Part's Gateway share their top tips and advice on how to save money on running your car; including insurance costs, MOT, maintenance and fuel usage.

1. A Guide To Saving Money
On Running Your Car

2. Contents
3. Owning A Car Doesn’t Have To Be Expensive
4. Car Insurance
6. The Black Box
7. MOT
9. Maintenance
10. Independent Vs. Main Dealer
11. Fuel
13. Parking
14. Cleaning Your Car Like A Pro
16. Get In Touch

3. 1. Owning A Car Doesn’t Have To Be Expensive
With the price of insurance, MOT,
maintenance and general use of
your car, it’s easy to think that
running it is going to cost a bomb.
However, there are money saving
steps that you can take to ease the
annual and long term expenditure
on your vehicle.
Let’s take a look at some of changes
you can make.

4. 2. Car Insurance
It may be tempting to rush into choosing a car insurance provider so
that you can get out on the road, or to stick with the provider you have
been with for years.
But money can be saved by shopping sensibly for a policy that’s right
for your circumstances and your wallet.
Compare prices of third party providers as well as fully
comprehensive using price comparison sites like GoCompare or
Aviva.

5. Car Insurance
Here are some tips for further savings on your policy:
•Add a No Claims Bonus Protection Scheme – this can reduce car
insurance premium costs by up to 60-75% (*1)
•Fit approved alarms and immobilisers to avoid the need to claim on
theft
•Pay monthly – this means lower payments each month as opposed
to a lump sum for the year.

6. 3. The Black Box
A Black Box can be installed into your car and records your speed,
distance travelled and general driving style to calculate your
insurance costs.
It will also help you measure how to improve your driver score and
bring down the cost of insurance premiums.

7. 4. MOT
You should have your first MOT test when your car is 3 years old,
and then annually after that.
To avoid wasting your money on an MOT that is likely to fail, let’s
take a look at the most common causes for failure.

8. MOT
According to Money Saving Expert (*2), here are just a few of the top
reasons a car will not pass its MOT:
•Lights – 19% of MOTs fail due to a bust light bulb. Check every light
on your vehicle is working before your MOT.
•Suspension – Apply weight to each corner of your car and then
release, if it quickly settles back then your suspension shock
absorbers are fine. If not, then they will need replacing.
•Brakes – If your brakes feel loose or the handbrake has no
resistance, a mechanic will need to fix them before your MOT. 10%
of MOT’s fail on faulty brakes.

9. 5. Maintenance
A well looked after car is less likely to fail its MOT.
Whilst there are some elements you can take care of yourself, such
as basic fixes and checking fluid levels, it is best to consult with a
dealer on the more complicated checks and repairs.
The RAC claim that the cost of car maintenance is rising (*3), but
savings can still be made by considering the benefits of using an
Independent dealer.

10. 6. Independent Vs Main Dealer
The Independent Garage Association (*4)
have discovered that by using a trusted and
regulated independent dealer instead of a
main dealer, you can save up to £40 an
hour.
Main dealerships delegate pricing based on
head office corporate decisions, whereas
independents are connected to their
community and rely more on return
business, so they carry out high quality
work.

11. 7. Cutting Fuel Costs
Fuel prices are forever on the rise. Reduce your spend by considering
these tips:
•Drive at the speed limit – speeding will consume the fuel much faster.
Driving at 65mph instead of 75mph can reduce fuel cost by 13%,
whilst driving at 55 would save 25%. (*5)
•Maintain your vehicle’s efficiency by consulting your manufacturers
guide – these will list commonly overlooked aspects such as dirty air
filters and underinflated tyres.

12. Cutting Fuel Costs
•
Car share where possible, and only use your car when necessary.
•
Eliminate any extra weight – keep items out of the boot if they are
not needed, and clear out your car of any mess regularly.

13. 8. Parking
Parking tickets can ruin your day,
so do your best to ensure you
are parking in the right place and
have paid for a ticket if needed.
If you do receive a parking ticket,
pay within 14 days as the amount
is often reduced.
If you feel it is unfairly issued,
you can appeal to your local
council.

14. 9. Cleaning Your Car Like A Pro
To avoid the need to splash out
on a valet, there are ways that
you can make your vehicle shine.
•Use wet wipes for dash trim
•Scrub the carpets with a stiff
brush
•Hair conditioner containing
lanolin acts like car wax, at a
fraction of the price

15. Cleaning Your Car Like A Pro
•
Use a soft terry cloth to soak
up excess water after you
have washed your car – this
will help avoid water marks
•
Use rubber gloves to remove
pet hair – pop them on and
give your interiors a good
rubbing. The hairs will lift and
stick to the gloves. Then slide
them off and soak them to
remove the fur.

16. 10. Get In Touch
Parts Gateway save people time, money and hassle when looking for
new and used car parts, with their database of over 180 specialist
dealers across the UK and Ireland.
Get a quote on car parts from www.partsgateway.co.uk
Like Us On Facebook
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You can also read our blog, PG Times.

17. Resources and Images
Resources
•http://www.confused.com/car-insurance/articles/car-insurance-buyers-guide-no-claims-bonus-explained
•http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot
•http://www.watchmywallet.co.uk/travel-leisure/motoring/2013/june/money-saving-tips-a-guide-to-cheaper-car-ownership/
•http://www.watchmywallet.co.uk/travel-leisure/motoring/2013/april-%281%29/car-reviews-independent-garage-vs-main-dealer/
•http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/transportation/consumer_tips/
•Presentation Theme from: http://www.kingsoftstore.com/
Images
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http://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-50161997/stock-photo-road-side-parking
http://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-41219299/stock-photo-valeting-the-car