I once told someone that driving a car comes with greater responsibilities, and I stand by my word to this day. The truth is that most people only see the respect, honor, and convenience it brings without considering how costly it is to maintain a car, from fixing the brakes to changing the batteries and from changing the batteries to changing the oil.
That’s indeed a lot of work on the mechanics’ part and a lot of money on your part. But after spending so much money on repairs, is there a way to keep the cost of your car maintenance low?
Of course, there is! And that is what this article is all about. So, here are seven ways to reduce the maintenance costs of your car(s). Read intentionally.
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Try Self Help
Most times, the reason why you spend so much on repairing your car is that you don’t see the value in fixing some minor car issues by yourself. Attempting or even fixing little things like the headlight bulbs or changing the oil can reduce maintenance costs.
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Create a Worksheet
Create a worksheet that reflects the number of car repairs you have done for the year or month with the amount of money spent on each repair. This is to determine the recurring problem with the car and find possible ways to resolve it finally.
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Avoid Patching the Roof
Instead of patching the roof, remove the roof and replace it with a new roof. This is a philosophy that I always abide by. It merely means that you should stop making little repairs on your car but eliminate the problem to prevent future maintenance on the same thing.
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Start Budgeting
This traditional method is still useful to this day. To reduce your car maintenance expenses, you will have to create a realistic budget for the amount of money you will spend on repairs for the month or year. For this to be effective, you will need to do significant maintenance at least once every three months.
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Drive Carefully
Sometimes, you spend way too much money on maintenance because you drive roughly. I once gave someone this advice, “everything is durable, but it all depends on how you use it.” So, drive carefully to avoid damages to your car.
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Notice the Bugs Early
To reduce the maintenance costs of your car, you need to start noticing problems on time and resolve them on time. One reason why most people spend so much on repairs is that they never deal with a problem quickly. If there is a fault with the brakes, try to fix it immediately.
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Don’t Treat Your Car Like a Camel
Sometimes, you spend too much on repairs because you stress your car too much by using it even when it needs to rest in the cool garage. Cars are like humans; they get sick when they are stressed out too much. So, never treat your car like a camel.
Conclusion
Your car maintenance costs can only reduce when you start using your car carefully. Remember, everything is durable, but it all depends on how you use it.