Maintain Your Vehicle

We all know that maintaining a vehicle can be costly, but what's even worse is paying extra money when you could have dealt with a problem earlier. When you get new tires put on, there are several areas that your mechanic can easily get to while your car is on the lift with the tires off.

If you're having problems with your CV joints, tie rods, brakes or any suspension issues, now might be a good time to have some of those problems taken care of. Your auto shop will do an alignment on your vehicle when you get new tires put on, but if you have bad shocks or other suspension problems, it could cause your new tires to wear out a lot faster than they should [source: Fogelson]. Before you know it you could be laying down more money for new tires that could be avoided if you had your suspension problems taken care of originally.

If your shocks, struts and the alignment are all good to go, having your brakes changed before the tires are put on could save you some money. Many shops will charge a flat fee just for looking at your vehicle, but if you get multiple things fixed on the car at the same time, you're only charged once. So if you know your brakes are bad, or that CV joint is clicking loudly when you turn, consider having the work done while you're getting the tires put on. You'll eliminate future problems and you'll save a few dollars in the long run.

Have a trusted mechanic or friend inspect the car to determine what you may need to have fixed. If you can eliminate a suspension problem, you'll help your tires last longer and keep yourself safer on the road at the same time.