6 Ways to Save Money on Car Parts and Car Maintenance

The value of taking good care of your car is significant, so have a look at these 6 tips on how to save money on car repairs.

Tip 1
Keeping your car tuned can reduce fuel usage by 25% to 33%. That can translate to hundreds of dollars savings every year. As well, it will prolong the life of your car and make your driving experience more pleasant.

Tip 2
Want to save anywhere between $500 to $3000 a year? Get an oil change and replace the filters every 3,000 miles, even if your car manual prescribes these essential things less often. The life of your engine will thank you for it with less cost for parts in the future.

Tip 3
A dirty air filter results in greater fuel consumption and reduces the engine's life, so check it monthly. Clean it by blowing it with a hose, or just replace it. Potential savings: $130 every year.

Tip 4
Keep your tires properly inflated. Under-inflated tires makes your engine work harder, using up about 6% more fuel. Check your tire pressure regularly. And also make sure your tires are steel-belted radial, as they will last longer. These simple things can result in a savings of up to $200 a year.

Tip 5
Quality maintenance of your tires is crucial. In addition to the recommendations in tip number 4 above, keep your tires balanced, so that the tread on them will be even, increasing the life of the tires. Also, your shock absorbers and suspension will last longer with balanced tires. Get your tires balanced once a year and save more money.

Tip 6
Use regular gasoline for almost all cars. Unless your car is pinging or knocking, then premium, high-octane gasoline is usually not necessary. For most engines (check you owner's manual to be sure), using regular gasoline can save you a good $300 to $400 every year -- obviously more if prices keep going up.