Owning and maintaining a car in any country especially Singapore can get very expensive. This is why pays to know how to save on your car costs.
Insurance and petrol costs may feel like fixed, but you can cut them down without sacrificing your safety and comfort. Try these 6 tips.
1. DRIVE SAFELY AND STEADILY
Being a speedster may cost you a lot on fuel and accidents. Accelerating quickly and kicking on the breaks hastily only wastes fuel. It also makes your brake pads and suspension system wear out faster. So, drive in a steady pace in top gear.
2. SEARCH THE BEST REBATE CARD FOR YOUR PETROL
With several petroleum companies in Singapore, you may wonder which company offers the cheapest petrol. Money Digest made things easier for you by comparing the credit cards that offer petrol discount in the market today. To see the full table and complete list, click here.
3. SHOP FOR CAR INSURANCE REGULARLY
It really pays to compare prices and switching your car insurance company (every year or every two years) to get the best deal. Get quotes from several companies and let the experts diagnose your car to save more. You may also want to raise your deductible to save more in case an accident or a major repair occurs.
4. GET RID OF THE SECOND CAR
If one car is enough and you are using your other car only to commute to work, consider public transportation or carpooling instead.
5. DITCH THE CAR WITH HIGHER ENGINE
To avoid accidents from happening, prevent them. Statistically cars with a higher engine are more likely to crash. More so, the bigger the engine of the car, the higher is its amount on insurance policies.
6. GET SERVICES FROM A REVIEW WORTHY GOOD MECHANIC
If you are not sure why your car is acting strangely, do not diagnose and solve the problem by yourself. Saying “it needs a new battery” might urge a shop to install one even if that is not the problem. This will only cost you more. Let the experts handle it.
Image Credits: Bob n Renee via Flickr
Now, your job is to find a good mechanic and a nice repair deal by getting estimates from three or more repair shops by gathering referrals from friends and surfing online for reviews. Try Yelp.com or Singapore car forums.