Money Saving Tips – Car Maintenance

The blog this week is about saving money on your car maintenance. Everyone wants to save money on a monthly basis, maybe for that annual holiday or your children’s uni fund or for home improvements. What few people realise is that proper car maintenance can be used as a money saving method. By using just a couple of car maintenance tips, you may be able to keep your car running well, whilst at the same time saving money. Read on to find out more:

Never neglect your manufacturer scheduled maintenance program. Whilst there may be a cost associated with car maintenance/servicing, the cost may be much greater if you ignore it. If you ignore a warning light that comes up on your dashboard you could end up doing far more damage to your engine (and facing a much bigger bill) than if you sought the expertise of your local independent garage at the time it was brought to your attention. A fully serviced car will always hold a greater value when it comes to selling it on than one which has not had a full service history - why? - because a potential buyer will immediately see that it hasn't been looked after and will know that they could end up with a hefty bill carrying out a major service. Lower emissions and better miles per gallon can both be the result of proper vehicle maintenance. Not to mention the fact that it can increase the life span of your car. Things like cam belt changes and wet belt changes during specific services are there for a reason - the belt has reached the end of its life - by not changing this at the appropriate time could result in engine failure costing Thousands of £££££ instead of a few hundred £££££! You could also investigate doing some basic maintenance things yourself, such as changing oil and filters, however this will not get you a stamp in your book so will not show a buyer that your car has had these basic items changed. By missing a service, you could invalidate the manufacturer warranty so also be mindful of this. We know we are an independent garage, but we will reiterate that by using an independent garage for your service and repairs will always save you money because we don’t have the overheads to warrant the extortionate hourly rates a dealership will charge.  

1: Check to see if your tyres are properly inflated. Both the tyres and your owner’s manual will tell you what the proper inflation level is. If they are not properly inflated, your miles per gallon could suffer, therefore costing you money. Also, with the vast amount of potholes on our roads today, damage can occur to your vehicle when driving over them with incorrectly inflated tyres. Also, the life span of your tyres will decrease if they are under inflated because of uneven wear, causing you to change your tyres more frequently costing you more money. We suggest you check your pressures and tread at least fortnightly. It is also important to have the wheel alignment done to avoid uneven wear.

2: Your Air filter can also help with miles per gallon and can have an effect on the wear of your engine. Inspection, and if need be, a change of the air filter can be completed by you if you wish. Doing this yourself will be yet another money saver. However, if you are following your car maintenance servicing schedule the filter will be changed by your garage. You could change it at the midpoint just to keep it in tip top condition – this is a relatively inexpensive part, but the savings add up throughout the year if your car is performing in tip top condition.

3: Your driving habits can affect how much you spend on petrol. Driving too fast, or rapidly hitting the accelerator pedal to accelerate quickly will cause the use of excess fuel. Sensible driving will not only reduce fuel usage, it may also ease the stress that can be associated with driving. Maintain a smooth driving style and keep an eye out for supermarket coupons that give you money off your petrol - every little helps!

4: Opt for high quality motor oil, and always use the correct grade. Though purchasing one of the better brands may cost more, a better quality of oil is directly linked to better engine performance and less fuel use. This is also incredibly apparent with those cars that have a wet belt system. Check your oil (weekly) between scheduled changes, and if need be, top it up. If you are unsure which oil to use speak to your local independent garage - ACC Offers a range of high quality oils for sale - speak to their servicing manager.

5: As much as 25% more fuel may be burned if you are running your air conditioning unit. Though there will certainly be times in which you wish to use your A/C, it may not be necessary to run it on full power. If you can run it at a lower setting, you will save money. Your AC gas will need topping up from time to time - ensure you use a garage that it authorised to do this for you - they will be able to detect any leaks you may have in your system before you spend money on a re-gas. We have always said you should use your AC all year round to keep it in tip top condition.

6: A bit of trip planning can also help you save petrol. Combining trips can be helpful, as can planning out the most direct routes. GPS devices can be helpful, as can online route planning websites. Very short trips in your vehicle can cause wear and tear on your vehicle - consider walking if at all possible. Car sharing is also a great way to reduce your petrol bill. Check with colleagues – you will both benefit from car sharing – saving petrol and saving clocking up the miles will maintain your re-sale value. Working from home some days will also help to reduce your commute bill.

7: Removing excess items from your car may reduce the total weight - do you cart stuff around in your boot for no particular reason - if so, take it out. Golf clubs and child buggys do not need to be in the car permanently. Take your roof racks and roof boxes off when not in use - they can affect the aerodynamics of the vehicle. Your car has to work harder the more weight resulting in more fuel being consumed on top of more engine wear prematurely – both these cost money! Reducing weight and drag can save anywhere between 10-20% in fuel – this really adds up over the year.

8: Shop around annually for your car insurance – do not automatically renew. There are big savings to be had there! One of our customers recently changed insurance company. She had been with the same insurers for 5 years and never saw her renewal costs going down – just up! After shopping around, she managed to insure her car with a new provider for £250 less than she was currently paying! Give it a go. These price comparison sites are so easy to navigate – you put your details in and all the quotes come back quickly – you can then compare what is best for you. Check also to see if your bank account offers you a breakdown service – if so you could ditch your AA or RAC cover saving you money.

Each of these tips can be used to help you save money on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Saving need not be difficult. Proper car maintenance, as well as these general tips should be considered if you wish to keep more of your hard-earned money and reduce some of your ongoing motoring costs. Happy Safe Motoring Folks!

ACC UK Limited
Farnborough, Hampshire
Serving surrounding areas across North Hampshire and Surrey

Call us today to book in your MOT, service or repair

Here at ACC UK Ltd, Winners of The Motor Trader Independent Garage of The Year 2015, 2019 & 2020, GRA – Outstanding Automotive Service Excellence 2025, Motor Trader Indies Garage of the Year Award 2025, The IGA Big Awards 2022, The Inspire Customer Service Excellence 2016 Award, The Eagle Radio Customer Focus 2017 Business Award, The Workshop Magazine Workshop Manager of the Year 2017 Award, The LiveWire Excellence In Vehicle Servicing 2019 Award and The Aftermarket Excellence Award for Best Website 2019, The Eagle Radio Biz Award – Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 & the SME News Magazine Most Trusted Car Servicing Provider 2020, we pride ourselves on offering an outstanding customer experience for a fraction of the cost of a dealership. Give us a call and let us quote you for your next service or repair on your Volvo or Toyota. We service all areas around Farnborough, Fleet, Aldershot, Farnham, Guildford, Frimley, Camberley, Hook, Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Yateley, Hampshire and Surrey. We offer free collection and drop off services. We also have a fleet of courtesy cars to allow you to get on with your schedule whilst your Volvo or Toyota is with us. Happy Motoring from all at ACC UK Ltd – Independent Volvo & Toyota servicing, repair and MOT specialists based in the heart of Farnborough, Hampshire