Did you know that you could save yourself money on car maintenance and fuel, and prolong the life of your vehicle, simply by tweaking your driving habits?

Your car is one of your most expensive assets, so it really does pay to look after it. Unfortunately, most of us don’t give it much thought. We tend to think of a vehicle simply as a tool to get us from A to B, and transport people, pets and shopping. We believe we can jump in it at any time and it will start, run and stop on demand.
Of course, that’s exactly what you would expect any vehicle to do. And vehicles that are well maintained will continue to do that for many years. But here are a few things you may wish to consider.

Running on Empty

With fuel the price it is right now it’s tempting to squeeze every last drop out of your engine and leave it as long as possible between filling up. But whilst that might be saving you a few dollars at the pump it could be lining you up for a costly car service and repair.

Modern cars especially don’t like to run low on fuel; not only does it affect their performance, but you run the risk of stirring up sediment in the fuel tank. If this gets into the fuel injectors – or, in older cars, the carburettor – you could be in a lot of strife.

Remember, fuel is also a lubricant for your engine so, if you want to keep it in good shape, remember to fill up.

Warm it Up

Do you let your engine warn up before driving off? This is a difficult one as most of us are always in a rush these days! Whilst this isn’t as imperative with modern vehicles, it is still much better for the engine system to be run stationary for a moment or two before driving away. That way your engine oil can fully circulate to better lubricate the motor and save money on car service and repair.

Brake it Up

Remember, your brake pedal is not a foot rest! Overusing or riding your brakes is a bad habit that you need to break, unless you want to be paying for new brake pads and discs all the time.

One of the best ways to avoid this is to leave the right distance between you and the car in front; that way you won’t need to keep slamming on the brakes when that car slows or stops. Maintaining a steady speed will help avoid that, too.

Check Your Air-Conditioning

With the temperature hotting up you should be getting your vehicle air-conditioning checked and serviced. A professional workshop that offers a complete auto repair service can do this for you. Over time your air-conditioning can get dirty and mouldy which is bad for your health, as well as your temperature!

It is more cost-effective to get your air-conditioning serviced than to drive around with the car windows open. The latter causes excessive drag on the vehicle, which will push up your fuel usage.

Read the Signs

Modern cars rely on an intricate computer system and, because of this, nobody except a qualified mechanic should be servicing or repairing the vehicle. When warning lights pop up on your dash, don’t ignore them and just hope they’ll go away. They won’t – and the repair bill is likely to get bigger if you keep on ignoring it.

When you book a car service on the Sunshine Coast at a specialist workshop, the trained technicians will have the right equipment to quickly diagnose and repair the fault.

Avoiding Your Mechanic

This is a very common mistake that pretty much always leads to trouble. As we said at the beginning of this article, your vehicle is a very expensive asset which you rely on. Yet many people allow their car to go long periods of time without a service.

This may save money in the short-term but it’s not smart. It will lead to either a bigger repair bill down the road or can drastically reduce your vehicle’s resale value.

Your vehicle’s engine is full of intricate moving parts that require regular lubrication and attention. Imagine how you’d feel – and cope financially – if you missed a service and ended up having a complete engine rebuild. That’s a few hundred dollars compared to several thousand dollars. It’s just not worth the risk.

Your best plan of action is to find a reliable autocare centre that offers a complete auto repair service. Build a relationship and make the effort to get your vehicle regularly checked. If you can’t afford to do everything at once, ask the technician to give you’re a prioritized list so you can plan ahead.