How to minimise the costs of car ownership 

It’s no wonder that buying a car is so attractive; the freedom, the mobility and sometimes the camping-in-the-back opportunities. However, when we’re contemplating buying a car (for whatever reason) we usually focus only on the initial purchase cost of the car. There are lots of additional costs in running and maintaining a car that are often overlooked. To make sure that you’re balancing all of the costs, we’ve provided some helpful tips for how to keep those costs low, and make the most out of your new ride.

Saving on Insurance

Insurance is necessary with every car, but what you pay is dictated by what you need. To make efficiencies with insurance, you can choose the level of cover that works for you.

Your excess is important to look at too, as you may be able to make savings on your premium with a slightly higher excess. Make sure that you always have an excess you can afford, should something go wrong. 

If you’ve had changes to your circumstances, there may be changes to your policy that could help with cost too. A birthday could result in young driver excess being removed, or your car ending its finance could all be reasons to update your provider.

A no claims bonus is pretty impressive, and while it does help lower your premium over years of safe driving, it may not always impact your premium as much as you think. Make sure to shop around for your Insurance cover and compare different deal and offers, as providers tend to match other offers too.

Saving with maintenance

Car maintenance, now we’re getting to the fun bit. Jokes aside, running your car has its costs too. There are simple ways to keep these costs to a minimum:

Keep your servicing frequent

While waiting longer in-between servicing may sound like a good idea to save money, you may find that in longer periods of time, little problems could worsen and cost more. It’s better to keep to the recommended servicing schedule. It’s worth knowing what’s included for servicing, so that you can make sure you’re not being charged for some unnecessary things, too.

Look after your tyres

Tyres can be pricey, and so it’s worth knowing what type are best for your needs. You might not need high performance tyres for nipping around the city. Make sure that you also keep them inflated with good tyre pressure, as this can help with tyre wear and fuel economy too.

Saving with fuel

Fuel is a saving that you can make with easy tweaks to your driving style. Accelerating more gently can use less fuel as you drive, as well as avoiding lengthy periods of time with the engine idle. While it’s a tough one in summer, limiting the air conditioning may just make a small difference too. You’ll be thanking yourself when you’re at the pump.