According to AAA, the annual cost of operating a vehicle is about $8,700 per year on average when accounting for gas and other finances. However, in many cases that amount can be much lower, particularly if the owner is savvy about vehicle maintenance and repairs. Of course, the ongoing costs also decrease if you own the vehicle outright and aren’t making monthly payments on it. Fortunately, if you’ve been spending an exuberant amount on repairs and maintenance for your vehicle, here are some things you can do to bring the annual expenditure down significantly:
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1. Performing Routine Maintenance and Repair Jobs Yourself
One of the biggest reasons why owning a vehicle can become so expensive is the fact that auto service prices aren’t cheap, especially when you consider hourly labor wages for mechanics. Even the cost of having your oil and transmission fluid changed can add up to $100-$200 depending on the location and how many additional services you opt for. Fortunately, you can greatly reduce such expenses by learning how to perform the work yourself. Although the complex and difficult jobs would be better left to a professional, simple DIY jobs can be done by anyone willing to follow the guidance of YouTube video.
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2. Use a Professional Repair Manual
Aside from YouTube and other sources of online tutorials, every car owner should have access to a comprehensive repair and maintenance manual for their specific vehicle. Some of the most popular repair manual brands include Haynes and Chilton, although online databases like AllData are excellent resources to have as well, particularly if you want access to more advanced information about your vehicle. The benefit of using one of these manual as a supplement to any other guidance you may have is that they are created by professional mechanics based on a complete teardown and proper reassembly of your vehicle type, so you’re getting specialized guidance that includes exact steps, diagrams, torque specifications, and other details not found in less comprehensive guides.
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3. Consider Gently Used Tires and Parts
The cost of a full set of tires alone can set you back a good $500-$600 when you’re buying them brand new, with each tire costing between $125-$175 on average. Luckily, this isn’t the only way to replace those bald, hazardous tires with functional replacements. Used tire companies, junkyards, and classified ad sites like Craigslist are excellent places to find a wide selection of used tires at prices that are often more than half the cost of buying the same tires new. Likewise, places like the Pick-n-Pull will let you obtain replacement parts for a fraction of the cost of buying them new from the auto parts store, and are especially ideal sources for interior and exterior body parts like doors and seats.
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Becoming Mechanically Proficient to Reduce the Cost of Vehicle Ownership
Anyone who owns multiple vehicles or plans on owning a specific car for many years to come should consider the advantages of learning how to fix and maintain their own vehicles. Regardless of what kind of car you have, it’s inevitable that you’ll eventually have to replace, repair, or maintain something, so why not prepare yourself and largely negate such expenses by becoming a more proficient do-it-yourselfer.
