Car maintenance costs: how much do Germans pay?

Tire costs

Car tires

Despite the fact that the costs of car tires are not as high as most others, they should not be neglected. It would seem that you bought all-season “shoes” for your car and drive all year round, saving on the higher cost of two sets - winter and summer. And yet, the seasonal version of tires has significantly better performance characteristics - greater grip at the appropriate time of year, less wear. In addition, good car handling with winter tires, especially in icy conditions, will also reduce possible expenses that the driver may incur after getting into an accident. And two such sets will last you on average twice as long as one universal one, thus, by and large, being more profitable.

You can reduce your tire costs in a simpler way than by purchasing all-season tires. For example, choosing for your car such parts with an optimal price-quality ratio. This can be done quite easily thanks to numerous tire reviews on the Internet.

Where did the price difference come from?

It would seem that there may be differences in the price of new cars. Such cars come directly from the manufacturer at a fixed price, so dealers, at first glance, cannot offer any differences in the cost of the models they sell. However, in reality, cars differ significantly in price, and their cost is directly affected by the vehicle’s equipment, as well as the dealer’s margin indicator. The latter figure can be 20-30% depending on specific car dealerships, so buyers have the opportunity to significantly save on their purchase.

New car prices are volatile. For example, at the end of the year, significant discounts are offered, since in literally 2-3 weeks the car according to its passport will be one year old, and it will be more profitable for the car dealership to sell it quickly, even taking into account the significant discount. The same applies to the financial close of the year. A particular dealer needs to provide good sales statistics to the head office in order to receive annual and quarterly bonuses. Therefore, such machines can be sold at a significant discount.

Maintenance costs

Vehicle maintenance

State inspection costs are periodic. The time after which such consumption should be provided for may be different for each vehicle. In any case, the first technical inspection will have to be completed within 30 days from the date of registration of the car. For trucks and passenger vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tons, the frequency of maintenance can be equal to:

• 1 year (for a car whose year of manufacture has passed 7 years or more);
• 2 years (for vehicles less than 7 years old);
• 3 years (if the first maintenance was carried out in the first year after the car was released).

Oddly enough, savings in this case can be achieved by a greater frequency of technical inspections, and not less. The fact is that keeping your car in good condition reduces most of your other operating costs, while the cost of an MOT may be negligible in comparison. On average, the best option for maintaining your vehicle in good condition would be to undergo a technical inspection every year.

We correctly determine the options we need

The cost of a new car in the showroom largely depends on the specific configuration of the car. Today, the difference between basic equipment and top-end equipment can be 50-60% of the price or more. Therefore, a buyer who would like to save money on choosing a new vehicle needs to accurately determine which systems and options are critical for him and which can be neglected. Based on this, you should choose cars, ordering a car with the equipment you need.

Most dealers offer the opportunity to order a specific car from the factory with the configuration required by the buyer. However, it would be a good idea to find out what models are available, especially since they are offered with significant discounts. By refusing to order a specific model at the factory, and choosing from those available, you can not only save up to 10% of the cost, but also receive the car literally a few days after contacting the dealer. Whereas, when ordering cars directly from the factory, you will need to wait about a month or more until the car you need is manufactured and properly equipped.

Car wash costs

The video shows how cars are washed in Germany:

If you care about the appearance of your vehicle, but do not have too much time to care for it, car maintenance may include such an item as the cost of a car wash. Their size depends on how often and under what conditions you use the car, on the place where it is parked (in the garage, in the yard or in the parking lot), as well as on the degree of its prestige (it is unlikely that an old “penny” will be washed as often , like the new X5).

Reducing such car expenses is not that difficult. To do this, you should purchase a kit for washing your car yourself and devote some (rather small) part of your free time to this.

Try to buy on different promotions

Today, many automakers or specific dealers conduct all kinds of discount promotions, which allows you to purchase a car profitably with a small discount. As a rule, this opportunity is provided before the New Year or immediately before the release of a new car model. With proper planning of the purchase, such promotions will save 5-8 percent or more from the original price.

All you need to do is check with the car dealership manager whether any promotions and sales are expected in the near future, or study the website of a specific car company, where it will be indicated that in the near future buyers will be offered small discounts on their cars.

Costs of toll highways

Toll road

This is not such a common type of expense in our country, if only because there are not too many such roads. Basically, you have to pay money for travel not on all such routes, but only on their sections. Although driving on toll highways causes a negative reaction in Russian drivers (the habit of driving on free roads, although not of high quality, has an effect), it may well pay off for some drivers. For example, for carriers, delivering cargo on time and without damage is much more important than saving on a trip on a poor-quality road surface. The same applies to drivers who use their cars only for personal purposes - the time saved on the toll highway (not counting the lack of damage that could be caused to your car by potholes on a regular road) may well be worth the money spent.

Saving such expenses on a car is easy - you don’t need to drive on toll roads. If you are not in a hurry, and especially if your vehicle is a prudently purchased SUV (or a domestic car, which is simply not so pathetic), it is quite possible to do without them. Moreover, there is always a choice - according to domestic legislation, if there is only one road leading in a certain direction, it can only be free. In the case of an alternative option (a second road parallel to the first), payment may be charged if the quality of such a route is significantly better.

Selecting abandoned vehicles

Car dealerships often offer so-called abandoned cars, that is, they were ordered by customers, but for some reason they refused to purchase them. This does not mean that such a vehicle has any problems or serious breakdowns. It is quite possible that they refused to purchase them for economic reasons, or they selected another more expensive or cheaper model.

Subsequently, the dealer, trying to get rid of a car that is only taking up space in the warehouse, will offer significant discounts on such a car. You just need to understand that you will have to put up with a fixed configuration, and if you need any specific options, then later they can be installed at the dealer, without losing the warranty on the car.

Parking and parking costs

Paid parking

If there is no free parking in front of your house, you can safely add parking costs to the amount of money spent on car maintenance. Paid parking will cost more, but will not require any of the initial large investments that would entail, for example, building or purchasing a garage. In addition, the garage can be located quite far from the house, and there are usually a lot of paid parking lots within reach. However, you can also rent a garage - usually it is still cheaper (and sometimes even safer) than parking your car.

Parking a car in the center of large cities is also usually not free. True, some enterprises equip special areas for free parking for their employees or clients - in this case you save on such costs.

Buying with dividends

The next option is to purchase property using dividends. You are able to pay yourself from the profits of your business. In this case, you will pay 20% income tax and 13% dividend tax. In total, the tax has decreased, but 33% is still a considerable amount.

By the way, the charter of many companies stipulates a certain frequency of dividend payments, so you will have to adapt to the deadlines specified in the papers - it will not be possible to speed up the process. You will have to wait for the deadline specified in the charter to make the long-awaited purchase.

Advantages:

• the tax amount is several percent lower than in the previous version;
• no personal income tax;
• there are no insurance premiums, since dividends do not relate to salaries.

Flaws:

• taxes equal to one third of the purchase price;
• dependence on the timing of dividend payments.

In general, this is a more acceptable option for a businessman than buying for a salary. But the still large amount of tax and the loss of precious time force us to continue searching for a worthy alternative.

Expenses for payment of violations

The video shows how to pay fines online:

It is difficult to foresee costs that depend not only on your behavior on the road, but also on the vigilance of traffic police officers, and even on their mood. These may include:

• payment of fines;
• buying a car from an impound lot;
• and even payment of penalties for untimely repayment of fines.

Although for a careful and conscientious driver this expense item will not cause too much damage to the budget and will be significantly less than all other costs.

Car price

Unfortunately, in provincial cities, businessmen are very greedy and add significant sums to the price of a car. For example, I bought a car for 300,500 (the lowest price in the city at that time), and on the official AvtoVAZ website at that time the recommended price for dealers was just over 280,000. Although in neighboring Chelyabinsk it was possible to get a car exactly at the price recommended by the factory. However, traveling 300 miles or overpaying 20,000 is everyone’s personal choice. And taking into account the fact that the car was bought on credit, I didn’t have much choice.

Car insurance costs

The video explains the types of car insurance:

These expenses are mandatory, and their size depends on a considerable number of factors:

• make and technical characteristics of the car;
• insurance history, as well as the number of accidents of this vehicle;
• the type of insurance policy chosen by the car owner.

Over the past few years, the cost of car insurance has increased, although it is assumed that the amount of payments upon the occurrence of an insured event has become larger, which means that the assistance for the driver is more significant.

On account of salary

This is the first thing that comes to mind.
As a business owner, you can set yourself a salary in the amount necessary for the long-awaited purchase. It is enough just to prepare the appropriate reporting on the transfer of this amount, and then purchase a car at a car dealership. However, there are several financial issues to consider. The main one is taxes.

You don’t need to be a mathematician to make the calculations: 22% to the pension fund, 2.9% to the social insurance fund, 5.1% to compulsory health insurance. So that comes out to 30% of taxes on the amount of the car. Add to this personal income tax, which will be 13%, and you get 43% - almost half the cost of the car. And this is all excluding VAT! Quite unpleasant numbers.

Advantages:

• simplicity;
• no income tax;
• no tax on dividends.

Flaws:

• tax costs are almost half the cost of the car.

A number of advantages here are spoiled by one bold minus. The amount of taxes is huge to the point of indecent, so any entrepreneur will probably start looking for alternatives.

This option is beneficial in one and only case: if the accounting department does not want to bother itself with more complex calculations than paying salaries.

Fuel and lubricant costs

And now, finally, we have come to consider one of the most (and sometimes the most - for those who drive frequently) costly items for a motorist. The cost of fuel and lubricants can over time even exceed the cost of the vehicle itself, and within a month for the average driver it usually reaches several thousand rubles. The specific amount depends on the make of the car, displacement and other parameters of its engine, as well as on the technical condition of the car.

Car fuel costs

As a result of what specific factors can fuel costs exceed the car owner's expectations? Among them are:

• car consumption rates incorrectly indicated in the passport. Chinese and Korean manufacturers often “suffer” from such unreliability, underestimating consumption by at least a couple of tenths of a liter per 100 km;
• vehicle driving mode. When driving at the so-called cruising (that is, optimal for fuel consumption) speed, operating the car will be cheaper. With constant stopping, braking and acceleration (for example, to overtake), consumption will increase. Naturally, when driving around the city it is difficult to maintain constant speeds, but in suburban mode this opportunity is quite accessible to any driver;
• different times of the year. As a rule, 10–20% more fuel is consumed in winter than in summer;
• The life of the car is too short. A new, not yet run-in car may consume a little more fuel;
• Excessive service life of the vehicle. It is believed that a car more than 5 years old consumes 5–10% more fuel than a new one. For vehicles that have been in use for 8–10 years, such an increase may be 15%;
• operation of the air conditioner or split system. Warming and cooling the cabin leads to a 7–10 percent increase in fuel consumption;
• driving on uneven terrain. If you do not have an SUV (which already consumes enough fuel), the number of hills and potholes can significantly affect the consumption of gasoline, diesel fuel or gas;
• vehicle weight. It is for this reason that in Europe now subcompact and small cars are more in fashion than heavy and roomy ones. However, sometimes the prestige and size of a car are important for the reputation of its owners - but in this case little attention is paid to fuel costs.

It is worth noting among the factors influencing costs in terms of fuel consumption by a car, such parameters as aerodynamics (body shape and open or closed windows), driving in low gears, tire brand, vehicle load and even the presence of a roof rack.

Considering all these factors and the peculiarities of increasing fuel costs, you can try to keep them to a minimum. Thus, this rather significant cost item will become somewhat smaller, freeing up funds from your budget for more important needs.

Selecting cars from last year

Another fairly effective and popular way to save money on buying a new car today is to choose a model that is in stock at the dealer and that was produced last year. Essentially, this is a new car, in which the vehicle passport states that the car was manufactured a year earlier. Someone does not pay attention to this and rejoices at the opportunity to save about 15-20% on the purchase of a car, while other potential car owners still decide to refrain from purchasing such a vehicle.

You need to understand that in the future it is simply not possible to sell the car profitably. Even the fact that you have just left the dealer’s showroom and the car has been in use for just a few weeks, in fact, such a car will already be in its second year of use on the title. Accordingly, about 15-20% of its original price is immediately lost. If you plan to use the car for many years, then this fact does not affect its operation and subsequently practically does not reduce the cost of the car. But if you think that after 2-3 years you will sell the car and buy something else, then the drop in value will be quite significant.

Let's sum it up

Today, when buying a new car, we can save money, first of all, by haggling with the dealer, and also by studying the general offer on the market. Remember that you can also buy a car during promotions and sales by picking up a car that was abandoned by a previous buyer, making such a purchase at the end of the year, which will save up to 20% of the original cost. You just need to remember that it is extremely important to correctly decide on the equipment, as well as conduct a preliminary check of the car that you are buying, even new, at a dealer showroom.

24.01.2019

Car repair costs

Car repair

No matter how hard the vehicle owner tries to drive carefully and take care of his car, from time to time the car requires repairs and replacement of individual spare parts. The amounts that make up this expense item will be greater the older the car is, and over time may lead you to the conclusion that it is easier to change vehicles than to spend money on repairing it.

For new cars, part of the cost of their repair can be compensated by the services of official dealers of this brand, of course, if the car’s warranty period has not yet expired. As a rule, for most foreign models, cars break down during this period and do not require replacement of spare parts very often. The domestic auto industry often “pleases” its owners long before the warranty expires.

Getting into an accident, regardless of the age or make of the car, will require a significant investment. Although, if the manufacturing quality of the machine is at the proper level, damage will most likely appear on fewer of its elements. In any case, immediately after the car gets into such a situation, you should undergo a technical inspection. The only exception can be the case when the car is no longer running and is unlikely to serve as a vehicle.

To extend the service life of installed spare parts, it is advisable to use their original versions, and not cheap analogues. Savings in this case may turn out to be unprofitable. The same can be said about turning to unverified specialists in dubious services. Sometimes it is better to solve the problem yourself (using advice from the Internet) or with the help of more experienced friends than to hand over the car to specialists who promise to do everything much cheaper, but often do not have a high (or even average) quality of their work.

Trade-in system

We can talk endlessly about the trade-in system. Some car owners claim that this is an effective way to save money on buying a new car, while others are sure that it is more profitable to sell your old car yourself and buy a new car at the dealership. If you are sure that your car is in excellent technical condition, has demand in the market, and the trade-in dealership prices it significantly below the market, then it is more profitable to sell it yourself, and then contact the dealership for a new vehicle.

Still, such a system has a lot of advantages. First of all, it is convenience for car owners. There is no need to worry about how to sell an old car, especially if it has technical problems. Many dealers today offer a small discount on a new car if such a car is purchased through the trade-in system and at the same time give a good price for a used car that is accepted for subsequent sale. Therefore, if you are planning to first get rid of your old car and buy a new one at the dealership, then it would be a good idea to find out how much it will be valued at trade-in and whether they will give you a good discount on the new model.

Follow the car

Advice that we don’t need to mention again, but still. Timely maintenance guarantees reliable operation of the machine and reduces fuel costs, as well as the cost of unplanned repairs.

Change consumables in a timely manner and check the wheels

Particular attention should be paid to the air filter, the condition of which affects fuel consumption. Check your wheel alignment and maintain the correct tire pressure - both of these factors increase driving resistance and, with it, fuel consumption.

Insulate the engine

In winter, a lot of fuel is spent on warming up the engine, so it makes sense to take care of insulating it with a special blanket. This will speed up the heating of the engine and allow it to stay cool longer, which will have a positive effect on fuel consumption.

How to get deceived when buying a car. A Guide for the Thrifty (A. A. Gladky, 2009)

The most common buyer mistakes

Despite the fact that car buyers come from all walks of life in our society, most of them make the same mistakes when choosing and buying a car. We will analyze the most characteristic and typical such errors in this section.

Used car sellers go to great lengths to give them shine, shine and freshness! This includes repainting, polishing, and general cleaning of the interior with cleaning with special products and rubbing of plastic elements (dashboard, etc.). A special oil “for used cars for sale” is poured into the engine, which hides the noise in the engine, caps are placed on the wheels, tuning is done, etc.

The most common mistake of all buyers of used cars is that they make hasty conclusions and are subconsciously ready to buy a car that outwardly makes a favorable impression (Fig. 1.6). One important rule to remember is that all that glitters is not gold. Therefore, cars prepared for sale should be treated with a great deal of criticality.

Rice. 1.6. A well-maintained car always attracts attention

However, there is also a second side to the coin. If the car looks great, this can most likely indicate that the previous owner treated it well and constantly monitored the condition of the car.

A characteristic psychological feature of almost all sellers is that, when they come to a car market or a store, they have a positive attitude towards almost all the cars put up for sale. It seems to them that all these cars are worthy of buying them, and the only problem is to choose what they need from this abundance. At the same time, the person completely forgets that the car being sold may be listed as stolen, or it has problems with customs, or its numbers have been changed, and also that under the external beauty and brilliance there may be hidden the rot of an old, unkempt and “ killed" car.

Here is another typical mistake that is typical for beginners. Its essence lies in the fact that when choosing a car, a person is guided by completely different qualities that should be taken into account.

This is especially true for ladies. Often the question: “What kind of car do you want to buy?” followed by a discouraging answer: “White!” (options – red, green, “so that the color is like Vanya’s wife’s car”, etc.). Remember: you need to choose a car, first of all, based on what you need it for (for driving to the office, for trips to the country, etc.), as well as based on its current technical condition. Otherwise, it may happen that the white car you like with modern tuning and all the bells and whistles will stall before it even gets to your house.

There are often cases when a used car is equipped with such sophisticated stereo equipment, which in cost can be compared almost with the price of the car itself, which is often a decisive factor for the music lover buyer. It is recommended to realistically assess the situation and decide what you are going to pay money for: for a barrel organ or for a car. Even if you are a big music connoisseur, do not forget that you will always have time to purchase any audio equipment separately at a car market or in a store.

remember this

Car audio equipment is falling in price as quickly as the car itself (it’s no secret that every year any car gets cheaper).

Many inexperienced buyers are trying to save money: they think that having bought a car with modern “sophisticated” audio equipment, this equipment can be sold, purchasing something cheaper instead, and thus returning part of the money spent on the purchase of the car. This is a common misconception: if such an operation were really profitable, the seller would have thought of it himself long ago.

We should not forget that even the choice of model and brand of car should not be approached dogmatically. For example, you intend to purchase a 1998 Opel Astra with a station wagon body type: given that you have a summer house, and also guided by the amount of money on hand, you decided that such a purchase would be optimal. However, you didn’t find a suitable car of this brand in the car market: the body is not in the best condition, the engine is knocking, it’s expensive, etc. In such a situation, it is advisable to look at a car of other brands, but of a similar class and year of manufacture - for example, Ford Escort" of the same year of manufacture and also with a station wagon body type. These are cars of approximately the same class and are in the same price niche. In terms of operational properties, such cars are also, in general, the same.

For many motorists, the key criterion is the presence of air conditioning in the car. Of course, this is very convenient when driving in hot weather (and the air conditioner also does an excellent job of fogging up the windows). But despite all its advantages, the presence of an air conditioner is not a decisive factor when choosing a car. The exception is cases when the car is supposed to transport people suffering from cardiovascular diseases (for them, driving in the heat turns into real torture), as well as passengers who get motion sickness in the car.

Also, many future car owners attach too much importance to the presence of a full power package, and cars that do not have it are simply not considered. Needless to say, this is a completely unreasonable approach! After all, if you are not disabled and your arms and legs are in place, you can easily open a window or adjust a mirror manually.

remember this

Air conditioning, electrical accessories, audio equipment and other “bells and whistles” are just additions to the car, and nothing more.

One of the typical mistakes made by car buyers is purchasing a car not in accordance with their needs, but according to the principle “I want a car like my neighbor’s (friend, brother, matchmaker, etc.).” To tell the truth, it’s even surprising how adults can make a responsible decision, which undoubtedly is the choice of a car, based on a simple “kindergarten” whim: “I want the same as someone else.”

As a result, this may lead to the fact that the purchased machine in no way meets the requirements for it. For example, a young man, not burdened with a family, buys himself a minivan - the same as his neighbor with many children. After some time, the unlucky owner of the car realizes that he did not buy what he needed: the car consumes a lot of fuel, it is too large and not maneuverable enough, there is no one to carry in its large interior, and there is nothing in the trunk. After some time, this person comes to a logical conclusion: he did not need to buy a minivan, but a small three-door sedan or hatchback, i.e., a model that is specifically designed for such consumers.

There are also directly opposite situations. For example, a respectable middle-aged man, burdened with a large family and having a summer cottage, buys some kind of three-door compact car - the same as his neighbor, who drives this car to the supermarket. The reason for the choice is only that “this machine is so cute and maneuverable!” And then problems and misunderstandings begin: a large family can hardly fit into a small car, trips to and from the dacha turn into torture, since it is impossible to fit everything they need into a small car (especially in the fall, when summer residents load their cars with sacks of potatoes and other crops).

If you are the happy owner of a summer cottage, and your family consists of several people, then you need a car that is not just roomy, but also necessarily with high ground clearance. This is primarily due to the fact that Russian country roads (and many city roads) are characterized by bumpiness, a large number of potholes, and other similar defects. For access to many dacha cooperatives, dirt roads are used, and in the cooperatives themselves there are rather not roads, but “car paths”, and also very bumpy ones. Therefore, on cars with low ground clearance used for country trips, the lower part of the body often deteriorates. By the way, do not forget that a summer resident’s car is almost always loaded to capacity, which is why it sags further, which further reduces the already small ground clearance.

By the way, for most summer residents the optimal car is with a station wagon body type (Fig. 1.7) and with five doors. In such cars, the trunk is combined with the passenger compartment, and the fifth door is located at the rear and is intended for loading/unloading transported goods.

Rice. 1.7. “Station wagon” is the favorite body type among summer residents

The back seat in such cars can be folded so that it becomes like an extension of the trunk; the result is a fairly spacious space in which you can even transport some large cargo (for example, a refrigerator). Also, many summer residents like minivans, but cars with this type of body are intended primarily for those who like to travel by car.

Some of our compatriots, in pursuit of fashion (or having watched enough of modern films and commercials), buy cars with an open body type - convertibles (Fig. 1.8). Let us note that such machines do have many advantages, but in the overwhelming majority they are completely unsuitable for operation in Russian conditions.

Rice. 1.8. A convertible is stylish, but in Russian conditions it is impractical and inconvenient

It's no secret that these machines are designed for operation in the warm season. However, on Russian roads (especially dirt roads), everything in these cars becomes covered in dust (including passengers), and when driving on a wet road (for example, after rain), everyone in the car may well be doused with dirty water from a road puddle by a passing dump truck. And in the conditions of the Russian winter, a “convertible” is completely unacceptable: the folding fabric (or any other material) roof of the car does not retain heat at all (which is quite natural), so it is very cold in the car.

You shouldn’t chase the now fashionable jeeps and SUVs just because these cars are prestigious and representative, and “real cool” people drive them. If, for example, an excellent asphalt road leads to your dacha (which is actually very rare for Russia), and you don’t go anywhere by car except to the dacha, think carefully about whether you really need such a car or whether it would be more advisable to buy a regular one.” sedan". Jeeps and SUVs consume a lot of fuel, they are expensive to maintain and repair, and it is possible that if you buy such a car without special need, you will soon be disappointed with your purchase.

Many buyers (especially inexperienced motorists), when intending to buy a car, completely forget that every car needs maintenance or repairs from time to time. And the price of spare parts and the cost of repair work for cars of different brands can vary greatly. By the way, this fact is often directly reflected in the price of the car: a car, the maintenance and repair of which is associated with high costs, can cost less than a car of the same class that requires less money for its maintenance.

Advice

If you have purchased a used car, you should not go on a long trip with it immediately after purchase: after all, at the moment you have no confidence in its reliability. Check the car within your locality for some time, and also do the necessary maintenance (changing oil, filters, general inspection of the condition of the car, etc.).

It is recommended that before purchasing a used car, you take into account the upcoming costs of repairing it. Otherwise, a situation cannot be ruled out when you will not be able to use the purchased car: it will need to be repaired, but you will not have the money for this. Experienced motorists recommend buying a used car at such a price that after the purchase you will have on hand an amount equal to approximately 10–15% of the cost of the car. In other words, if you purchased a car for $8,000, then you should have at least $800-$1,000 left in stock.

Another characteristic mistake of many Russians (as a rule, this concerns wealthy people who are accustomed to not counting money) is the insatiable desire to purchase a car of an exclusive brand, which is practically not found anywhere else. In all likelihood, in this way they want to flaunt their uniqueness. However, almost the next day after the purchase it becomes clear that such uniqueness is associated with a huge number of unnecessary and completely unnecessary worries and problems.

As we noted earlier, every car breaks down at some point, therefore, it has to be serviced and repaired. Please note: finding spare parts, components and consumables for a rare car is very, very difficult. They probably won’t be on the car market, and in all likelihood, they won’t be in the store either, so you will be forced to order them abroad (many stores and car dealerships offer this service). In the end, a part that is freely available for an average car of the same class and is relatively cheap will turn out to be truly “golden” for you.

In addition to problems with spare parts, you will have to think about where to repair and service this rare “iron horse”. If your city has a branded service center that services such cars, then everything is more or less normal: professionals will take care of your exclusive car. Of course, this will cost a lot of money, but, as they say, “what they fought for, that’s what they ran into.” Everything will be much more complicated if there is no such center in your locality and its surroundings, and your rare car will have to be given to “Uncle Vasya from the garage”: if such specialists handle ordinary cars, in general, quite well, then a rare and exclusive car Due to the lack of necessary skills, they can seriously spoil things.

And further. It is known that many foreign-made cars are very capricious in terms of fuel quality, and they really do not like Russian fuel. So: this applies doubly to rare and exclusive cars.

One of the most well-known mistakes is that a person very much expects to buy a high-quality good car for a low price. In principle, the desire is understandable and understandable, but keep in mind: there is only free cheese in a mousetrap, and it is almost impossible to buy a reliable and durable car on the cheap. In other words, when planning to purchase a car, match your financial capabilities with the requirements for it.

A common situation is when a person wants to buy a car of a well-known and prestigious brand for modest money. At the same time, he thinks something like this: even if the technical condition of the car is not the best, the main thing is that it is a Porsche (Lexus, Mercedes, etc.). It’s hard to even imagine a more unreasonable approach, since if you are guided by such considerations, you can purchase a frankly broken and “killed” car, in which only the brand name will remain of prestige.

It's no secret that the cost of a specific model and brand of car almost always lies in a certain range. The same Mercedes W124/280E can cost from 6 to 12 thousand US dollars. This price “fork” is the cause of another well-known mistake: a person wants to purchase a car at a price as close as possible to the lower price limit. Such savings can be understood purely as a human being, but know: the cheapest ones are either cars in poor technical condition, or those with a bad history (listed as stolen, not cleared through customs, or cleared through customs in violation of the law, etc.). But if you buy a car at a price at least above the average for cars of this make and model, you have every reason to expect that this car will be in very good condition and will not require any serious cash injections in the near future.

Another common “financial” mistake is that a person buys a car with his last money. At the same time, he reasons something like this: they say, I’ll ride for the first time and maybe nothing will break, and then I’ll save up some money, and if necessary, I’ll make repairs.

Advice

Never buy a car with your last money!

We have already said earlier that the purchase of a car must be planned in such a way that after that you have a relatively small amount of money left (at least within 10-15% of the cost of the car). There are several reasons for this.

No driver is immune from troubles - for example, from getting into an accident. Despite the fact that, in accordance with current legislation, civil liability insurance (MTPL) is mandatory, you will need a certain amount of money in any case.

Here is the most typical example: you are the culprit of a relatively minor accident (no injuries, the cars are slightly scratched, maybe a broken headlight, in general - nothing serious). You really don’t want to call the traffic police, and you suggest that the other participant in the accident “resolve the issue on the spot.” This is where you may urgently need money: it is no secret that in many cases an agreement can only be reached if you pay a certain amount of money to the other participant in the accident.

And further. After a car accident, you probably want to get your car repaired as quickly as possible. For this, you will also need the money left after buying a car: after all, if you are the culprit of the accident, the insurance company will not pay you anything, and if you are innocent, in any case, the payment will not occur immediately, but after a certain time.

Ditches and ditches

All roads outside populated areas are equipped with a drainage system in the form of ditches and ditches. The drainage system very often becomes clogged and overgrown with bushes. All these ditches and ditches need to be cleaned several times a year. In this case, the bushes are cut off, and the slopes of the road elevations are sown with grasses for strengthening. If the drainage ditches are heavily silted, they are cleared using backhoe loaders. Caring for drainage systems is a rather expensive process, because it requires the efforts of a large number of people and special equipment.