14 Tips To Help You Save Money On Car Ownership

Here are 14 tips that can save you some serious dough.

1. Use the local auto repair shop to save on routine and unexpected auto maintenance. Dealerships are very expensive and frequently try to make repairs that are not immediately necessary.

2. Change your oil at least twice a year. Most auto manufacturers recommend changing your oil every 7,500 miles, not every 3,000 miles as the sticker from the quick lube shop recommends. Generally you will want to have your oil changed before the summer months and before the first snow fall.

3. Use synthetic oil over conventional car oil, you will get more mileage out of your car.

4. Shopping for the new tires, go online first. You can save some serious money by buying your tires online and having them delivered to your local garage.

5. Maintain a good credit score. Many car insurers apply your credit information into a formula to determine what your “insurance risk score” is. This score determines how likely you are to file a claim. The lower your credit score, the higher your premiums will be.

6. Some insurance give reduced rates for people in certain low-risk professions. Check with your insurer to see if your profession qualifies.

7. Automobiles older than 5 years which are not worth much more than $5,000 may not need collision or theft insurance. This could reduce your monthly premium significantly.

8. Buying your auto insurance and your home insurance from the same place can save you 10 percent or more with some insurers. Almost every insurer has multi-policy discounts.

9. If you drive less than a certain amount of miles per year, you may qualify for a low mileage discount.

10. If you have a teen driver who has a B average or above, you may qualify for an additional 10-20 percent off your insurance that includes the teen driver.

11. Many insurers will give you a discount on your premium if you take an approved defensive driving class in your area.

12. Don’t let your gas tank needle get to empty. When your tank runs on fumes, sediment collects at the bottom of the fuel tank over time and can clog or damage parts.

13. Make sure your tires are inflated properly. Properly inflated tires not only save gas, but your tires will wear more evenly and will be less likely to fail at high speeds.

14. Finally, make sure you tighten your gas cap. If you don’t tighten your cap to the second click, gas can evaporate. With the high cost of gas these days, who can afford to see their money go up in fumes?

With the ever increasing cost of automobiles and the associated expense of maintaining those vehicles, who doesn’t need some advice on ways to save money with the responsibility of auto ownership.