How To Save on Maintenance If You Own 2 Cars
Written by
Gina Hagler
Edited by
Levi Leidy
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Maintenance costs for one car can be daunting enough for owners, but what if you need to factor two vehicles into your budget? You’re effectively doubling your expenses, having two cars that need new tires and to have their oil changed. There are some ways to make up part of the cost of having two vehicles when it comes to maintenance, repairs and insurance.
Prepare Your Budget
The best practice when paying for repairs for two cars is to have a maintenance schedule and set aside money each month. Go back through your checking account and credit card purchases and figure out what you spent over the past year. Divide that total by 12 and begin setting that aside; this way, you’ll have funds available when maintenance issues pop up. With two cars, you can also take steps to lower the cost of maintenance, repairs and car insurance.
Maintenance and Repairs
Maintenance in the form of a basic inspection costs around $150 to $250, meaning you’ll be paying $300 to $500 for two vehicles. The doubling of costs extends to different types of maintenance. You can offset some of the cost through your dealership. Honda Service Pass is a program you can apply for which grants you maintenance coverage on new Honda vehicles for two years from the registration date, or 24,000 miles.
If you’re hit with an expense that goes beyond what you have in your budget, consider financing. Certified Automotive is an auto repair shop that offers financing through its partnership with Affirm. If an auto shop doesn’t offer financing, you may be able to acquire it through your credit card.
It’s also recommended in general that you ask for a discount. Independent shops and chains get higher consumer ratings through offering discounts, so you might find that you’re able to negotiate a price. Don’t forget to ask for multi-car discounts when you bring your car in. It’s to the business’ advantage to have a steady stream of cars; if you’re bringing in two, maybe they’ll work with you.
You may also fare better by using a shop approved by AAA, which will have certified technicians. This can give you peace of mind, knowing your car is in good hands — and AAA offers a 10% discount on labor. AAMCO also regularly has coupons and offers which you can find on their website, like $100 off any rebuilt or remanufactured transmission.
You can also alleviate some of your budgetary concerns by performing simpler maintenance yourself. For example, you could find a DIY tutorial on replacing your air filter or performing your own fluid-level check.
Read More: 5 Japanese Cars To Stay Away From Buying
Multi-Car InsuranceÂ
Fortunately, most insurance companies have discounts on multi-car insurance. Some examples include GEICO, which offers up to 25% off, and Progressive, which offers up to 10% off. In many cases you can add a second car to an existing insurance policy rather than needing to apply for a new one. You’ll fare better with a comprehensive policy from a reputable company.
It’s also possible to make up for some of the cost through applying for less obvious discounts. There are discounts for having an anti-theft device, registering low mileage, setting up automatic payments, going paperless or even ones based on having a clean driving record.Â
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