With the untold hours you’re bound to spend in your car, maintaining it well can have a surprisingly big impact on your quality of life – as well as your budget! The car care tips below could save you thousands of dollars on repairs, as well as keep your drive time as comfortable as possible – while costing just a fraction of the cost of a trip to the mechanic.
Start Me Up!
We’ve all been there – woken up late, no time for coffee, late for work and rushing out the door. You reach the car and the last thing on your mind is car care, right? Well think again! Starting up your car with climate control, lights, stereo and other accessories switched on can drain your battery rapidly and stress the circuits. Instead of cranking the key, you jump in to the car, crank the key, rev the motor and zoom – you’re off!
Next time, think twice – you could be damaging your battery by not giving it adequate time to warm up, and you’re definitely wearing the engine down earlier than necessary. Oh, but you’re warming the engine up by revving, it right? Wrong! Revving your engine when it’s cold wears down the seals and rings in the engine, which can cost up to $1,000 to replace!
Instead, when your car is starting cold, crank the key a few times to give the battery a chance to warm up. Then, turn on the engine and let the motor idle for a few minutes to avoid putting too much stress on the rings and seals.
Feeling Tire-d?
Ever seen prospective car buyers ‘kicking the tires’ of their desired ride in the movies and wondered what they’re up to? Ironically, inspecting tires is – in fact – more worthwhile after you’ve bought the car and should be a regular part of caring for your car to keep costs down. Every tire has a recommended pressure that it should be maintained at – you can usually find this written around the rim of the tire, usually expressed in PSI (pounds per square inch).
Keeping your tires at lower-than-recommended air pressure will overheat the tires and cause unnecessary wear, while overdoing the pressure will overinflate the tire and cause the contact area to be uneven – meaning that the tire will wear unevenly. Either way, you’ll be stuck with a bill of up to $600 for a new set of tires! Check the pressure of your tires every week or so – more regularly if you live in an area with severe changes in temperature, which can flatten tires more quickly. A steady eye on tire pressure could save you around $100 per year.
Running on Empty?
Few people enjoy filling up their car with gas – especially as pump prices continue to batter the back pocket – and many of us avoid it until the last possible moment. But are we really saving money? The answer is a big fat no! The hidden cost is in the damage to your fuel system, caused by sediment – minute pieces of dirt – flowing through your engine.
Generally, this crud sinks to the bottom of your fuel tank and only enters the fuel line when you hit empty. If it’s sucked into the fuel lines, it can damage your fuel injectors (around $80 to replace) and your fuel filter (closer to $180). In addition, the labor costs on a complete fuel system flush can be as much as $1,000. So keep that tank at least one-quarter full – even if it’s tempting to drive past the gas station and come back later!
By simply warming your car up in the mornings, maintaining its tire pressure and keeping it well-stocked with fuel, you can save up to $2,000 annually – all without spending an extra cent.
