Sometimes life can throw you an unexpected curveball and if you’re not ready for it, it could leave you stranded with not too many options. Do you have a car maintenance budget to take on unexpected repairs when you need it? Fact is, most drivers don’t think about auto repair maintenance until they are faced with a huge repair bill.
Did you know that according to a recent survey from AAA, 30% of drivers in the United State cannot afford an unexpected vehicle repair? Which also indicates they probably aren’t keeping up with regular vehicle maintenance. Studies show that thousands of car accidents occur each year because of neglected proper vehicle maintenance.
1. Collect car maintenance receipts and car records. Get all your car maintenance receipts from the past 12 months. This should include oil changes and tire work and any maintenance related work you had done. Don’t include car washes, car payments or insurance.
2. Figure out a monthly amount to budget. Add up all your vehicle maintenance receipts from the last 12 months and divide by 12 to get the amount you should save each month. You may have spent $900 last year on vehicle maintenance, that is $75 a month you will need to budget this year. That is assuming no changes.
3. Assess your vehicle’s maintenance demands. Is your car new and still in pretty good condition or are the miles racking up and it will need some doctoring up soon? Did you spend a significant amount last year on maintenance? If so, you may not need to allocate so much each month this year. Or maybe you have only done the bare minimum, and it will be needing new tires and brakes in the next few months, then you will want to factor that into your budget. Or stop by Hilltop Tire for a Free vehicle inspection. A trained technician will check your vehicle over and give you a list of maintenance repairs needed. If it looks good with no repairs needed, we’ll tell you that too.
4. Keep it separate. It is a good idea to separate your vehicle maintenance savings from your other accounts, so you have it to spend when you need it. Remember it’s very important to keep adding to your savings each month so you’re not scrambling for money when your brakes give out unexpectedly.
Purchased a new car and don’t have a years’ worth of maintenance receipts to go off? Or don’t have time to calculate it all out? It is recommended to set aside $75-$100 per vehicle, a month for maintenance and repairs.
That’s right, if you have your vehicle serviced regularly and keep up-to-date with recommended services from the manufacturer, you will have less repair bills down the road. By having regular oil changes, tire rotations and maintenance flushes, you will improve efficiency and lengthen the life of your vehicle. At Hilltop Tire, we want you to get the most out of your vehicle.
Keeping your vehicle’s maintenance repair budget under control starts with getting honest opinions and fair prices. You can trust Hilltop Tire to give you both. We believe in great customer service and treat our customers like we want our family to be treated.
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