When owning a car, you need to consider not just the day to day running costs such as fuel, tax. Insurance but also maintenance costs. This may include but not limited to tyres, service costs, bulbs, brakes and oil / fluid levels. All of these parts or consumables will need attention over a 12 month period and if you cover a lot of iles then you will probably find that they crop up more frequently.

It is important to take care of your car to ensure it lasts as long as possible and maintains as much efficiency as it can. This may involve taking it to the garage whenever a new potential fault appears and checking the basics of lights, oil levels and other functions frequently yourself.

Its not only the mechanics you need to look after, a dirty car may not look good physically, but it can also damage the paintwork if there are chemicals in the muck, for example. This may be a problem for people who live or work near industrial sites or other similar places. Once the paintwork is damaged, it can gradually lead to rust and other problems. Sap from trees and bird poo are two of the worse things to leave on your paintwork.