Reduce your servicing costs There are lots of things you can do yourself to make sure that your car stays in the best condition possible, although it's never going to eliminate servicing and maintenance entirely.  When looking to service your car, you have a number of options available to you from main franchise dealers, specialist mechanics, your local independent garage or even to tackle the work yourself.

Main dealers are expensive as the labour rate they charge per hour is higher than your local or specialist or independent garage and are more likely to want to fit their own original parts, rather than non branded equivalents.  While it still probably makes sense to use a main dealer inside the warranty period, changes in European law means that you are much more able to get your vehicle maintained where you like without voiding your warranty.  If you choose to do this, you still need to get the car serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's service schedule, only use approved parts and make sure that you keep records to prove you have adhered to their criteria.  It's really a matter of personal choice which kind of garage you use.

If having you car serviced outside the main dealer network, get recommendations if possible.  The garage may not have the experience or complex tools to diagnose and fix any faults on modern engines and it may end up costing you more.  We have all heard the horror stories of garages overcharging for work done, recommending work that does not need doing, or in some cases paying for work that has not been done at all.

Some basic rules to save money:

• When you've chosen your garage, get a written quote.  Always leave express instructions to the garage to contact you should any additional work be required on your car and not to proceed without your authorisation.  If additional work is required, ensure you get a quote and if the work is not urgent feel free to shop around again.
• Find out the cost of any parts needed beforehand, and to try and keep the cost down, ask the garage about getting the parts yourself as the dealer will want to add their margin onto the parts.  At least supply your own oils, filters spark plugs and fuel and air filter.
• As always on Cut Price Motoring make sure you shop around.  Call around a few garages.  We found even the price of the same service at two main franchise dealers can be up to 20% different depending on location.

• The garage will try to sell additional parts such as windscreen wiper, and coolants top up.  These are often at inflated prices so it worth tackling these basics yourself.

Reduce your MOT costs

There is a great guide at www.moneysavingexpert.com covering great ideas to save on your cars MOT.  

Useful Links

• www.haynes.co.uk - Practical books to help maintain your car

• www.halfords.com  - One stop shop for all your service parts.

• www.moneysavingexpert.com - How to save on your MOT

Other Tips

• Find yourself a good garage before you need one. When you need one, it's really too late to start looking.

Cut Price Motoring user Feedback

Every £2.50 in Tesco Clubcard vouchers, for example, gets you £10 knocked-off your bill at Nationwide Autocentres, specialist in servicing, MOT testing, mechanical repairs and maintenance.

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