The cost of running a car is a necessary evil. You need the car to go to work. You need to work to make money to support your family, pay your household and… hmm, car costs. But there are ways you can save money on your car, some big changes, some very small – but all combining to put a few extra nuggets in your pocket.
1. Downsize. Do you really need the 2.0 litre engine? Or the family estate now the kids have left home? Consider your requirements and weigh up the cost saving a smaller car would have on tax, insurance, running and so on.
2. Keep your car for longer. The cost of new cars depreciates quickly and rises each year so trading every few years could see you out of pocket. Get a good car and keep it for around six or seven years to make a saving.
3. Watch out for dealer service contracts and extended warranties, they can cost more than anything you’ll purchase directly and are not always fully comprehensive. Servicing can often be done by a local garage for half the price the dealer charges so have a look around for reputable local mechanics too.
4. Change your insurer. Apathy will often stop us from switching our car insurance. Too many deals, too many agents. However with the comparison sites available these days, it is easy to find cheaper car insurance online. You could be surprised at how much you save.
5. Combine policies. You could save money by getting your home and contents insurance and car insurance through the same agent. They will often give discounts for multiple policies – just check they are the cheaper option before you go with them.
6. Go for the cheapest petrol station: If you don’t leave it too late to fill up, you can be more picky about the petrol station you use. You don’t have to go miles out of your way; that would be counterproductive, but consider whether there’s a cheaper station in your area. The accumulative savings do add up over the year. Websites like petrolprices.com are cropping up to make it easy for you to find your cheapest local station.
7. Walk once in a while! You may find you don’t need your car for all the trips you’re making. Factor in a little more time for short trips and use your legs instead. It’s better for you and will save you money in the long run.
8. Car pool. If there are a number of you going to the same office or event, take it in turns to drive and all of you will save on petrol and wear and tear.
9. Use petrol offers and loyalty schemes. Supermarket points for petrol schemes and so on are a great way to make your inevitable living costs work harder for you and give you a little something back.
10. Don’t fill your tank: A full tank of petrol will add weight to your car making it less economic to drive. You’ll need more power to maintain your desired speed, burning more fuel, more quickly.
11. Fill up at night! OK, bit of a red herring but you can save a few pence. When they’re cold, petrol pumps don’t register the volume of petrol released as accurately and you tend to get a bit extra for your money.
12. Don’t overfill. If you reach the click, you’re full. Don’t put anymore in as it will only overflow when you park on a hill or if it gets overly hot.
13. Don’t tick over. Starting the car in the morning to ‘warm it up for 10 minutes’ will waste valuable fuel for no reason. Your engine will warm up faster when you’re driving it and your fuel will be used towards your journey not wasted.
14. Check your tyres. Soft tyres are a key reason for underperformance in a car. It takes more fuel to power a car with low tyre pressure due to the resistance.
15. Stop revving. If you rev your car or put your foot down hard when you pull away or speed up, you will burn more fuel than a gradual acceleration.
16. Check your gear. If your engine is groaning, you’re sapping its power. Make sure you’re in the best gear for your speed and save that precious petrol.
17. Check for junk. If you have half your belongings in your car or a roof rack you never use, get rid of them. Anything that makes your car lighter will make your petrol go further.
18. Air con or plug-ins. Air con and gadgets like portable fridges (for that holiday trip!)etc use an incredible amount of fuel. Check whether you really need the air con on and save yourself some valuable pennies.
19. Regular oil changes. Changing the oil and oil filter can extend the life of your engine saving you money on potentially costly repairs.
20. Ignore premium gas. Premium petrol is not going to make a lot of difference to the running of your car. Unless you are an F1 driver or own a top-of-the-range sports car, save your money and go for the standard gas.