As I’m sitting here brainstorming other potential personalized license plate ideas, as I’m going to be picking up a money order and sending off my application today, I can’t help but think about the sheer cost of vehicles. I’m not talking about the purchase price, though that is certainly significant. I’m talking about the normal wear & tear costs like new tires (Kia: July 2007; Hyundai: December 2008), new brake pads and the occasional new set of rotors (both vehicles needed new rear brake pads and rear rotors this past April), and other odds and ends that require replacement over time. Then there are the normal maintenance costs, such as the oil change the Hyundai is due for in another 800 miles. A general tune up isn’t exactly cheap either.
Whether you own an Acura Integra or an Audi, it’s important to take care of your car. Get those oil changes and filter changes done regularly to avoid engine problems down the line; rotate those tires every 8,000 miles or so to encourage equal tread wear (my brother-in-law didn’t do this with my car before he sold it to us; I wound up with horribly cupping tires & messed up tire mounts and such that had to be replaced outright — that was a nasty $1200 bill!); use the right kind of fuel, and baby your car like you would baby your baby. Don’t accelerate hard, avoid sudden starts and stops, don’t drive your car at super high speeds for extended periods of time, don’t leave it idling for a prolonged amount of time, etc. Doing all of these things can help you avoid the need for Houston auto repair — at least for unnecessary repairs, anyway.
