Cars: How to get the best deal on wheels

You probably spend a lot of time and aggravation with your car too. Here are some pointers on how to get a good deal on the purchase of an automobile and how to save money on its maintanance.

Buying a Car

Before you begin shopping for cars you probably already have a good idea of what type of car you want (coupe, sportscar, minivan, etc.) and what make (Ford, Honda, Chevy, etc.). You probably even know what color you want. Those are all relatively easy decisions. You have decided if you want new or used and what your price range is. Kelly Blue Book is a great resource at this point.

Car Maintenance

It's amazing how much you will save over the life of the car if you simply invest a little time and money to maintain it. Not only that but you'll save yourself a lot of headache that comes with having a car break down or work inefficiently. Here's a list of some of the basics that you should be thinking about:

Regular oil changes. This typically should happen every six months or 5,000 miles, whichever comes first. You'll save money by doing this yourself, but if you choose to have it serviced, the approximately $50 you'll spend each year more than pays for itself over the long run.
Other things to replace. Periodically you should be replacing your transmission fluid, air and fuel filters, as well as other fluids. There's a pretty good maintenance schedule at TrustMyMechanic.com. Check it out. Or you can look at this one from About.com.

Car Insurance

If you don't have car insurance--get it! You can't afford not to have at least basic coverage. If you are driving a car that is more than 10 years old take off your . Possibly most importantly--shop around for the best rate. You can save hundreds of dollars each year simply by switching auto insurance companies. For more suggestions on how to save on your insurance check out this article by Bankrate.com.

LINKS

Kelly Blue Book. The official car pricing guide.