Maintaining your car can be an important part of your everyday life, and there are a number of ways to make it cost effective.

The car leasing company LeaseCar.uk has come up with some top tips to help keep the running costs of your vehicle down to help save the pennies.

These range from fuel maintenance, engine care and preparing for your car's MOT.

A spokesman for LeaseCar.uk said: “Many people across the UK are reliant on having a car to be able to commute, shop and socialise and to have a ready form of transport available at home is vital for them.

“But the running costs can mount up, and at a time when every penny counts, we have decided to prepare a guide to top tips which can help you keep your car on the road and save money as well. This is important as there are so many other pressures on people’s income.”

News and Star: Giving you car a service around the same time as its MOT is an effective tip (Canva)Giving you car a service around the same time as its MOT is an effective tip (Canva)

What are the seven tips to help keep vehicle maintenance costs down?

Shop around for your MOT 

Consider contacting numerous garages for quotes on how much it will cost to have an MOT carried out. You might be able to save money or hook in extra deals where a garage offers further maintenance checks at a discounted rate.

Prepare in advance of your vehicle’s MOT

There is nothing to stop motorists from doing their own ‘pre-MOT’ tests, in fact, it can actually be a very sensible decision.

By taking an active interest in key areas the MOT will explore, in advance of your vehicle going into the garage, you can pinpoint and address some issues yourself.

You might identify light bulbs that are faulty or other issues that you can fix before you take your car in. This will also lessen the chance of your vehicle failing its MOT.

The importance of a service

A good rule is to book your car in for a service as well as an MOT at the same time.

At first glance, this may seem counterproductive as you will be paying for more than just the MOT, but in terms of the long term health of your vehicle, it can be extremely helpful to have a service done at the same time.

Annual checks of oil, water and antifreeze are just some of the things undertaken as part of a service, keeping your vehicle shipshape for the next twelve months and less prone to a costly breakdown in the near future.

News and Star: Making note of where to get your petrol is another tip (PA)Making note of where to get your petrol is another tip (PA)

Act on advice given

Sometimes MOTs come with advisory notes on things that won’t fail a test, but that the mechanic has noticed requires repairing at a time to suit you.

Don’t put off or ignore an advisory about a rusting bracket, for example. Invest in getting the repair done before it gets worse over the coming months as you may well end up having to pay more in the long run if left to get worse.

Engine care

In terms of running your vehicle, it pays to invest in good quality oil to ensure your engine gets the most effective lubrication and protection and help reduce wear and tear.

Fuel factor

Consider investing in a mobile phone app that lets you know about differences in prices for petrol at service stations in your locality.

One garage might be a few miles further to travel, but worth it if the weekly tank fill-up works out cheaper than opting for a fuel station closer to home.

Drive economically

Driving at a speed of 50mph is said to help conserve fuel, but on busy roads, this is not always possible.

However, motorists can consider techniques that will put less strain on the engine, such as changing gear early, and careful use of the car’s throttle, as this, will help save fuel in the long run.