Do you have any genuine tricks for keeping/maintaining a car that are frugal?

Could be anything from getting a deal on a car wash, or keeping the interior nice, or keeping the engine or tires or anything really in good order.

Also, are there any things you used to be able to do frugally with your car which has changed to be more expensive–maybe due to auto manufacturers changing how cars are designed?

(I’m asking this so if something used to be frugal but isn’t now, people speak up about it.)

  • guyrocket
    0•8 months ago

    I have a K&N air filter. Much cheaper than re-buying paper air filters.

    I also do my own oil changes. This is a HUGE savings and I use better oil/filter than most shops ever would (Mobil 1).

    • BadEngineering
      2•8 months ago

      In terms of performance, a K&N is the way to go, but if you’re looking for reliability, the regular old paper filters are better for your engine. They’re a much finer filter medium and catch a lot more dirt than a K&N will. Also the price difference is negligible, a paper filter is usually around 15-20, while a K&N is closer to $50 or $60 plus the future $30 or so for a recharge kit to clean and re-oil it.

      When it comes to oil changes however you’ve definitely got the right idea, cheaper with better oil and better filters. Also I do know that K&N uses a finer mesh in their oil filters than most compettitiors, so its worth it there.