A car is convenient, but not cheap. Fuel, road tax, mandatory Periodic Technical Inspections (APK in Dutch), car insurance and more: the costs add up. But with some handy tips, you can also save money on your car. Below you will find 10 tips that will help.
Even for that short trip to the supermarket or downtown, it is sometimes tempting to take the car. But sometimes short distances might be even easier if you use your bicycle. Ask yourself if it is always necessary to take the car. Taking a bicycle for shorter distances saves a lot of petrol on an annual basis. And it's healthy too!
When approaching a traffic light or roundabout, it is best to release the accelerator on time. The last few metres will then actually cost you nothing. You will eventually notice that you save petrol or energy this way. And your brakes wear out less quickly. The latter in turn saves on maintenance.
You will save petrol or energy and your tyres will wear out less quickly when your tyre pressure is correct. You can check and adjust this for free or for a small fee at, for example, gas stations. What the right tyre pressure is different for each type of car. You can find this in the owner's manual, in the car itself or at the tire pump.
The more constant your low speed is, the less petrol your vehicle will consume. So switch to the next gear on time and try to drive at the same speed as much as possible. Do you have cruise control? Use it! Don't forget to turn on your eco mode if you have one. This is more economical with an average waiting time and longer.
On hot days, opening your windows for a short while to cool down the car is very tempting. It is just not really good for your fuel consumption. With open windows, your car has a lot more drag and will consume more fuel. Therefore, keep windows closed as much as possible. That saves you money.
Driving while there are queues is relatively petrol or energy intensive: you are doing a lot of accelerating and braking. This costs more fuel. Can you avoid busy times and hit the road outside rush hour? Do this as much as possible. It will save you the annoyance of traffic jams and unnecessary fuel consumption. Win-win!
Switch to winter tyres when winter sets in and back to summer tyres when the days get longer. In fact, we should all do this, but not everybody does. Still, it is important to drive with the right type of tyre. This is because the tread of winter tyres and summer tyres is precisely adjusted to the temperature. The wrong type of tyre causes extra fuel consumption and more wear on the tyre. If you do not fancy changing twice a year, you can opt for all-season tyres. This intermediate form can be used all year round.
A full or basic service every other year is not something to look forward to. What will they find and how much will it cost? But doing a service on time will keep your car's components in good condition. This will prevent you from being surprised later with an expensive repair because a part broke down due to poor maintenance. It also gives you a greater chance of passing the Periodic Technical Inspections (APK in Dutch).
There is no issue for you to do some things regarding your car. Topping up or changing the oil, brake fluid and coolant is, for example, a piece of cake. This, in turn, saves money during the Periodic Technical Inspections.
The easiest and nicest way to save is, of course, to share the car. For example, do you have a colleague living close by? Then see if you can drive to work together.
