2022 Automobile Challenges: Tips for Procuring Coveted Savings

• Author: Monica Jackson
• Posted: 2024-08-09

Recent news reports have covered the skyrocketing costs related to buying used and new vehicles because of pandemic-related supply chain disruptions. Even many older, used cars now cost over $20,000 on average because dealers and mechanics are desperately buying up vehicles for parts, which is having a trickledown effect in other areas. Higher parts prices make it more difficult for people to maintain the vehicles they already own. They also must pay increasing fuel prices and insurance premiums.

As a result, it's now more important than ever before that you to do whatever you can to pay less to keep one or more vehicles on the road. Use these money-saving tips to help you stay within your vehicle budget:

Talk to Your Insurance Agent

Insurers offer a wide range of discounts to drivers for a variety of reasons. If you're not currently taking advantage of these offers or you failed to check for new ones in a while, it's time to make the call. Beyond your receiving a discount for simply being a safe driver who hasn't had any accidents or tickets in years, you can receive a "green" discount for merely installing anti-theft or environmental-safety equipment and parts in your vehicle. You might receive this discount for installing a security camera with remote access and recording features or hiring a glass company to permanently etch the VIN number onto the windshield. Additionally, an insurance agent typically provides a discount to a driver who transfers all of their insurance products to the same company and bundles them together at a lower price.

You can also receive a discount if you pay your insurance premium in full or with cash or prove that you're less of a driving risk by taking a defensive driving class. You might receive a discount as well if you have a 25-year-old or younger, college-age child away at a school that's more than 100 miles from your home since their lack of access to your vehicle reduces the risk of an accident.

Sign Up for Loyalty Programs

Many mainstream fuel suppliers offer gas points programs that provide a percentage discount at the pump after you spend so much money buying their fuel. Some credit card companies and grocery stores also offer these programs. By merely buying other types of products that you need or want, you can receive gas points toward a percentage off your next fuel run or cashback savings at a gas station affiliated with the credit card company or grocery store. In some regions, the grocery store has its own gas station, which means you can buy your groceries and then apply the savings that very same day at the pump in the nearby parking lot.

Drivers are also often surprised to learn that they can save money at their local automobile retail parts stores by signing up for loyalty programs. As with fuel programs, you earn a discount off a future order or cash every time you spend money at the store. You can even save additional money by reviewing a parts store's weekly sales flyer before you buy any parts since many of them offer special sale pricing to loyalty card holders.

Say No to Your Mechanic

Mechanics often buy parts at a heavily reduced rate even with today's pandemic woes. They make money by charging their customers the retail price or higher, toxic part disposal fees and time-based labor costs. The best way to save money is by researching all of your options before you see your mechanic for automobile maintenance or repairs and then remaining firm with them when they try to charge you more than you're able or willing to pay.

For example, always procure more than one estimate from different mechanics so that you can try to negotiate with your regular mechanic or one that you liked in the past. If your mechanic learns that you're willing to go elsewhere for services because another shop offers lower pricing, they may be willing to give you a discount. You can also often find parts online through local and national auto parts retailers that cost far less when you buy them directly than if you pay your mechanic to buy them.

To save money on maintenance, you merely need to learn how to properly maintain your vehicle between inspections so that you don't have to pay a professional to complete basic tasks that you can just as easily perform at home. Every driver should perform their own car washes and detailing, fluid refills, battery checks and swaps, replacements of air filters, fuses, light bulbs and tires or repairs of small windshield cracks and body dings and paint scrapes.

Never Pay Non-Discounted Prices Again

As you can see, you have it within your means to save money at every level of car ownership. You only need to do the legwork and ask for the savings that others have been taking advantage of all along even before the pandemic. Don't wait. Start saving today, and then apply the extra money to other areas of your life, such as necessary expenses and long-term savings.