When you buy a car, the expenses don’t just stop there once you’ve driven off the dealership floor and taken your new vehicle home. There are insurance, monthly installments for your financing loan if you’ve gone that route, services and, of course, petrol (which is ever-rising in price).
There are a few things you can do to make owning a car more affordable. And every cent you save will help you make it through the month that much easier.
For starters, buy used
The simple truth is that used cars are more affordable to buy and, in most cases, run than brand new cars are. They’ve had to pass a series of assessments to be certified and are, therefore, reliable cars with a history of no accidents or major problems (check the service books for any inconsistencies).
Searching for used cars in South Africa is an easy task as used cars are always for sale from accredited dealerships that you can trust. You’ll be saving money from the get-go by paying less for the vehicle, not having any surprise costs when the contract comes out and knowing there are no impending and expensive generic breakdowns awaiting you on the roads. Buying used cars is the best way to make your car ownership an affordable one.
Do your garage checks
Every time you go to the garage to fill up with petrol, make sure you do all your garage checks. Water, oil and tyre pressure. Keeping those fluid levels in the right place is so important and, without them, you could seriously damage your car. If you run out of water, you risk overheating your car and blowing the gasket which is incredibly expensive to replace. And if you let your oil run out, your engine will stop working completely – another costly service fee.
When it comes to your tyre pressure, it’s for the interest of your safety and the driving ability of your car. Low tyre pressure means your car needs to work extra hard to get the wheels turning and the car moving as it should. This leads to more fuel being used and a trip to the petrol station sooner than you budgeted for. It’s also not safe to drive with flat tyres as they don’t provide as much grip or stability for your car when on the road.
It’s very simple. When they asked to check your oil and water, just say yes. You’ll be saving yourself from thousands down the line.
Open your windows
Another petrol-saving tactic that will make your tanks last longer in the month is to open your windows. Most cars use fuel to operate the air-conditioning system and, unless it’s just beyond boiling, you can open your windows and enjoy the fresh air as opposed to burning the petrol that’s going to get you home.
Have sun protectors
If you want to take good care of your car, try your best to keep it parked inside the garage at home or, at the least, make use of sun protectors. Sun damage to cars can really make your car fall apart. The materials on the inside won’t last forever with constant exposure to the sun and your paint job won’t last very long either.
Unless you’re able to live with your car looking way older than it is and crumbling from the inside out, you’ll end up paying for upholstery and paint jobs that won’t last if your sun-care conditions stay the same.
Drive responsibly
With petrol prices constantly on the rise these days, we all need to practice responsible driving. Speeding and driving in a lower gear than you should be in uses more petrol than necessary. Follow the gear-up prompts most of the cars come with and stick to the speed limit. Take your time to pull-off so as not to rev your car and cruise-control for consistency.
Another way driving responsibly can save you money is by not getting you and your car into an accident where repair costs will be through the roof, if you don’t need to buy and finance a new car entirely, that is.
Have car insurance
And the last way you can make owning a car more affordable (which may not seem like a money-saving idea) is paying for car insurance. Yes, it’s another monthly expense that you’ll need to budget for, but it will give you and your bank account peace of mind in the long run.
Should anything happen to you or your car, you’ll know that most of the expenses resulting from that incident will be covered. So much so that it will make the monthly stipend you pay your car insurers seem like a small price to pay for the amount of coverage you get from it.
Make smart choices when it comes to owning your car and you won’t find yourself frantically searching for money every month.
Also view:
Vehicle Finance, Car Insurance and Road Safety
Buying and Selling a Vehicle – Informed decisions and the Vehicle Retailer
The Online Vehicle Retail Market and Safely Selling Vehicles Online