Drivers in Leeds can save money with these six tips

Motoring experts from LeaseVan.co.uk are encouraging drivers to wash their own vehicles and ensure liquids are topped up to help prevent expensive one-off costs.

While drivers cannot change much about the prices of fuel and tax, they should shop around when it comes to renewing their insurance.

Driving economically will also reduce the amount of fuel the vehicle uses, so that you don’t have to fill up quite as often.

A spokesperson for LeaseVan.co.uk said: “Running your own vehicle can be an expensive affair with costs such as fuel, insurance and tax to consider – and this is before any potential one-off costs such as fixing a dent or scrape.

“Trying to keep costs down and saving money by washing the vehicle yourself, for example, can help alleviate the strain on your wallet.”

1. Wash it yourself: Washing your vehicle yourself and not going to a car wash can help save you lots of money in the long run. It also means that you can tailor the job to the vehicle’s needs, ensuring abrasive materials and liquids aren’t used to keep paint jobs looking fresh and shiny.

2. Keep up to date: When a warning light comes on it is easy to just ignore it, but that is probably making the problem worse. By having the problem sorted when it first appears, although it will cost you, you may be putting off an even more expensive issue which is further down the line.

3. Top up liquids: By keeping all the liquids in the vehicle topped up, such as oil and water, it means that everything will run smoothly and hopefully have no problems. When oils run low this is when parts of the engine break and costs can soon run up.

4. Fuel: One of the biggest costs involved with running a vehicle is keeping it topped up with fuel. Finding petrol stations that are cheaper could be the way to go, but ensure you’ve factored in the cost of driving to and from the station. Also ensuring you’re driving economically can have a big effect. Try and drive as smoothly as possible without any sudden accelerating or breaking.

5. Car insurance: Legally required, and important to have, this is another expense that comes with running a car. You can usually haggle a little bit with certain providers, and make sure you shop around before you renew the insurance with your current provider. It is normally cheaper to pay in one go instead of in monthly instalments, if your bank balance allows.

6. Think about parking: Although it might be quicker to park right at the front of a car park, it’s also increasing the risk of your vehicle getting dented. Even parking your vehicle under trees which are likely to drop sap can increase the risk of rusting.