Getting more for your money is a popular trend among consumers. As economic uncertainty reigns, smart consumers are looking for the best values in an effort to get the most out of each and every dollar they spend.

One of the best ways to stretch a dollar is to take better care of your vehicle. Buying a home and financing a college education are perhaps the only times many consumers will spend more money than they do when purchasing a vehicle. But unlike a home or an education, few people take their vehicles seriously, all too often avoiding vehicle maintenance that can greatly increase a car or truck’s life expectancy.

Drivers who want to keep their cars going strong for years to come can do so in a handful of ways.

* Prevent, prevent, prevent. Preventive maintenance might seem like a boring way to spend a weekend morning or afternoon, but the efforts will be well worth it. Oil changes and filter replacements are quick and easy jobs but pay major dividends over the long haul. Drivers who aren’t comfortable performing these tasks themselves need not worry about costly trips to the mechanic. Routine jobs like an oil change or air filter replacement are relatively inexpensive, and today’s vehicles can go much longer between oil changes and filter replacements. Each vehicle manufacturer is different, so drivers should consult their owner’s manual and adhere to the recommended maintenance schedule.

* Stay balanced. Balanced tires are tires that will last longer. But an out of balance tire will not only shorten the life of tires, it can also do damage to the rest of the vehicle while simultaneously making riding in the car much less comfortable. When a tire is properly balanced, its mass is uniformly distributed around the axle, making for a smooth, vibration-free ride. However, an out of balance tire shortens the life expectancy of suspension components, including bearings and shocks. Repairs that result from an unbalanced tire can prove costly. Should a vibration occur as the vehicle accelerates (typically, this vibration will be noticeable when the car reaches speeds of 40-45 mph), chances are the tires are not properly balanced.

* Look good, feel good. The credo of “look good, feel good” isn’t only applicable to humans. In fact, a car that looks good likely feels good as well.Washing and waxing a car regularly helps avoid rust under the carriage and in the wheel wells. The longer a car goes between washes, the more likely it is to rust, and the paint is likely to corrode as well. There is no quick fix to either of these problems, but preventive maintenance, like routinely washing and waxing the vehicle, can keep these potentially menacing issues from ever rearing their rusty heads. Preventing rust and corrosion is also a good way to ensure a car’s resale value does not diminish over time.

* Get out and drive. Cars that spend most of their life in stop-and-go traffic likely won’t last as long as those that routinely get out and go. That’s because city driving with lots of stopping and going is very taxing on an engine. On a highway, air flow to the radiator, oil flow to the engine and everything that makes a car run is much more consistent, reducing the stress on the engine as a result. Constantly accelerating and decelerating is hard on an engine, while the consistent speeds of highway driving offer a welcome respite to the engine. City dwellers should get out and drive their car on a highway at least once a month for no less than 30 minutes. This is also a good way to get rid of potentially harmful condensation that can negatively impact engine performance.

When looking to get more for your money, one of the best ways to do so is to take better care of the car sitting in your driveway.

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