Thanks to the pandemic of 2020, society got a longer than usual glimpse at life with lower gas prices! Traveling on the road, although seemingly boring with everything closed down, became a lifestyle for many people in unison with working from “home” (aka, your laptop).
Unfortunately, if 2021’s vaccination practices prove successful and people are allowed back to work and play again, it will come as no surprise to see the gas prices skyrocket once again.
To counterbalance the rising prices of gas this year, it will work to your benefit to take this time to focus on changes you can make to your car now that will make it more efficient later. You can also switch to an electric or hybrid car, if you haven’t already, which will result in fewer costs for gas!
Coils vs. Shocks
Choosing coils over shocks in your car’s suspension is going to provide you better stability. The coils wrap around your car’s shock absorbers, which absorb impact. Coil over shocks are stiffer, which explains the increase in stability.
Coil overs originally were used on the race track, and have brought a new form of entertainment to the street for car lovers and DIY enthusiasts. With coils, you can adjust the height of your car from the ground, which you can’t do with shocks.
Having a more stable vehicle provides better handling on big turns. If you do opt for coils over shocks, be sure to purchase high-quality coil overs to prevent any safety hazards or damage to your car.
Seat Covers & Floor Mats
One of the top expenses for automobiles is detailing and cleaning. You might pay an expert a hundred dollars or more to thoroughly clean your car, or you might have to make frequent stops at the gas station vacuums and drive-thrus to keep your car looking the way you like.
Investing in a simple shop vac, a bottle of car wax, and car wash soap will save you a lot of money and trips this year to get your car sparkling. The tasks that require a bit more equipment and attention to detail often reside in the carpets and cushion covers.
Rips, stains, and crusty food can be a pain to fix and clean yourself, so finding ways to prevent these from happening will also save you a lot of time and money. Great prevention shields are seat covers, which can be washed in the washing machine, and floor mats, which can be sprayed down with a hose and vacuumed.
Preserving Gas
On the topic of gas prices predicted to rise again, why not look at how you can reduce your car’s fuel usage.
Having too much weight in your car, neglecting to check your tires’ air pressure, and how much you do or don’t use cruise control will affect your gas efficiency.
When you drive with unnecessary excess in your trunk or scatter on the floor, your car is being weighed down. This can result in having to use more energy to get your car propelled forward, especially going uphill. To save gas, empty your car as much as you can.
Often simultaneously, if your car’s tire pressure is low on one or all of the tires, and you carry a heavy load, your car is going to be utilizing energy unnecessarily and not to your wallet’s benefit. The rolling resistance can cost a lot of money added up over time, so be sure to check that frequently. You can invest in a tool that allows you to check from home, or pay a couple of dollars at an air station to avoid overpaying for this simple service at a service company.
Electric & Hybrid Cars
As Tesla becomes more famous and affordable, there will likely be a massive switch in the population to electric vehicles. Until then, there are many hybrid options, which are fuel-efficient and don’t require you to charge up at an electric station, like you would with Tesla vehicles.
Hybrids often come with a battery, which can cost a lot to replace if damage occurs, so be sure to check this if you are purchasing a used hybrid model.
Learning Basic Maintenance
Most car expenses can be avoided if you can learn how to do some of them yourself–at least the main one: oil changes.
Oil change costs range all over the board, as service companies are often trying to rip-off their customers. Although it can be messy, this is one task that is much easier to do than expected.
The only con, if you can even call it that, about changing your oil is going to be finding a place in your areas where you can dispose of the oil.
Needless to say, there are many solutions for you to reduce your car expenses this year as the gas prices rise. Taking advantage of them now will prepare you for those times later.
