As big as the push for green energy and more public transportation has been recently, the fact still remains that we Americans rely on our vehicles as a main method of transport. It’s one of the most convenient ways to get around, especially if one lives in a more rural area, without many options for public transportation. Finding a good car and good dealers can be the first big purchase a person makes in their lifetime and apart from a house or their education, might be among the most expensive as well. Almost everyone has the horror story of getting in a scrape with their old clunker car and fond memories of used cars that held out well. No matter how old your car is, it’s important to keep it well maintained, in order to cut down on repair costs and to extend its lifespan. You may even be able to get a good trade-in value from dealers at the end of its lifetime as well!
What Are Popular Car Brands in America?
As of 2014, Toyota, Chevrolet, and Hondas were the top leading car brands in popularity across America. Subarus, Fords, and Kias were also mentioned as extremely popular, each manufacturing over 250,000 vehicles a year. Cars are rated every year on their safety, value, and fuel efficiency, and like most things in life, are fairly subjective. Even though another make or model may have a better score on horsepower or ease of use, a person might prefer a different model of car.
If you’re trying to compare and contrast different models available on the market, there are certain car rating websites that can help you achieve the most comprehensive view possible. It’s the best idea in any case to actually test out the vehicle you’re interested in buying, which can easily be done by speaking with dealers or going to a dealership and looking at the car you’re interested in, even if you’re planning to buy it online. You’ll get a feel for the way it handles in real life, instead of relying on the manufacturer or other users’ reviews, which may not be quite in line with what you need.
How Can I Keep My Car Running Smoothly?
Keeping your vehicle well maintained is key to keeping repair costs down and your vehicle running better for longer. Even though the average maintenance cost annually can run a little over $5,000 (not counting car insurance expenditures or service charges), that amount can be a fraction of the cost of having to completely replace an expensive part or buying a new car altogether.
Regularly checking on your vehicle belts and hoses can help prevent car breakdowns — just a simple replacement when they’re starting to wear out will do the trick. It’ll also make your car inspections a lot easier – at least one belt was unsatisfactory in almost 20% of all vehicles inspected and a little over 15% of vehicles needed a minimum of one new hose.
Regularly changing your oil can also help your vehicle. And although oil technology over the last 30 years has effectively nixed the 3,000 mile oil change in almost all vehicles, you still want to be aware of when you should be changing your oil. Some vehicles have oil life monitors that will signal when your next oil change is needed; it’s utilized by almost half of all automakers.
Keeping your car’s finish up with a wax coat can also keep your vehicle from rust and oxidizing! You should get a new coat at least twice a year to make sure the paint coat stays pretty and your car’s body stays protected. If you live in particularly snowy areas, getting your car washed — yes, even in winter! — can help slough off the road chemicals used to keep the roads safe, which can also contaminate your paint job and the body of the car.
Having a car can be high maintenance, but making sure that everything is well taken care of is one way to cut down costs. You might be spending small amounts more routinely, but it’ll still be less overall.