10 ways the web can cut your motoring costs

From buying or selling cars, insuring them, repairing them and driving them, there are now online services that can help you keep a tight grip on the escalating costs of car ownership. Here are 10 ways to cut the amount of money you spend on your car.

1. Get the low-down on petrol prices
It’s easy to keep an eye on prices by registering at Petrol Prices. You can search fuel prices for anywhere in the UK and get optional email price alerts for up to three locations. The price differences aren’t usually huge but if you do a lot of motoring, even a few pence a litre can add up to a healthy saving over a year.

2. Learn to drive in the most fuel-efficient way
An even better way to save on fuel is to drive more efficiently and here the web can help you with lots of advice on how to get the best mileage out of your car. The RAC’s list of 10 fuel-saving tips is a good start, and Auto Trader has a entire section devoted to cost-saving driving tips.

3. Save money on servicing in warranty
As a result of pressure from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), since 2004 manufacturers do not offer free tied-in servicing deals with new-car warranties - you can now have it serviced wherever you wish, without affecting the warranty, That’s great news as independent garages and chains are often much cheaper than franchised dealers. Kwik Fit, Servicing Stop and Nationwide Autocentre are national chains that offer flat-rate servicing deals.