Thing Every First Time Car Owners Should Do

A car is a significant purchase for many people. Buying a car also reveals that a person is ready for new responsibilities. Car ownership is much more than merely getting behind the wheel and driving off wherever you want.

There are certain important things that first-time car owners should do to make car ownership a little easier. These include taking care of aspects such as car warranty, auto insurance, and regular car maintenance. Read on to learn about some common tasks that all first-time vehicle owners should consider doing.

Purchase a Car Warranty

If you buy a brand-new vehicle right off the lot, it should come with a manufacturer’s warranty. Thus, if particular items malfunction or break before the guarantees expire, you’ll be able to get them fixed for free. However, when you purchase your ride, you may wish to obtain the best-extended car warranty from the dealer. The coverage won’t kick in until the manufacturer warranty expires, but it will already be paid for, and that is a huge plus.

In addition, rather than having to cover the total cost upfront, the dealership may finance the policy. You’ll have to pay a little more on your monthly rates each month, but that beats shelling out thousands of dollars for repairs later on.

For example, according to research, it will cost a person between $1,500 and $3,000 to have their transmission rebuilt. This becomes necessary when internal components malfunction or need to be replaced.

Meanwhile, a standard engine replacement at a local shop can be a pretty high-dollar procedure as well. The total price will depend on various factors, like the make and model of the vehicle and the engine size. In the end, the cost will be determined by parts and labor. However, common estimates for this service include:

• $4,000 for a 4-cylinder motor
• $5,500 to replace a six-cylinder engine
• $7,000 for a V8 powertrain replacement

If you have a luxury car, the cost to replace the engine could skyrocket in a hurry. The point is that some auto repairs can stretch you to the limit financially, but you don’t have to let that happen. Instead, get a warranty, keep money woes at bay, and ensure you can afford to fix your ride whenever the need arises.

Don’t Forget Insurance

Most dealers require people to show proof of insurance before driving cars off the lots. Or, at the very least, individuals must be able to show that they have coverage shortly after taking ownership of vehicles. As such, it might be a good idea to do some research on car insurance even before you buy a car. Use Google and other online tools at your disposal to find out which makes and models are the cheapest to insure.

Of course, cheapest isn’t necessarily always best. So, look into some other factors to help you choose the best auto insurance provider for your needs. For instance, you could turn to the Better Business Bureau website to examine a company’s customer complaints. You may even wish to get on Yelp and other review sites to read client reviews or testimonials.

You might also want to read up on the minimum coverage requirement for where you live. This way, you don’t have to purchase coverage that you’re not required to have.

Learn to Check the Oil and Other Fluids

There are different ways to learn to check a car’s fluids. For example, you can review the pages within your owner’s manual for information regarding these tasks. The booklet should tell you when and how to tackle the project. However, as a rule of thumb, it is typically recommended that people check the fluid levels in their vehicles every four to six months or 5,000 to 10,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, coolant, and power steering fluid may need to be topped off from time to time. Hence, you will want to know how to see if the liquids are low and add more as necessary. These items lubricate parts and keep things moving freely. Not to mention, some of them prevent systems from overheating and leaving you stranded on the side of the road.

Practice Safe Driving

Auto experts say that the average price for a new car in September 2020 was around $38,000. In other words, you’re investing quite a bit in a vehicle, and the last thing you’ll want is to wreck it and flush your hard-earned cash down the drain. Hence, always practice safe driving, and hopefully, no accidents will occur.

Using safe driving practices can even save you some money. For instance, if you sign up for an insurance program like Snapshot, a device or app will record your driving behaviors, and the insurer may reward you with a policy discount. Also, you probably won’t burn through gas by doing the speed limit. With gas prices what they are today, that’s all the more reason to slow down and drive safely.

The Final Thoughts

After becoming a first-time car owner, you will have plenty of stuff on your plate. But still, there are certain items you’re going to need to make it a point to do. Some of these must-do tasks include checking your vehicle’s warranty and getting car insurance. You’ll also want to learn to do basic car maintenance so you can save money on having to go to the mechanic too often. Do these to make your vehicle ownership experience that much better.