10 Cheap Ways to Care for Your Car

You don’t have to live in Detroit to see that more drivers are hanging on to their cars for a longer period of time.

High unemployment and dwindling financing options are pushing fewer consumers toward new car dealerships. On average, U.S. car dealers sell 17 million cars a year, but this year U.S. auto sales are projected to drop to nine million, says Robert Sinclair Jr., a spokesman for the New York branch of the American Automobile Association.

Broadly speaking, fewer new cars on the road means more in need of fixing up. And as consumers look to cut costs, many of them are tackling auto repairs on their own. Fifty-one percent of vehicle owners say they’re performing more maintenance on their car instead of going to a mechanic than they were a year ago, according to a survey commissioned by Honeywell Consumer Products Group, a car-care products manufacturer and conducted by Kelton Research, a market research company.

By making certain tweaks and repairs on their own, consumers can increase their car’s longevity and end up spending less cash at the mechanic, says Rich White, the executive director of the Car Care Council, a nonprofit organization that educates consumers on how to maintain their cars. Think of it as preventative medicine for your sedan.

A visit to the mechanic once or twice a year is recommended (not unlike a visit to the doctor), since they can tackle problems like an oil change or headlight replacement, which can be more challenging at home, especially on newer luxury vehicles, White says.

Before you start on repairs, locate your owner’s manual, which comes with your care, and repair or service guide, which is sold at dealerships and parts stores. Leaf through it for guidance about the parts you might need or whether the manufacturer recommends that you leave a particular task to the dealer.

Here are 10 ways to maintain your car for less money. (Parts prices are listed on AutoZone.com and the National Automotive Parts Association and are based on equipment and repairs for a 2009 Toyota Camry.)