Seven tips that could save you £1,400 a year on your car

MOTORING experts have revealed the seven tips that could save drivers as much as £1,400 a year on your car.

With energy bills rising and the cost of living crisis continuing, motorists are looking to save some money where they can to help balance the books.

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While the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that fuel duty would not rise in line with inflation during his Budget earlier this month, keeping a car road worthy is still an expensive business.

To help keep costs down, the experts at car dealership Peter Vardy have shared their top tips that could help drivers save nearly £1,500.

Add another driver to your insurance policy

New drivers should name a parent on your insurance policy, the experts say, as this could save hundreds of pounds on your premiums.

Research carried out by Uswitch found that new motorists can save an average of £426 by doing this.

Avoid buying premium fuels for standard vehicles

While retailers claim premium fuels can offer better performance, economy benefits and can also protect your engine, the experts disagree.

The experts say that unless you’re behind the wheel of a premium car, you’re unlikely to see any advantage by using premium fuel.

On average, premium fuel costs 10p more per litre, which means drivers can save as much as £138.32 every year.

Haggle over car insurance

Haggling over your insurance cover can save drivers up to £100.

Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert website found this had an 80 per cent success rate.

Fill up at supermarket garages

Supermarket garages are typically cheaper than branded ones, which means motorists can save around £74 a year by making this simple switch.

Perform you own car maintenance checks

By carrying out your own regular car maintenance checks, such as spotting wear and tear and then fixing it before it becomes a problem, drivers can avoid paying the average annual repair cost of £574.

Use cashback credit cards for fuel

Buying your petrol or diesel using a cashback credit card offers you three per cent cash back each time you fill up.

If you fill up your car biweekly, you’d get £52.68 over the course of a year.

Pay your road tax annually

If you spread the cost of your road tax you end up paying more in the long run.

If you pay the full amount upfront you save around £29 a year.

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