A car is much like the human body. If you keep it in good repair, and give it good fuel, it will run well. A car that gets regular oil changes, clean filters, rotated tires, etc. will run more efficiently, and thus will require less gas to get from point A to point B. Because you pay for gas by the gallon, a car that uses less of it will be a great thing! This means big savings because you will have fewer fill ups. Most people spend over $2000 a year on fuel for their car, more if they drive to vacations, etc. This is about $170 each month, or about $40 a week. If you make your car more fuel efficient, and cut even ten percent of your fuel cost, you are looking at $4 a week, $17 a month, and $200 a year in savings just by getting a few scheduled oil changes, and new air filters, rotated tires, etc.

Additionally, if you keep your car maintained, and get it regularly checked up on (much like a yearly physical from your doctor, just to make sure things are working as they should), you will be able to catch things before they become big, and expensive, problems. Even if the regular car inspection costs you $100 a year, if it means you can catch a problem before it becomes a bigger problem, like catching an oil leak before you run out of oil and burn your engine, you will save big. To replace an oil tank may seem like an expensive repair, but to have to replace a whole engine certainly is. So, save yourself money that you would have had to spend by regularly inspecting the major components of your car to ensure that all is well. You can do this at the same time you get your oil changed in order to cut down on time and labor expenses.

Lastly, a car that is well maintained will last longer. This turns into huge savings over the life of your car. If you can go a year or two longer without having to purchase a new vehicle, then in your driving lifespan, that could mean a difference of $15,000 or more. Cars are not cheap, and so keeping the one you have in good condition so that it does not have to be repaired is wise, and cost effective.

So, keep track of when you last got an oil change, and plan to get your tires rotated, and a car inspection each time you do this. If you change your oil yourself, you can still plan to take your car in for a quick inspection on the same day, just so you can track how regularly your car gets a tune-up. By doing so you can effectively save $17 a month in fuel cost, and much more in a year on avoided repairs or replacement.