6 Ways You Are Prematurely Killing Your Car without Realizing

2013 Dodge Journey. Image courtesy of Dodge.

For most people, a car is their second biggest investment. It is a reliable form of transportation that takes them anywhere they want. And yet, many treat their car as any other regular appliance. Sure, the elements can be tough on your car, but your bad habits might be making things worse than bad weather.

How to Make Your Car Last

Image courtesy of General Motors

Cars cost quite a lot of money, not only to buy but also to maintain. By maintaining your car properly, whether you do it through your car dealership, a private shop or at your home, you will save money by avoiding at least some major problems as well as extending the overall life of your car. By enjoying more years without car payments or large mechanical problems, you can stretch your money further. Of course there are some specific ways to accomplish this goal, so read on to find out what they are.

Ways Car Owners Waste Money

Owning a car is not only liberating but it can also be a source of extra expenses. While there are some costs associated with owning a car that you cannot avoid, such as registration fees or insurance premiums, there are other expenses you can minimize. Knowing the common ways car owners waste their money helps lower the cost of owning and driving your own car, increasing the amount of money you have in your savings or to pay other expenses.

Inexpensive Ways to Make Your Car Greener

Most people want to go green, whether it's for an intrinsic value of helping the environment or a desire to save money, or maybe a mixture of the two. While there are plenty of ways to decrease your environmental impact at home, there are also ways to make your car greener. Despite what some think, you don't have to purchase an expensive hybrid model to make this a reality. In fact, there are some incredibly inexpensive ways to improve the efficiency of any vehicle, from an aging compact coupe all the way to a large diesel pickup truck.

Mechanic's Fees Aren't Always What You Think

Photo courtesy of GM

A few weeks ago I was reading somewhere about a person who was complaining that his mechanic was charging for five hours of work when the customer found out the repair only took two and a half hours to complete. I wish I could remember where it was, but I honestly don't.