A Tune-Up a Day Keeps the Mechanic Away: Does Car Maintenance Save Money?
Your car is an investment that you want to keep well-maintained to extend its useful life. There are proactive steps that you can take through regular tune-ups and maintenance to help protect your investment.
But is it worth it? Does car maintenance save money in the long run? Find out the answer to that exact question as we walk you through the benefits of regular maintenance and the savings you could enjoy.
Regular Car Maintenance to Save Money
There are a few systems you’ll want to regularly maintain in order to get the most out of your car. Some of the best tune-up services you can have done to keep your car running at its best include the following.
Engine Tune-Ups
Often, the attitude with engines is that if it runs, what’s the issue? Don’t fix what’s not broken, right? While that’s true in some cases, modern engines are far more advanced than they once were, making it difficult to see or hear potential issues at hand. Auto repair shops have advanced diagnostics to better map out and pinpoint hidden problems within your engine.
With this kind of engine tune-up, you can expect to have a professional mechanic inspect the entire engine, replace all filters and sensors, change out worn parts, and more.
So what’s the cost? Typically, an engine tune-up costs an average of $40 to $150. If it’s been a while, you could spend more in the $200–$800 range. But let’s compare that to the cost of a new engine due to a lack of maintenance. In 2025, a new engine is going to cost you anywhere from $2,000 to as high as $10,000. If you take the lowest range of both services, you’d have to have 50 annual tune-ups for $40 before you ever reach the cost of $2,000.
Oil Changes
Expanding on engine care, oil changes are a great way to help your engine and car as a whole. Most cars call for an oil change every 5,000 miles (approximately), but some may need them even more often, depending on their usage.
Replacing your car’s oil with fresh oil helps with its efficiency and performance as the new oil better lubricates the engine and moves through smoothly. Not changing your oil can decrease your fuel efficiency and deteriorate the entire engine.
An oil change will range anywhere from $50 to $100, depending on the type of oil you need, but not keeping up with regular oil changes can result in a total engine replacement or even shorten the lifespan of your car.
Filter Changes
Do you know how many air filters your vehicle has? You may be missing some key filters, such as air, cabin, oil, and even fuel. Not all of these are easily accessible either if you’re doing the maintenance yourself. Your local auto repair shop will be able to assess and change all of these filters. Each filter serves a different purpose, but they all serve equal importance.
Regularly changing out filters prevents the buildup of contaminants like dirt and dust that harm your vehicle in the long run. The cost will vary depending on the type of filter you want to change, but a filter change should be no more than $100.
Tire Rotation
A great way to keep your car and tires happy is to rotate the tires on your car. By rotating, you allow for a more even wearing of the tread. When you change your oil, it’s also a great time to rotate your tires—often, it may even be included in the price! Tire rotation ensures a smoother and safer ride with continued traction and handling for varying weather conditions. Not rotating your tires could lead to the need to purchase new tires—not to mention the towing costs if one ends up popping while you’re driving.
So, Does Car Maintenance Save Money?
If you haven’t come to the conclusion yourself already, car maintenance absolutely saves you money. The average American spends about $900 a year on car maintenance, which includes everything from tune-ups to regular oil changes. While that may seem like a high number, it only comes down to $75 a month—compare that to a monthly car payment, and you can easily see how maintenance saves you money.
Plus, car maintenance keeps you safe. An unmaintained car can quickly become an unsafe car. The best thing for you and your safety is to take the time to maintain your car, so you can both save money and avoid dangerous situations.
Stay Safe on the Road with Tune-Ups from City Auto Repair
\All of these practices are small steps that help to save you and your vehicle in the long run. By conducting these regular checkups on your vehicle, you help to spot smaller issues from wear and tear before they spiral beyond your control into a larger, more costly repair. The money you put into these regular tune-up items helps serve as an investment in the future value of your vehicle.
Our team of professionals at City Auto Repair has access to state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and abilities to help you keep your vehicle in the best shape possible. From engine tune-ups to tire services, our team has a passion for keeping you safe on the road. Visit our shop to keep your car running for years to come!