It is common when buying a car to focus entirely on the purchase price of the car and not look down the line at the cost of the car to run.
Factors such as fuel consumption, depreciation and maintenance costs have huge impact on the cost of the car over the life of your ownership.
Don’t worry if you have already bought the car – it’s not too late.
You can use the following tips to reduce the overall cost of the when you are running no matter what model you buy.
Top 10 Tips To Reduce Car Running Costs and Save Money
- Service your car regularly. A well tuned and maintained vehicle will perform better and more economically. A well maintained service book will also help the car retain resale value.
- Use less the accelerator carefully. Use the accelarator only enough to maintain a constant speed. This reduces tyre wear and mechanical repairs, it may also prevent speeding fines and points on your license.
- Keep the battery on full charge. A constantly discharged battery will not see out its full life.
- Keep your tyres at the recommended pressure. Under-inflated tyres can increase your fuel consumption by 10% or more.
- Keep your engine clean. It makes servicing easier and reduces the risk of grease and grime build-up hampering cables and other moving parts.
- Fix small mechanical problems before they become larger ones. You can save expensive repairs that way.
- Run your car air conditioner even in winter. Just a few minutes will prevent the seals from drying out. Also your air conditioner is a quick way to demist all windows on a winter morning.
- Make sure you check your radiator level every fortnight and top it up if necessary. Use coolant, not water, as this will prevent corrosion and save later repairs.
- Make sure your fan belt is tensioned correctly (about 2cm free play only). A slipping belt can deteriorate quickly and cause wear to water pump and alternator bearings.
- Change the oil at the end of Autumn. It pays to start winter with fresh engine oil: old oil thickens and imposes extra strain on the engine, particularly on cold morning starts.