Lowering Driving Expenses

Car care can be expensive and with the current economic times, downsizing and driving less are two of the most obvious and immediate ways to save on driving expenses. But there are other ways to curtail costs, some of which have little to do with prices at the pump. Simply lengthening scheduled maintenance intervals can save money. Today’s vehicles can go longer between routine services, such as oil changes.

“There are better quality engines being manufactured with a more precise tolerance and improved lubricants, and the combination of these things allows you to expand certain maintenance intervals,” says Jim Cain, a spokesman for Ford in Dearborn, Mich.

The traditional 3,000-mile oil-change interval espoused for decades is becoming obsolete. And at around $50 a pop, fewer oil changes each year means more money in the bank — or more money for gas. Being smart about where your vehicle is serviced can also keep costs down.

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