Oil Change and Other Car Money Wasters

We're all looking for a quick way to save a buck in today's tight economy. However, we also want to be sure we protect our investments and taking good care of our brand new vehicle is important to us. "Spending a little extra money at the gas pump and on a more frequent oil change can't be all bad. It must be good. I'm taking care of my car, right?" Well, the answer to these questions may surprise you. According to the experts, there are a few things we waste our money on when it comes to taking care of our vehicles.

When choosing the grade of octane at the gas pump, keep in mind that a lower octane won't make your car engine "knock". Read your owner's manual and choose the grade they recommend. Anything higher than that is wasted on your vehicle. It's not like buying a treat for your cat or dog. Higher octane gasoline is one way you can throw your hard-earned money away.

Read your vehicle's manual to determine when you should get your regularly scheduled oil change. Many auto shops and garages would like you to believe that the oil change should be every 3,000 miles and will put a nifty little sticker on the inside of your windshield to remind you as such. However, most new vehicles do not need their fluids changed this often. Many recommend every 5,000 to 10,000 miles. The number goes up with synthetic oil and for those of us that do a lot of highway driving instead of daily commuting in the city.

In fact, when it comes to regularly scheduled maintenance tasks, it is more cost-efficient to follow the vehicle manufacturer's guidelines than the car dealership's guidelines. After all, the manufacturer built the vehicle and should know when it needs to be serviced. Many dealerships will get you back in more frequently in order to make a little more money.

When the time comes that you do need maintenance service or bigger tasks done on your vehicle, it is usually wiser to (again) avoid the dealerships. They will almost always cost more and will do the exact same job as the local guy down the street. If the local guy has a good reputation and comes recommended by friends or family, there is no reason you shouldn't get the same job done for a little less. That said, there are a number of tasks such as windshield wiper replacement and filter swaps that you can do on your own and not pay for labor at all. These jobs take only 5 minutes and will save you a bunch of money.