Car Maintenance Costs

There is so much to do with a car, when it comes to maintenance. Right from a small job of checking tire pressure to a comprehensive overhauling, the costs vary in a very wide range. You may have bargained aggressively for buying a car you consider a steal. But, are you considering the fact that the annual costs for maintenance are likely to sabotage all your plans. Before you go for a buy, it is always advisable to take the cost of car care per mile into consideration. These days there are many standard cost comparisons appearing in various auto magazines or websites. In most guides, you will get to see the average maintenance costs which are functions of various tasks like engine repairs, transmission or replacement of car parts. Here's a list of some of these tasks taken explicitly along with their respective costs.

Car Wash
Although it is the simplest and a cheapest car job, it must be mentioned as a type of car maintenance. Car wash can typically cost anywhere between $5 - $10 per washing.

Engine Oil, Air Filters and Fuel Filters
This is one very important routine required to keep the engine healthy. Checking and if required replacing engine oil, air filters and fuel filters is a task that is suggested by most car mechanics in order to preserve engine character and increase life. These tasks make up a sizable part of the annual costs for maintenance of the car. Always use a good quality branded engine oil, preferably a synthetic oil treated with additives which help control friction. It is advised to change engine oil after regular intervals, especially before a long journey. An oil change typically costs between $70 - $120.

Air and fuel filter systems ensure that clean air and fuel enters the fuel injection system, and thereby ensures that no harm is caused to the engine. When it comes to cost, air and fuel filters are quite comparable, however, air filters are slightly cheaper than fuel filters. Air filters typically cost in the range of $10 - $15 whereas fuel filters may cost up to $25.

Tire Alignment and Air Pressure
Tires need care as well as periodic maintenance. Keeping tires properly inflated and at the right pressure helps improve your fuel economy. Under-inflated tires, at less than required pressure will provide more resistance to travel and too much pressure will put the tires to the risk of punctures. It is advisable to check air pressure in tires on weekly basis. Proper alignment and air pressure can improve gas mileage by up to three percent. For most of the American cars a wheel job will cost about $60, which generally includes tire pressure check. This is one task that affects the maintenance costs per month.

Suspension Work
The suspension mechanism is almost solely responsible for the smoothness and comfort levels inside the car. However, the system also requires a lot of care and check up. Even though standard car suspensions have a long life, they need to be replaced every eight to ten years, or even less if you do lot of off road driving. Replacing a suspension system can cost anything between $1000 - 2000 or more in case of high-end luxury cars and SUV. A suspension alignment may cost around $60 - 100.

Battery
Even though the battery happens to be one of the most important component of a car, its care is conveniently ignored. Periodic topping up of distilled water and with proper care one can increase battery life by up to a year. Three of the common battery group sizes - 24, 65 or 75, can vary from $50 for a cheaper model to $90 - 120 for a premium battery, along with a 2-3 year battery replacement warranty.

Engine Tuning
A 4-stroke engine needs to be tuned for an optimum performance. For a basic tuning-up job, rates can be $30 for low end cars and can go up to $100 for more expensive cars. More often than not an auto repair station spots defects in the engine during the tuning process, which requires additional spending to fix these defects.

Labor Charges
Any repair or maintenance work done will be added on with labor charges of the workstation. Most stations waive these charges for about a year or two from the time of purchase of a new car, but that is obviously the period when the car requires least maintenance. These labor charges may not be explicitly mentioned as you go to a workshop, so make sure you consider them before submitting the vehicle.

In case, your auto warranty is still valid, you are likely to save a lot. Most spare parts and labor charges are discounted within the warranty period. There are many more tasks which are generally performed, but much less frequently, as compared to the jobs discussed above. These include clutch, brake, muffler, radiator work, etc.

These are the major task break ups which cumulatively add up to give the total car maintenance costs. Following proper driving practices and regular check ups can dramatically bring down your expenses.