When someone buys a car, they often forget about the maintenance costs associated with it. Purchasing a car on a loan requires that you have the monthly income to pay that bill, but that says nothing about the monthly expense of taking care of the car. 

We’re going to look at the general car maintenance cost today, giving you some insight into what you can expect with the average vehicle. Hopefully, the ideas below will help you budget. 

Further, we’ll talk about some of the things you can do to reduce your monthly maintenance costs. Let’s get started. 

Understanding Your Car Maintenance Cost

A brand new car’s cost per month tends to be very low. As you use the vehicle, it requires more and more maintenance to function well. 

That said, all you need to worry about at first is the cost of oil changes. Those are around $50 per time, depending on the type of oil you use. If you live in a region with a lot of snowfall, the city combats that snowfall by laying a lot of salt on the roads. 

That salt kicks up underneath your vehicle and can lead to rust. So, another early maintenance factor is carwashes. It’s also important to have your car serviced with rotations and inspections around twice per year. Those cost around $100 each time. 

So, a brand new car should have around $50-$100 of maintenance costs per month on average. If you work to maintain your car according to the manufacturer’s guidelines, you’ll keep your monthly costs low for longer. 

The same is true for interior issues. Go to detailtime.net to look at options for interior detailing. 

Older Vehicles 

Those with older vehicles can expect slightly higher maintenance costs. You’ll have the same fees for oil changes and service, but you have a responsibility to get inspections done more often. 

This is because things deteriorate faster as the car ages. Because of that, you will have more necessary repairs to take care of. On average, an American person spends almost $1,500 per year on maintenance. 

When particular issues arise, that cost goes up. The cost you spend on maintenance corresponds to the amount of time you spend driving as well, so finding ways to reduce your drive time will cut back on expenses. 

DIY Car Maintenance

One thing to consider is learning how to make simple repairs yourself. It’s often the case that simple repairs cost four to five times more at a shop than they would if you did them yourself. 

Things like oil changes, rotations, and other simple jobs are safely and easily done at home. 

Need Some Car Maintenance Tips?

Hopefully, our look at the general car maintenance cost gave you some insight into what you can expect. There’s more to learn that could save you a lot of money, though. 

Explore our site for more ideas on maintenance for different types of cars, DIY car maintenance options, tips on budgeting, and much more.