It isn’t easy sticking to a budget when you have a car. It seems that there is always something going wrong which then hits you with a huge bill. It is inevitable that you will have to pay to keep your car in good working condition. After all, cars don’t last forever. This isn’t to say that there is no way to avoid big bills.
In fact, there are a number of ways to bring those bills down and lower the amount you spend on repairs over the life of the car. It just takes a little bit of forward-thinking and sometimes spending more in the short term to spend less in the long term. In this article, we will go over some of the ways to bring those bills down.
1 – Get an extended warranty
Every new car comes with a warranty that helps protect you from unexpected repairs that happen due to a manufacturing defect or because a part wears out earlier than it was supposed to. Very often the dealer will suggest that you pay extra for an extended warranty. For instance, if you are at a Ford dealer they will ask if you want a Ford extended warranty. This will give you protection for a few years beyond what you would get with the original warranty.
This is going to potentially save you quite a bit of money since it will usually cover the common repairs that happen after the original warranty expires. At a minimal cost, you are protected and can end up saving thousands in the process.
2 – DIY some repairs
The labor cost of your mechanic is usually quite high. This means that even something routine that takes not much effort is going to cost you quite a bit. Try to learn how to do some of your own maintenance and repairs. For instance, changing the oil is simple, and quick, and anybody can do it.
All you need to pay for is the oil, the filter, and possibly a fee to have it disposed of. If you were to do this yourself every three months then you will save hundreds per year.
Other more complicated repairs can also be done yourself such as changing the brake pads. It will take a few specialized tools and a bit of a learning curve, but after you do it the first time it is easy. This saves you hundreds every few years since your brake pads need to be changed regularly.
3 – Do regular maintenance
Many repairs are a result of poor maintenance. This means that if you spend a little money now on replacing some parts when the owner’s manual recommends, then you will save money later on when you avoid a big bill for a major repair. A perfect example is changing the timing belt. If the timing belt is not changed when it’s recommended and breaks later on you will be looking at a likely engine replacement at a huge cost to you.