How to Maintain your Car cost effectively and cost efficiently..
The upkeep of your vehicle can be quite an expense - from initial purchase to insurance to maintenance. And sometimes we get the sinking feeling that every time we need a car repair, we are going to get taken for a ride. Actually there are some ways to make sure you don’t get a raw deal when dealing with a local body shop.
- How about some preventative medicine? Keep your gas tank filled. This will help you avoid the gas line freezing up in cold weather (not a recommendation for Saudi Arabia). Also, driving on ‘fumes’ allows little pieces of dirt at the bottom of your gas tank to run through the fuel lines with the last drops of gas. This debris clogs up the fuel filter and can cause carburetor damage as well.
- After you get recommendations for honest mechanics, call around to check out the prices for certain jobs. It’s always smart to get a second opinion.
- Sometimes a problem with your car’s electrical system results from a simple blown fuse. Check to see if you have any blown fuses before investing in a tow truck!
- Keep track of how much oil your car uses. A sudden change in oil consumption means you need to see a technician.
- Save your brakes by having your brake fluid changed every 45,000 kilometers.
- Check your tire pressure once a month. This simple maintenance check can add up savings at the gas pump!
- Stop and go traffic causes excess wear and tear on your vehicle. Go ahead and give your car a nice twenty minute ride at 90 kilometer per hour on the highway every couple weeks if you ‘major’ in short trips.
- Before you purchase from a dealer, ask about the dealer’s return policy, get it in writing and read it carefully. Dealers are not required by law to give used car buyers a three-day right to cancel.
- Find the ways for driving cost effectively and efficiently. (Do not drive too fast or in traffic times)
- Each 8 kph you drive over 90 kph is like paying an additional 4 halalah ($0.02) per liter for gas.
- In most cases, using cruise control on the highway will save gas.
- Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car’s gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. This isn’t going to cost you an arm or leg either.
- Do your homework when buying a car after a rainy season. I know many people whose cars were stuck in water flood and useless last year during Hajj (2005). Remember the heavy rain. Many vehicles that have been damaged by floods were sold in the market. Be a little concerned if the carpet looks too new, and check carefully for signs of rust.
- When you consider all the ways you can save money on your current vehicle, you might be persuaded to put away the extra each month for a new car down the road!
