There’s not much we can do about the cost of buying a new car, but I can give you some advice that may help you reduce the cost of owning (and driving) it.
* Be wary of “service advisors” –
Often, these are in fact salesmen (and women). That is, they earn a commission on the sale of whatever repair they get you to authorize. While it might be true that the repair urged on you by the service advisor is needed, it is also true he has a financial interest [amazon asin=B001TI5IIQ&template=*lrc ad (left)]in selling you the service. This strikes me as sketchy. Like a doctor who “suggests” a pill or device (or even surgery) that will earn him a check if you buy in.
How to avoid getting ripped off for repairs your car may not have needed? Like a complete transmission rebuild – when the “problem” was merely that the thing was low a quart of fluid (or there was a loose wire somewhere)? Get a second – and even a third – opinion from another shop. Especially if the suggested repair is a big ticket repair. Never accept at face value what you’re told by a service advisor unless you trust the guy completely.[amazon asin=B0009VIQ1A&template=*lrc ad (right)]
And even then, caveat emptor.
* New cars don’t need much service at all –
[amazon asin=B0007RDVHA&template=*lrc ad (left)]At least, not for a long time.
The ’70s are history – and so are seasonal ignition and fuel system adjustments. Spark plugs are good for 50,000-100,000 miles; the electronics are solid state. Fuel injection needs fresh fuel – and not much else. Even the clutch in a manual-transmission-equipped vehicle no longer needs regular adjusting because modern clutches are self-adjusting.
If you buy a new car today, you shouldn’t have to worry about more than occasional fluid/filter changes, tire rotations and basic brake work (i.e., replacing pads/shoes) for the first 50,000-75,000 miles. And – despite all the stuff that’s been added to new cars over the[amazon asin=B009FUFBTG&template=*lrc ad (right)] past 20 or 30 years – basic maintenance such as oil and filter changes, changing brake pads and tire rotations are still jobs you can do yourself and thereby, save money.
Your car’s owner’s manual will tell you exactly what regular service your vehicle needs – and when. Follow its recommendations and you – and your car – will be fine. (As well as covered by the vehicle’s warranty, in the event a problem occurs.) Don’t get tricked into [amazon asin=B00099XKKY&template=*lrc ad (left)]premature maintenance that will do nothing for your car but which will deplete your wallet.
Example: A number of new cars only require an oil change when the car’s computer senses it’s time for an oil change. I’m not referring to the crude mileage-based “change oil” lights that cars used to have. Many new cars have a sophisticated sampling system that monitors the oil’s condition in real time, as you drive – and will only indicate the need to change the oil when it is necessary to change the oil. This can be 10,000 or even 15,000 miles or more – rather than the 3,000 or 6,000 miles that was common in the past. Given that good quality oil sells for $6 a quart these days – and synthetics for more than $10 a quart (and most cars take about 5 quarts, plus the filter) it pays to not change oil before you need to change the oil.
