars a week and still stay cool in the summer months by turning your air-conditioner down to a more reasonable level.
• Reduce the weight of your vehicle by removing any unwanted items from the boot or the back seat. You’ll be surprised at the increased fuel consumption this can cause, so cut down the weight and save more.

Following these simple tips will not only save you money when it comes to your car servicing expenses but also save you money every week so that the grocery bill won’t seem nearly as expensive.