Running a vehicle for the first time is an exciting prospect. Whether you’re a first time car owner or this is just your latest vehicle with the new car smell, owning a car is a big financial move! It means you’ve got some income, you’ve got some savings, and your credit is good enough to get a loan (or maybe you paid cash!).
Of course, just like anything, there are smart and less-capable means of managing your vehicle. By our thinking, someone who runs their vehicle in a shrewd, intelligent manner does so by enhancing safety on the roads, staying healthy behind the wheel, and of course, ensuring maintenance is applied to avoid spending for repairs you could have otherwise avoided!
In this post, we hope to discuss four measures by which you can better keep your car running. This way, you not only become a competent and safer road user, but a focused professional capable of making sure the daily management of a vehicle is feasible for your budget. That in itself is an achievement, as many people can find themselves tripping up in that regard.
A Shrewd Purchase
Learning how to properly inspect a vehicle when you purchase it from a dealer (or more likely, second or even third-hand) is key. For instance, checking the oil levels, learning how to inspect for repairs (such as inspecting work to the bodykit) and seeing if the vehicle pulls to other side during a test drive is key.
Additionally, it’s important to make sure that the vehicle comes with full documentation and insurance history. As always, negotiations can always be a good idea, too. If you’re willing to pay in cash, for instance, you may find that you could take a couple hundred off the asking price thanks to sheer convenience, depending on the model you buy.
If this is the first time you’re ever seeing a potential vehicle you may drive outside of the car you used for learning, it could be worth bringing along a relative or friend who has gone through this process before. This way, you can avoid purchasing a vehicle that isn’t as reliable as the owner makes it seem.
Plan Your Routes
Have you seen the new feature in GoogleMaps that even shows you the most efficient route to take? Being smart with your route can help you out on the road. It’s important to plan your routes properly. This way, you can avoid heavy traffic, driving on rough terrain or roads that haven’t been properly cared for, as well as knowing where the cheapest fuel stations are for cheaper fill-ups.
Planning your routes can also help you avoid common accident sites if necessary, which can be more reassuring as a new road user. All of this can combine together to create a better drive!
Familiarize Yourself With The Manual
It’s important to familiarize yourself with the manual of your vehicle. Even if you don’t read it from cover to cover, there can be ‘quick hits’ that’ll familiarize yourself with the car quickly. In it, common maintenance habits, proprietary instructions for the internals of the vehicle, the meaning of dashboard lights, and contact information for registered parts suppliers will be provided.
Without reading this, you’ll always be slightly unaware of the correct processes for maintenance. It’s good to have your manual in your glove box at all times, for quick reference. As someone hoping to upgrade, restore and even reupholster your vehicle, it’s essential that you have access to the official documentation. With Ford F-150 dealership repair manuals, you will have the same templates that qualified mechanics work from in order to provide the best solutions.
Sure, as a new car owner user this may seem out of your depth, but the more you can interface with a do-it-yourself approach to at least diagnosing issues you will be that much more literate behind the wheel. If you’re a more visual learner, YouTube has a TON of great resources too!
Invest In A Few Essential Accessories
The small investments you make for your vehicle can often imply all the difference between long-term financial feasibility and being hit by immediate costs you weren’t expecting. For instance, YouTube is full of videos of drivers who have used their dashcam to prevent a false insurance claim coming their way thanks to scammers jumping on their vehicle’s hood.
It’s quite amazing to think that without this smart investment made prior, an issue like that could have gotten out of hand and penalized the driver in more ways than one. Essential accessories can also mean ensuring that your vehicle’s spare tire is always high quality and in the best state of repair – in many places, this is a legal requirement. A car jack can help you change said wheel, and a small portable shovel could help dig you out of snow rather than needing a tow truck. It’s the little investments that help most.
CONSIDER A BONUS MEASURE: A WARRANTY PLAN
While taking proactive steps to investing wisely can protect your vehicle to an extent, adding another layer of defense – like a warranty plan – can only do so much. A warranty plan acts as an additional safety net against repairs and part replacements needed on your car in the future. Care should be taken in understanding its terms and conditions thoroughly in order to meet your specific needs; Cars Protection Plus’ warranty plan offers long-term coverage on repairs and replacements to give peace of mind and ensure it continues running reliably!
With this advice, you’re sure to maintain the best financial and procedural habits for new car owners!
Disclosure: Some links will earn me a commission.
Personal Finances are certainly top of mind for many of us. If you're looking to get serious about improving your financial situation, we've got lots of great materials all over this site! Additionally, we realize that there's a lot of noise out there, and so we created PERSONAL FINANCIAL GUIDES focused on topics with all the info you need, and without any of the noise/ads/clickbait. 
