Make Your Car Cheaper To Own Today!



Apart from your house, a car is probably the most expensive thing you’ll ever own. Although certain, minor facets have been improving somewhat, this isn’t about to change! The cost of conventional fuel is going up, along with insurance, tires, and everything else that makes driving possible. With cars being so expensive to own and operate these days, a lot of people are scrambling to find ways to reduce the cost of car ownership. If this sounds like you, here are a few tips for going about it.

Probably the biggest factor that makes cars so expensive to own these days is the price of fuel. This has been rising at a fairly erratic increment over the last few years, and things are only expected to get worse as fossil fuel reserves are depleted. You may think that the world’s shortage of oil, or perhaps unrest in the middle-east I mainly to blame for this. In fact, oil prices are more heavily influenced by New York than they are by Saudi Arabia. Speculators in Wall Street are constantly making huge bets on oil prices, which is only bumping oil prices higher and higher. So, what do we do about it? Unfortunately, not a lot. Turning off the A/C, avoiding idling, and taking the bus every now and then will make some difference. However, the only way to make a real, noticeable difference is ditching your car for something more fuel-efficient.

Another major factor which makes owning a car incredibly expensive is the ongoing costs of maintenance, insurance, and possibly finance payments. The good news is that the cost of insurance and maintenance is actually declining in some parts of North America. However, I’m sure you know that they’re still pretty significant to the individual. The next time you have a chance to buy a fresh car insurance policy, do some extensive research into the factors which are going to influence your premium, and see if you can do anything practical to bring the price down. As for maintenance, try to do some of the less complicated jobs yourself rather than paying a hefty mechanic’s fee every time something’s a little off. If you’re already tied into a financing plan for your car, then I’m afraid there isn’t much that can be done. However, you can minimize the cost of ownership somewhat by avoiding borrowing in the future, or going in with a plan to pay off your loan as early as possible.

Finally, tires. The price of tires is on a steady rise due to the rising costs of raw materials, energy, and logistics. Aside from that, modern auto makers seem to have a habit of putting premium-grade tires on a lot of their sedans, and recommending that owners stick to this model as and when they need replacing in the future. While none of us can influence the world’s sources of rubber, you can make your tires last a little longer by keeping them at a good pressure. This will also have a positive effect on your fuel economy.


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