After purchasing their first car, car owners are frustrated with the cost of regular maintenance costs. Even budget hatchbacks and family minivans "eat up" a lot of money from the family budget. And if the purchase was made on credit, then monthly payments and commissions will have to be attributed to the planned costs.
But there are proven methods to reduce the cost of car care. They are suitable for used vehicles as well as new cars bought in the showroom.
The importance of routine maintenance
Maintenance (MOT) is a complex of specialized activities aimed at maintaining a vehicle in good condition. During such work, working fluids, brake pads, worn out suspension components, antifreeze, etc. are replaced. If necessary, the timing drive, the generator belt and other consumable units are updated.
It is better to inspect new cars bought in a showroom at official service centers and dealers, which is required to maintain the manufacturer's warranty obligations. If you refuse maintenance or carry out an inspection in third-party services, the warranty will cease to work and it will be impossible to renew it.
Routine maintenance is intended to replace worn-out consumables and replenish the stock of technical fluids that lose their properties during the operation of the car. Therefore, when carrying out maintenance on appropriate runs, the appearance of critical breakdowns can be avoided.
Depending on the specifics of the activities performed, existing types of maintenance are divided into the following groups:
- filling stations;
- fasteners;
- electrical;
- lubricating;
- adjusting;
- control and diagnostic.
The number and types of procedures performed during maintenance depend on the model and make of the car, as well as several other factorsincluding:
- season of operation;
- mileage;
- terms of storage and operation.
A few effective tips to reduce your vehicle maintenance costs
The car is quite an expensive purchase, while its high cost is associated not only with the purchase price, but also with the cost of regular maintenance. To reduce maintenance costs, simple but effective rules should be followed.
Maintaining tire pressure
Tire pressure is the most important characteristic that affects the vehicle's handling, maneuverability and smoothness of movement. Also, fuel consumption and the operating life of tires, which are quite expensive, depend on this parameter. If the pressure level falls below the required values, this leads to an increase in fuel consumption and reduces controllability.
When pumping wheels, there is an increase in the loads on the shock absorber struts and wear of tires and brakes. To eliminate such troubles, which directly affect the frequency and cost of maintenance, it is enough to regularly check the tire pressure and maintain it in the recommended range. Usually, information about the required pressure is written on a plate in the doorway or on the fuel tank hatch.
To maintain optimal tire pressure, you should adhere to the following guidelines and rules:
- use a high-quality car compressor or pump up the wheels at specialized auto service stations. Before measuring the pressure, the temperature of the tires should be checked (they must be cold);
- take into account the manufacturer's recommendations for maintaining optimal pressure;
- check the pressure at least once a week, as it decreases during operation.
Timely car maintenance
The most elementary, and perhaps the most important procedure in the maintenance of a car is an oil change, which prevents premature wear of the moving mechanisms in the power plant. At the same time, many motorists neglect the importance of updating technical fluids, or do their own replacement using low-quality formulations.
If you are considering the latter option, make sure the oil you buy meets the car manufacturer's recommendations. Also choose compatible filters that are responsible for cleaning the mixture.
The next important action is maintaining the cleanliness of the power plant and other vehicle components.
Machines have been produced for more than 130 years, therefore, during the existence of the industry, manufacturers have reached the highest level of professionalism, and you need to adhere to the recommendations for timely maintenance. If the technical documentation for your car says that the oil needs to be changed every 10 thousand kilometers, then you need to do it on time. Otherwise, repairs in the event of a breakdown will cost several times more than maintenance.
Selection of original consumables and spare parts
Buying spare parts for servicing a vehicle is not an easy task for an ordinary car owner. And all the difficulties are associated with the need to possess basic skills and experience, since the market offers a wide range of parts from different manufacturers.
The choice of non-original (universal) components will lead to a number of problems and the need for expensive repairs in the event of a machine breakdown.
Genuine parts refers to parts manufactured on the manufacturer's assembly line and supplied to a dealer in your country. This includes even engine oil and other technical fluids.
The manufacturer only assembles the car, and the components and assemblies are produced by different enterprises with which the company has a cooperation agreement. And although original consumables are more expensive than analogues, their installation will protect you from unforeseen problems with the vehicle during operation.
Use for your machine only original oil recommended by the manufacturer in the appropriate tolerances. The use of third-party compounds can increase fuel consumption by 1-2% due to an increase in the intensity of friction of internal components.
A compatible technical fluid will eliminate excessive friction of metal components. In addition, you should choose high-quality compositions containing chemical additives - they reduce the friction force of engine parts and save the energy generated during the combustion of the fuel-air mixture.
Changing your driving style
If you prefer fast driving, drifting and aggressive driving style, be prepared to pay a lot for maintenance. Sharp acceleration and hard braking, intense slipping, pressing the gas pedal into the floor has a great impact on the working units of the vehicle. In the course of research by the National Laboratory of the US Department of Energy, it was determined that this driving style increases fuel consumption by at least 33% when driving on the highway or 5% when traveling in urban conditions at low speeds.
It is important to take into account that the engine resource depends not only on the timely replacement of technical fluids and fuel quality, but also on the driving style.
Turning off the engine when parked for a long time
In addition to reducing fuel consumption, shutting down the engine while waiting will reduce the negative stress on engine components.If you are stopped and waiting for someone, it is better to turn off the engine, as the system idling for a long time will consume the maximum amount of fuel. With such a simple value, the fuel consumption on the dashboard can increase to 20-25 l / 100 km.
In addition, the vehicle should not be exposed to high temperatures in winter. Modern cars are designed for operation in adverse weather conditions, so a 5-10 minute warming up is enough to start driving. Heating up much faster while driving and much higher fuel economy
Use of quality fuel
Avoid refueling your car at questionable gas stations. This not only saves you unnecessary maintenance costs, but also reduces fuel costs. It's a paradox, but buying cheap fuel is more expensive than refueling a car with more expensive fuel.
Wheel Tires Swappable
This manipulation is extremely useful in maintaining good tire condition. If you have a front-wheel drive car, the front tires are likely to wear more intensively than the rear tires. To reduce speed and wear, move the kit to the rear wheels. In this case, the load on the tires will become even, and the service life of the kit will increase.
Timely replacement of the air filter
According to representatives of auto concerns, timely replacement of the air filter is the most important step in caring for a vehicle. The air filter maintains optimal fuel consumption and protects the engine from the negative effects of all kinds of impurities and contaminants.
You can replace a consumable with your own hands, which can be a pleasant bonus and an opportunity to save money on maintenance.
Which increases the cost of maintenance and leads to premature car breakdowns
Most of the problems with the vehicle are associated with untimely maintenance, the use of cheap analogs instead of the original and recommended consumables, as well as inappropriate car care. Usually breakdowns occur for the following reasons:
- ignoring the importance of scheduled repairs;
- ignoring signal notifications on the instrument panel;
- ignoring the importance of changing the oil at a given time;
- lack of desire to check the pressure level in the wheels on time using a pressure gauge;
- ignoring the regular update of technical fluids;
- driving a vehicle when the temperature of the nodes rises to critical indicators;
- untimely replacement of filters (air and fuel);
- service of the machine in unverified workshops or by unscrupulous specialists;
- purchase and installation of non-original spare parts;
- self-service car in the absence of proper experience.
To avoid sudden maintenance costs, you should use a restrained driving style, avoiding sudden acceleration and braking, monitor the condition and level of technical fluids, brake pads, filters, suspension elements and other components that affect the quality of the systems.
It is also important to keep an eye on the engine speed to keep it within the optimum range. Acceleration should be dynamic with timely shifting to higher gears. It is best to avoid driving in neutral for long periods and slow down ahead of planned braking. When in a traffic jam, do not keep the clutch depressed, as this puts additional stress on the release bearing.
Conclusion
For a long and trouble-free operation of the car, you need to take care of it on time and take into account the manufacturer's recommendations for routine maintenance. This approach will avoid unjustified costs in the event of serious breakdowns and critical wear of important components and systems.
|| list |
- The importance of routine maintenance
- A few effective tips to reduce your vehicle maintenance costs
- Maintaining tire pressure
- Timely car maintenance
- Selection of original consumables and spare parts
- Changing your driving style
- Turning off the engine when parked for a long time
- Use of quality fuel
- Wheel Tires Swappable
- Timely replacement of the air filter
- Which increases the cost of maintenance and leads to premature car breakdowns
