Protect your ride and your wallet

Regular Vehicle Maintenance Saves Money

Step one: Don’t crash your car. Step two: Make sure you don’t let your vehicle’s parts crash on you. As expensive as an accident can be, regular maintenance can be just as important in terms of saving money on vehicle expenses. Avoid the dreaded check engine light at all costs.

The Ever-Important Oil Change

The most important step in regular vehicle maintenance is replacing your vehicle’s oil on a smart schedule. It’s common sense that new fluid is more effective than older fluid, but the science of the process will also help demonstrate how important it is to change your oil regularly. The longer you wait to have your oil changed, the more the oil tends to mix with water in your engine, leading to the build-up of sludge. Debris gathers, and instead of running smoothly, the engine grinds against the debris cycling through it.

Having your oil changed is an expense in the low double digits. Replacing your engine can run you a bill over five thousand dollars. The smart choice is obvious: Change your oil frequently. Newer cars can go longer without a change, but a general rule of thumb is to change every three to five thousand kilometers. Check your owners manual to be sure of your vehicles requirements.

Additional Monitoring

Maintaining your brakes is another important step to take. There’s a big difference between getting your brakes checked regularly and waiting too long to do so, and it can have a huge effect on your pocketbook. New brake pads are inexpensive, so if your vehicle’s brakes start to squeak, be sure to head into the mechanic to have those changed. Damage to your brake rotors—the next piece to wear down after the brake pad—will have you paying four times as much for fixes.

A regular mechanical inspection is generally a smart move to make, because it means that a professional will be able to monitor your vehicle’s parts and performance. It costs money now, but it also means that your parts will likely last longer and work better in the long run. A well-maintained vehicle is also going to fetch a higher sum should you decide to sell later on down the road. High kilometer totals don’t look quite so unattractive if the car is in tip-top shape.

A Long-Term Investment

If you aren’t inclined to sell, taking care of your car means delaying the purchase of your next vehicle, meaning that you’ll be getting more for your initial purchase. Changing the vehicle’s fluids regularly will allow it to perform at a high level for a longer period of time, so even though you’ll have to spend a few bucks getting the oil changed every few thousand miles, you’ll substantially increase the vehicle’s productivity as it gets older.

Maintenance isn’t just about the bottom line, either. Taking care of your car means that you’ll save money on vehicle expenses in the long run, but it also means that you’ll be a safer driver as your vehicle ages. Even the best drivers can succumb to worn-out brakes, dull wiper blades, tires that have lost their tread, and leaky gas tanks.

After making a large investment on a vehicle, it only makes sense to get the most for your money by taking care of your ride.