Do you have any genuine tricks for keeping/maintaining a car that are frugal?
Could be anything from getting a deal on a car wash, or keeping the interior nice, or keeping the engine or tires or anything really in good order.
Also, are there any things you used to be able to do frugally with your car which has changed to be more expensive–maybe due to auto manufacturers changing how cars are designed?
(I’m asking this so if something used to be frugal but isn’t now, people speak up about it.)
Is there an advantage/disadvantage going to a chain oil change place vs. a dealer or other mechanic?
Or basically it’s just easier now to go to to anyone who has the right tools and the exact place doesn’t matter?
You can do your own oil changes if you’ve got the time and tools. If not that, I’d find a local mechanic that you trust and get all your work done there.
Chain quick oil places usually get things right. But they don’t have the tools or skills to fix things if they mess something up. They also tend to employ bottom of the barrel people who tend to not care about their work.
Don’t go to a dealer. It will be more expensive. That being said, you don’t really need many tools to do an oil change except a ratchet - which most people already have if they’re handy at all, and an oil filter wrench - I got mine for like $5 at an auto parts store. Wait for a sale on a bulk amount of oil that fits your car and just keep it in the garage or elsewhere.
I’m not super handy, but I’ve generally been able to save $10-$20 on each change over the years when I still drove. Plus the time component once you get the hang of it. I could change mine in about 20 minutes in my driveway.
Yeah I don’t know about this one. I used to change my own oil also but it got harder and harder to find supplies got less than the gist of having someone do it. I just don’t find it worth the time anymore.
For example, I typically get the cabin or air filter changed for exactly what it would cost me to buy the filter. Why waste my time for nothing?
I stopped changing my own filters when I not only couldn’t save money, but my Civic air filters were only available from a Honda dealer. No saving money, just extra hassle
That last point is interesting. I’ve never had an issue getting filters for my old accord. What year civic did you have the issue on? My cabin filters on that car were about 1/3 the cost to get it replaced unless it was bundled into other maintenance. Even then I still saved some money. Maybe it’s an issue of where we’re both located or something? I’m not sure.
It was a 2006 Civic, and the filters were not available for the first five years or do. They finally started appearing in auto parts stores a few years before I got rid of it, but by then it was too late
My Civic was also a bit of a lemon that I had to get rid of after only 10 years. The paint was peeling off and there were electrical problems, that would cost more to fix than the car was worth
Gotcha. I had a '13 Accord that I bought on a lease return. Bummer you got a lemon. Pretty unusual for a Honda in my experience.
Actually seeing the same thing with oil as well, I used to always change my oil for savings under this same ideology, then I started comparing the cost vs having it done at a auto place, outside of dealership level I’m paying just about the same amount AND having to do the work/effort to change it and get the oil disposed of. It just isn’t worth the hassle it seems anymore