By Lauren Fix and Paul Fix III
You may have noticed that everything is getting more expensive.
We’ve discussed the semiconductor chip shortages, shipping issues, and rising gas prices on this vlog.
People are complaining about the cost of everything from higher fuel prices, groceries, and even the kitchen sink, literally!
One of the biggest constants in American life, though, is your car, a daily necessity, and the cost to maintain it just went up dramatically as well.
Why is this? I’ll explain.
Why is it more expensive today to have the engine oil changed, your car serviced, or get replacement parts? What factors are making it more costly?
One of the main reasons is the shortage of parts. Increased labor costs and additional cleaning costs due to COVID are also a factor.
If certain replacement parts weren’t already expensive, now they are even more so. Metal, copper, oil, fiber, ceramics, and especially the rubber industries are all experiencing shortages.
Many consumers are having problems even getting their car serviced, caused by a lack of workers, an influx of customers, and supply issues for parts compound the issue. Shortages of new vehicles have convinced people to keep their older ones. Last year, 41 million used cars changed hands.
With the season change, winter tires are one of the delays affecting the country’s northern half. This year it’s very tough to find winter tires because the supply chain is broken. Due to the COVID 19 crisis, rubber plants shut down in Malaysia and Thailand, and that’s the issue tire makers are having. Keeping tires in stock has been challenging for the industry, and even all-season tires are getting more difficult to locate.
Local mechanic shops are experiencing similar delays, setting appointments for up to 4 weeks ahead of time. For example, I need a new door latch for my truck, and the dealership ordered it at the beginning of November. They likely won’t get it quickly, and I doubt it will even be installed until some indeterminate date in December.
Now the inevitable question: What do you do? How do you keep your costs down?
Get ahead of your car’s maintenance and stay on top of it. Changing your oil with the proper type and interval is critical to getting proper lubrication for your engine. This is the heart of your car. Proper lubrication of the motor allows you to get the best fuel economy. It will also keep your moving parts healthier for longer. Using full synthetic oil is the best way to get these results. Proper intervals for oil changes and other maintenance are based on your owner’s manual information.
While I understand that many are trying to keep costs down, I do NOT recommend using a lower grade oil, cheaper filters, tires, or anything else that’s essential to keep you safe and moving on the road. You will be compromising the life of your engine and potentially causing other issues. I would suggest looking for coupons, promotions and using websites like www.caradvise.com to get the best prices in your area. There are other areas you can save money, but this is not the place to do that.
If you have the proper tools and know what you’re doing, changing oil, wheels, and other basic preventative maintenance can be a simple task. If you have no clue, I suggest you get a professional ASE-certified technician to do the work. The worst thing you can do is cause damage to your vehicle, which would be a hefty bill. The amount of money you would save would depend on the labor cost for your car. The price of the parts and oils will not change, but you will save money doing the work yourself.
When changing your oil, tires, and most other service items, it’s based on mileage, not time. Some lights on your dash will pop on based on time, not mileage. Keep track of your last oil changes based on mileage. It’s essential to write that inside your owner’s manual. Check your tires’ read and check your tires’ pressure against the sticker inside your driver’s door once a month. This will save the tire’s life and give you the best fuel economy and safety year-round. Listen for anything that sounds, smells, or feels out of the ordinary. Please don’t delay. The longer you wait to fix something, the more costly it will become!
If you have additional questions, put them in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to answer.
Lauren Fix, The Car Coach®, is a nationally recognized automotive expert, analyst, author, and television host. A trusted car expert, Lauren provides an insider’s perspective on a wide range of automotive topics and aspects, energy, industry, consumer news, and safety issues.
Lauren is the CEO of Automotive Aspects and the Editor-in-Chief of Car Coach Reports, a global automotive news outlet. She is an automotive contributor to national and local television news shows, including Fox News, Fox Business, CNN International, The Weather Channel, Inside Edition, Local Now News, Community Digital News, and more. Lauren also co-hosts a regular show on ABC.com with Paul Brian called “His Turn – Her Turn” and hosts regular radio segments on USA Radio – DayBreak.
Lauren is honored to be inducted into the Women’s Transportation Hall of Fame and a Board Member of the Buffalo Motorcar Museum, and Juror / President for the North American Car, Utility & Truck of the Year Awards.
Check her out on Twitter and Instagram @LaurenFix.
