Taking Care Of The Cars We Love

Our cars take care of us, we should do the same for our cars. Many hard-working people build a car so when it rolls off of the assembly line it is balanced in fluids and specifications. As we drive the car, the balance slowly is thrown off by wear and tear. This is why the dealers want you to bring the car in for all the routine maintenance to keep the balance of the car. Getting the oil changed is just the beginning of caring for your car. You are smart about everything else, be smart of taking care of your car.

Smart Car Maintenance

The engine in the car is one of the most expensive parts to fix. By taking excellent care of your engine, you can keep your car running to over 200,000 miles. There are no guarantees, but history shows that when a person takes care of their car, their car lasts. The first thing you always want to do is change your oil and oil filter every 5000 miles, or 3000 miles, depending on who you talk to. Keeping necessary parts lubricated is also important. You can find out about the perfect oil for your car at CITGO Lubricants. There are some parts on your car you can replace yourself and others need to be done by a mechanic. Spark plugs, windshield wipers, air filters, and tires are items that need to be checked and replaced when needed.

Keep Meticulous Records

Start right now with good record keeping for your car even if you haven’t kept a record in the past. There is no time like the present. You can make columns to record what you had done to the car, how much it cost, and most important when you had the maintenance done. If you have a new car, your owners manual usually helps with this. It is not enough to rely on the dealer to give you receipts. You should keep a detailed record yourself. It is really useful. This way if you can get something completed for less money than the dealer, you can have a record of it. A ledger helps you have a handle on your own car.

More Smart Car Maintenance

Keeping your car clean inside and out is always smart. If you just take a little time every week to have your car ready for the next week, it will make keeping it clean easier. Be careful where you clean your new car as not all car washes are the same. A hand car wash and dry is the best. The heavy machinery can sometimes buff off the wax that protects your car. Follow the instructions in your owners manual. Belts, brake pads, and radiator fluid are more areas that you want to keep up to date on your car.

Doing Things Yourself

There is some maintenance you can do yourself on some cars. The newer cars tend to be more difficult to maintain on your own. You can always check your own tire pressure and keep it balanced. You can fill your own wiper fluid. The more you know your car, the more you may be able to maintain on your own. If you are in doubt, then it is better to have a professional mechanic work on your car. If you can make friends with a mechanic that will not overcharge you or lie to you, it is the best thing. No matter whether you do your maintenance or you get it done, make sure you record everything you do on your car. If you go to sell your car, your maintenance record will help you get a better price because you can prove you have maintained the car.

Being smart about the maintenance of your car creates a feeling of freedom. Knowing that your car is in good proper order really helps in feeling confident in driving your car around. Keeping good maintenance on your car will also most likely lead to the least chance of getting stranded on the side of the road. Start your car maintenance records today.

Ways to take care of your leased car

A car lease is a more significant responsibility compared to when you purchase the vehicle outright. Because although you won’t be making high payments for the car, you are responsible for its condition as soon as you sign the contract and drive away.

Owning a Leased Car

Leasing a car is a lot similar to renting as you are just borrowing the car from the dealer for the next few years. You are also given a set of limitations to what you can and can’t do with it while it is in your care.

But aside from the limitations, you also have a responsibility to make sure that the car is up and running and getting you to your destination in one piece. But how do you do that? With proper maintenance.

The dealer may be paying for any damages, but it is also imperative to know just how you can add that extra touch. Doing this will allow you to make sure that you won’t be paying a fee once it’s time to return the vehicle. And with that said, here are a few ways you can take better care of your leased car

Treat it like your own. When you borrow a friend’s car, you make sure to take care of it because you don’t want them to get mad, and you respect their property. A leased car is borrowed from the dealership. It is not yours. But treat it like how you would your car and make sure that it is always clean, and well maintained. It will say a lot about you as a person.

Check the Oil/Tires. Your car takes care of your transport needs, so it seems only fair that you take care of its needs too. Check your oil regularly to make sure that the engine is getting enough and not grinding into its other parts, accelerating its deterioration. You also want to check your tires and have them switched around every 50,000 km.

Wash and Wax. A clean car is a happy car. Take time every weekend, or every two weeks if you’re busy, to give your vehicle a thorough cleaning. You can do this on your own, or take it to a car wash. Clean its interiors, wipe the windows clean, and if you’re feeling extravagant, you can even get it waxed. It goes the extra mile for you every day (literally) and washing it is one of the few things you can do for it.

Watch your mileage. Your lease limits you to a specific distance on the odometer. If you’re not willing to pay the extra fee for exceeding the mileage in your contract, it’s best to keep an eye on your odometer. It’s important to know that the reason dealers ask for a fee when you exceed is that driving the car further means more depreciation in its value. The best way not to worry about the mileage is to ask them if you can get additional before you drive away. That way, you won’t have to worry as much.

Always get the right Petrol. Certain vehicles ask for unleaded, some ask for diesel. Always remember to get the right kind of petrol for your leased car or risk the chance of damaging the engine. You can bet that the dealer will charge that as negligence on your part, and warranty will not cover that. So, pay attention, and get the right petrol.

Proper maintenance is important, as it can make the difference between a car that breaks down under 50km, and a car that runs fine over 200k. But if you want to have a car and be able to modify, and drive it wherever you want to go, then your best bet is to avail car finance to help you make that dream into reality. At least with finance, the car is all yours once the payments are up.

5 Reasons to Treat Your Car as if it Were a Pet

Owning a car is a great responsibility. Though a car isn’t a live pet, both a dog and a car have needs that need to be met in order for them to stay in top shape. We’re not saying that you should start taking your car to a parking lot to mingle with other cars, or make sure that he had sufficient petting and affection that day, but there are certain parallels which one could draw from this analogy.

  1. Going to the Vet vs. Going to the Mechanic

Though you would obviously take your dog to the vet if there was something wrong with it, most frequently the reason for the visit is a checkup and to update vaccines. Too often, we think that cars only need to see their “doctors” if they are broken and need to be fixed. The truth is that they need regular maintenance to keep them from falling into disrepair and a regular tune up and evaluation is a good place to start. Just like the only way to know whether you have an STI is to have a screening test done, the only safe way of finding out that there’s something off with the inner workings of your car is by taking it to the mechanic’s. He or she will give it a checkup, top up the fluids, see if the brakes are wearing out, evaluate the condition of certain important components, and give recommendations from there. It’s much better, and more pleasant, to find out that your car’s battery can’t hold a charge at the garage, rather than on the side of the road, far from home and cell phone reception.

  1. Grooming your Dog vs. Caring for the Exterior

Regular grooming ensures your dog’s fur is in prime shape by redistributing natural oils, removing dirt and dust, as well as promoting circulation. You might not give it a lot of thought, but the exterior of your car also needs some TLC every once in a while. Regularly washing and buffing it keeps dust and dirt from coating your car and potentially leaving microscratches. If you see paint flaking, it’s time for a paint job. It won’t just improve the appearance of your car, it will protect it from rust.  Invest in the coating of the body and underbody of your vehicle, and it will be years before you see rust, even if you live in a climate in which rain, snow, and salt are an issue.

  1. Choosing a Good Diet for Your Dog vs. Good Fuel for Your Car

Why are there so many different types of dog food? It’s because the quality and content of these foods vary from bag to bag. Depending on your dog’s particular needs, the vet might suggest a certain brand or blend over another because it promotes healthy skin and fur, controls weight, or delivers minerals or nutrients the pooch is lacking. Cars also have different needs and therefore need to be “fed” according to them. If you have a turbo engine, you’ll be actually ruining it by pumping low quality fuel into it, while if you are driving a beater, there’s really nothing that the “platinum” octane blend will give you. Do some research about the kind of fuel you should be putting into your car for a high-quality ride and longevity.

  1. The Dog House vs. the Garage

Regardless of whether your dog spends most of its time outdoors or inside your house, it has a place to call its own. It might be a little dog house or a big pillow in the corner of your bedroom, but Max can feel safe and secure in it. Your car has similar needs. If you are looking to have a highly-functioning car, you are going to need to provide a proper home or shelter for it. It might be a garage space, car park, or even a spot on the driveway, but it needs designation. Parking on the street puts your car at a higher risk of being hit by other vehicles, being towed, or even being splashed by the street cleaning vehicle.

  1. Go Out for Walks vs. Taking the Car for a Spin

No one really condones going out for a daily pleasure car ride unless you catch a commercial from the 1950’s. However, if you don’t use your car regularly or have it in storage, it’s important to make sure that you start it and take it for a spin before you plan on using it again. Otherwise, your car battery could run out, your tires could get flat without you noticing, and rust could spread. If you aren’t around, ask a friend or family member to give your car a joy ride every once in a while, just like you would ask them to walk the dog. Different reasons, but the same concept.

As you see, having a car and a dog is quite different, even though there are many parallels we can draw between them. However, one thing is for sure. If you want your car to outlive your Yorkie, you’re going to have to start treating it better, starting by changing your perspective on what it means to have and commit to a car.

Environmental Trends and USA Auto Sales

Gas has always been cheap in the USA; it is something that allowed many citizens to drive large cars and SUV’s without breaking the bank. There are factors that have changed the environment. The recession and the problems of the economy were just two of them. Environmental pressures have resulted in more people questioning their personal carbon footprints and that means their gas consumption.  Big engines are ‘gas guzzlers.’ The USA auto sales figures during the recession were depressed. Few models were able to show any growth; one exception was the Honda Civic which clearly bucked the trend because of its fuel economy.

While auto sales have recovered and the wholesale cost of oil has fallen dramatically environmental factors are still a consideration and in the coming months those people thinking about buying a new car may ask themselves a number of questions. Certainly the fact that interest rates remain low makes financing any purchase from real estate to cars or home improvements affordable for those in regular employment.

Running Costs

There is unlikely to be any return to the early days of the Century when there were few restrictions in obtaining credit. A car is not an investment; it is a necessity in most cases but there is no reason with the quality of today’s models to change cars as frequently as in the past. It makes the buying decision more important than it used to be. There is no need to hurry; it is better to make the correct choice rather than rush. There are quality used cars that may make a persuasive argument as well. Running costs should be factored into any decision; that is much more than the gas consumption. It includes insurance and service.


When it comes to finance those who have a good credit score are likely to get the best realistic loan offers. There is no likelihood of huge interest rises in the coming months because some of the world’s economies are still fairly fragile. There is a level of interdependency between national economies that means that no country is immune from international market conditions and interest rates reflect that in many cases.

Just as the buying decision is worth consideration it certainly makes sense to shop round for the best loans. There are auto manufacturers and dealers who are likely to have special offers of finance but they are not the only ones to talk to before making a decision. If a car loan in taken over a few years it is possible to save plenty of money over the period of the loan.

Cash Buyers

It is sometimes best to have finance in place, at least in principle before going to a dealer because you will be effectively talking as a cash buyer. A cash buyer is likely to be able to get a better price than someone who apparently needs help. If the dealer then wants to discuss arranging finance and has a better deal to offer than you have provisionally agreed you can still take up the offer and get the keen price you have negotiated.

Those who have a growing family may be looking for a saloon car. Such cars are not always gas efficient but they are certainly better than large SUVs. If your auto is simply to get yourself around or occasionally a passenger or two your choice a few years ago may have been the 4 x 4 or SUV. Even though finance is readily available at low rates gas consumption has become an issue. You may want to reduce your carbon footprint in which case why not go for something smaller?

Do your Tires really affect your gas Mileage?










Routine Vehicle Maintenance Will Help with Gas Consumption

Many drivers don’t realize how much extra fuel an automobile that’s out of tune actually uses, something that wastes millions of dollars of gas every single day. The fact is, keeping your car properly tuned and running smoothly can increase gas mileage by nearly 5%.

Even better, fixing a serious maintenance problem like a clogged gas filter can actually improve your mileage by nearly 40%, something that will save you an awful lot of money at the pumps when you consider that gas is slowly creeping back towards four dollars a gallon across the United States.

You’ve probably heard how keeping your tires properly inflated is a great way to reduce gas consumption and, if you haven’t, you probably haven’t been driving for very long. Keeping your tires properly inflated to their correct pressure (found on the driver’s side door jamb or in the owner’s manual) can improve your mileage by nearly 4% and, conversely, decrease your mileage by nearly 1% for every one psi drop in air pressure. Not only that but tires that are properly inflated will last longer and give you a safer ride.

Another surefire way to increase gas mileage by 1% to 3% is to use the grade of motor oil that your car manufacturer recommends. For example, if your car was designed to use 5W-30 motor oil and instead you use 10W-30 oil, you can actually lower your gas mileage by over 2%. Your automobile mechanic can help you with this but, if you change your oil yourself, look for the words “energy conserving” on the label as well as the API performance symbol.

One thing of note for most car owners is that, while replacing a clogged air filter will improve the performance of most cars made in the last 15 to 20 years, it won’t improve your car’s mpg.

On today’s newer fuel injected vehicles with computer-controlled engines, which includes most cars manufactured from the 1980s up until the present day, replacing a clogged air filter will most likely improve your cars performance and acceleration but won’t do much to improve its fuel economy. This goes for diesel engines as well.

A number of other simple ways to increase your mileage is to take anything not necessary out of your car, especially if it’s heavy, take off any roof racks that you’re not using on a daily basis, and make sure that you combine a few short trips into one longer trip. Once your car is warmed up it will perform better and use less gas and thus getting a few things done at once instead of doing several tasks separately during the day will save you gasoline and money.


Save money by avoiding these Car Maintenance Mistakes

Compared to the automobiles of just one or two generations ago, today’s modern car needs about as much maintenance as a vacuum cleaner. The problem is, most people still haven’t gotten used to that fact and either continue to ignore their car completely or totally overdo it with maintenance that isn’t necessary anymore.

The simple fact is that the answer to most maintenance questions are actually found in the owner’s manual that comes with every automobile.  If you haven’t taken the time to read yours (and you really should), today’s blog will give you some good tips about avoiding car maintenance mistakes and saving money on your ride. Enjoy.

Tip 1: Taking care of your tires.

One of the easiest, and most overlooked, car maintenance tasks that can easily be accomplished by the average driver is simply to make sure that their car’s tires are always inflated correctly, and that they are rotated regularly. Underinflated tires waste gasoline and both under and overinflated tires wear out sooner. If you have five minutes, checking your tires once or twice a month to make sure they are inflated properly, and having them rotated every six months, is the best way to save gas and replace your tires less frequently.

Tip 2: Wiper blades.

Most people completely ignore their wiper blades, even if they are old, worn-out, damaged and aren’t doing much of a job. Of course, that all becomes much more important when it starts to rain, sleet or snow. Your best bet is to have them checked every time you have your oil changed and, if needed, get them replaced. You really should only need to do this about once every two years anyway.

Tip 3: Tuning up your car.

Today’s new cars are incredibly high-tech and no longer have things like carburetors that need to be adjusted regularly. In fact, most parts can go for 100,000 miles without a problem, so spending money on “tune-ups” is really a waste. Instead you should save your money for the big 60,000 and 100,000 mile checkups to make sure that things like or plug wires, timing belts and so forth are in good shape.

Tip 4: Gasoline grades.

We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again; unless you have a very high-end luxury or sports car, there is almost no need for “super” gasoline. “Regular” will suffice and save you nearly 30% every time you fill up your tank.

 Tip 5: Changing the oil.

It used to be that a car’s oil needed to be changed about every 3000 miles but today’s new cars can go quite a bit further between oil changes. In fact, some can actually go up to 15,000 miles! Follow the recommendations of your car’s handbook and your trusted auto shop to be sure you are not overdoing it with the oil changes.

 Tip 6: Replacing the air filter.

Unless you live in an arid, dusty area of the country like Nevada or Arizona, your air filter can run for years without the need to be replaced. This is something that your mechanic can check when you have your oil changed and, even though a dirty air filter will definitely decrease your MPG, you probably won’t need to replace yours more than two or three times (at most) during your car’s life.

Tip 7: Don’t ignore your brakes.

Simply put, if your brakes sound, feel or respond differently than you’re used to, ask your mechanic to check them out immediately.

Tip 8: Use your garage  to protect your car.

Our final tip is simply this; a car that is kept inside a garage will look better and last much longer than one kept outside. If you have the luxury of a garage but you are not using it because there’s so much junk that your car can’t fit inside, you’re really doing your automobile a disfavor.

When it comes to your car, when is it time to sell rather than get it repaired?

If there’s one thing that can cause a person to become fired up with emotions it’s the thought of buying a new car. On one side there is the fact that a new car is quite the status symbol as well as the fact that it smells nice, looks great and comes with all sorts of new features. (A brand-new warranty isn’t a bad thing either.) On the other side there is the fact that, once you sign that car loan payment paperwork, you are basically agreeing to make some pretty big payments for the next 4, 5 or even 6 years of your life.

Depending on the car that you’re driving now, and your financial ability to pay for a new one, the choice might be quite cut and dried. On the other hand, if what you’re driving right now is still running relatively well, as well as being paid off, the choice of whether to purchase a new car might be a little more difficult. To help you make the decision, we’ve put together a little bit of advice that hopefully will help you. Enjoy.

One of the first bits of information you need to know before you make a decision to purchase a new car is simply this; how long does a car usually last? Today’s modern cars (anything made in the last 15 years) have been engineered to last up to 250,000 miles. What that means is that if your car is 9 years old and has 125,000 miles on it, it probably isn’t past it’s prime by any means. On the other hand, while the major systems in your car might last that long, some of the smaller parts like fuel pumps, timing belts and other things will eventually need to be replaced. Even worse, they might “give out” while you’re on the road, something that can mean a very costly tow-truck bill to your mechanic’s shop.

If you have the financial means to do it and you’re not willing to take the risk that your car is not going to get you from point A to point B, getting a new car might be in your best interest. On the other hand, if you’re not in the position to make big payments every month and your car is already paid off, keeping it well-maintained is probably your best bet.

If your car is starting to get older but is still holding up relatively well, now might be the best time to start preparing to purchase another car. Putting aside the money and making sure that your ability to get a new loan is high are two things you should be focusing on so that, when the time comes, you’ll be ready to sit down at the negotiating table at your local car dealership. Checking your credit report is a good idea at this time to make sure that you can get the best financial terms available. It’s also a good idea to get any maintenance on your car taken care of that’s relatively inexpensive so that, when you take it to trade or sell, it “shows well”.

For some people the fact of the matter is that the car they’re now driving may still be running well and have plenty of years left on it but might not be the car that’s right for their situation. If it’s either too big and wasting lots of fuel or too small for your large family, getting a new car to replace it might either save you money or make long trips with the family more enjoyable. Of course if your current car is unreliable and prone to frequent breakdowns, getting it replaced is probably the best thing you can do so that you don’t miss work or miss out on other opportunities because your car can’t get you there.

At the end of the day, it makes a lot of financial sense to hold onto a car that is running well and doesn’t have a huge amount of miles on it. As long as you keep up on maintenance and don’t drive it too hard, the savings that you will reap could be substantial. Remember that a new car means a new car payment and also that a car is not an investment but an expense. Keeping those things in mind should help you to finalize your decision. Good luck, and good driving!

Avoid these ‘Fuel Saving’ Devices that simply Don’t Work

The key to making any story about a product work (i.e. convert consumers into buyers) is that the story must be as believable as possible. When it comes to devices that claim to save you money on fuel it’s no different. Many of the devices on the market today lay claim to some “overlooked” factor that car manufacturers or gas producers “don’t want you to know about”, something that’s usually small and which should they claim to have figured out how to exploit.

The 5 products that you’ll find below promise to increase your gas mileage and thus lower the sting of filling up your tank. All of them were recently tested by a nationally known testing service and were found to provide practically no advantage whatsoever when it came to fuel economy. Basically, if you fall for their story you’re going to be wasting your money and, since we don’t want that to happen, we’ve put together this blog to expose all 5. Enjoy.

  1. MOLETECH FUEL SAVER. The claim that  this manufacturer makes is that their device is a “fuel enrichment system” that changes the molecular aggregation of your car’s fuel from larger clusters to smaller ones. By doing this it supposedly will help expose a larger fuel surface area that will allow more contact with oxygen and better combustion for better fuel efficiency. The device consists of a small cylinder for the fuel tank, the air cleaner and the coolant line and all three need to be “activated” by revving your engine for a few moments. The result? Fuel wasted and noise made revving your engine, but not much more.
  2. DYNAMIC IONIZER. We actually can’t say if this product worked or not because it never arrived. Company claims on their website tell you that the Dynamic Ionizer simply needs to be placed into your car’s fuel tank or its air filter and that the pellets therein will act as a “molecular ionizer” on either the fuel or the air. What it’s supposed to do after that is “agitate” the fuel or the air at a molecular level. In fact all it actually did was agitate us and we’d advise staying far away from its agitation sound.
  3. FUEL DOCTOR FD-47. This device is meant to plug into the socket of your cigarette lighter and increase your car’s mileage through a process of “power conditioning its electrical systems”. This “conditioned power” then supposedly will help your cars ECU, timing equipment and fuel injection to operate better. With the Fuel Doctor we actually saw a very slight improvement but nothing near the 25% that the manufacturer promises on their packaging. Further inspection of the device revealed a simple LED light circuit board and nothing more. If you think that this will actually help your car, you may just need a doctor… of psychology
  4. HOT INAZMA ECO. When it comes to credible stories this one really seems like a good one. The manufacturer refers to the fact that your cars electrical voltage will drop when you’re using many electrical components and accelerate at the same time (which is actually true). What they say that their product does is store some electricity so that, when you accelerate, there’s a little bit extra to power your electoral system. Sounds good, doesn’t it? We didn’t think so either so we took apart the device and found a number of capacitors and it that, more than likely, are doing absolutely nothing but wasting your money. Modern cars simply don’t need electrical help.
  5. FUEL BOSS MAGNETIC FUEL SAVER. This manufacturer claims on their packaging that “fuel clusters” in your gas tank don’t allow your fuel to mix correctly with oxygen and provide good combustion. The device, which consists of magnets that create a magnetic field to supposedly “break up” these clusters, is probably one of the most useless that we’ve seen. Even more useless is there “ultra-heavy duty” version but we’d recommend that, rather than use magnets in your fuel system, you’d be better off wearing one on your wrist to keep you calm.

Unfortunately all 5 of these products are selling quite well these days because gas prices have gone up so high and people are looking for anything that they can use to increase their mileage and decrease their fuel costs. The fact is, there are practically no aftermarket products for sale that will do much more than waste your money. Indeed, if there were gadgets or gizmos that could seriously increase your mileage, car manufacturers would have already been started putting them into their vehicles.

Our advice is to take care of your car, drive as well as you can, keep your tires inflated and avoid speeding. These activities will help you to save much more gas than any of the products we took a look at today.

Carnivals n’ More – September 8th

This week Daily Fuel Economy Tip was featured in the following carnivals:
Carnival of MoneyPros hosted by Rather Be Shopping
Yakezie Carnival hosted by Frugal Rules
Finance Carnival For Young Adults hosted by Mom And Dad Money


Now it’s our turn to share a little link love to the blogosphere…

ALWAYS READ THE FINE PRINT!  Squirrelers reminds us why this is so important…take a deep breath and slow down…don’t rush into things blindly.

It might not seem like a new topic, but his advice is sound, and food and money are an everyday part of our lives…learn how to save and eat well.  Thanks My Personal Finance Journey.

Learn how to manage your student loan payment here at the College Investor…ughhh how I wish I didn’t have to deal with this.

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