Saving Money on Your Car

Here are some basic car expense savings tips from Yahoo:

Minimize your speeding, and follow parking rules. Tickets are costly, and if you end up getting your insurance premiums increased, you'll suffer a double financial whammy. (Speeding also consumes more gas.)

Be insurance-smart. Shop around and make sure you're paying as little for your desired level of coverage as possible. Look into discounts for alarms, short commutes, or safety features.

Spend some time comparing local gas stations and use the ones that offer the lowest prices. Take advantage of special deals that offer you a few cents off your gasoline on certain days. If your car doesn't need premium gas, don't use it. Check out GasPriceWatch, which can help you find low prices. You can also save gas by keeping your RPMs at lower levels. (Below 3,000 is a good target.)

Spend some time finding a good and honest mechanic. Ask friends for referrals. Using a mechanic who inflates his rates -- or worse, recommends unnecessary work -- will cost you.

Keep tires properly inflated, and rotate them on schedule.

Take public transportation when you can. Or walk, when that's practical. Or carpool.

Follow your car's recommended maintenance plan. Skipping oil changes and the like might save you a few dollars now, but it might cost you many more later.

Before you rent a car, verify from your insurance agent whether your policy covers rental cars. If it does, you can say "no thanks" when the car rental agent asks whether you want to buy insurance coverage.

Look into getting new tires at a discount store, such as Costco. The prices are often lower than elsewhere.

Good tips for these days when the price of gas is sky-high.

Comments

[Financial Fruition]

FMF -

Yes on the Costco comment!! I priced tires last week for my vehicle. Costco was less for all four tires (with lifetime rotation, road hazzard, etc. which they include on every tire they sell) by at least $85. And they only same name brands like Michelin, Bridgestone, and BF Goodrich.

Last but not least, finding a great mechanic is one of the best things you can do. Think of it as if you we're finding a Doctor for your kid. It is that important (for your car and your wallet!)