Knowing when to sell your car and buy a new one can be a bit of a gamble. If you really do intend to run your car to death, you risk winding up in a situation where you need to buy a car - today - without much time to research models or financing options. On the other hand, trading off every three years can waste thousands of dollars.

Keeping Things in Tip Top Shape

More than anything, this decision rests on the condition of your car which can be greatly improved by regular maintenance. But who has time (or available space in your brain) to remember things like oil changes?

For people who aren’t auto-minded, the lube center sticker in the corner of the window can be an engine saver. Every 3,000 ... every 7,000 ... depending on the conditions you drive in ... depending on the oil you’re using. Car maintenance is full of variables. You can go through your owner’s manual and write yourself reminders on the calendar. You can also hook up with an online service that keeps track for you, sending you emails or even texts over your cell phone.

Mashable.com has a list of 18 online car maintenance and repair tracking services here.

Fall Within the Warranty

Warranties can be tough to figure out, but - in a very general sense - they help you pay for unexpected maintenance or repairs. If your transmission goes out on that ten year old car, the expense to fix might be more than the car is worth. Having a warranty in place will help you keep your auto longer, and get more from your original investment. It makes sense then that when you no longer qualify for extended warranties, you should move on.

But you thought extended warranties were unnecessary? Only in the showroom. New cars come with warranties in place. Once your car is outside the factory warranty, consider working with the dealership or a third-party to put more protection on your car.

Buy a Car That Keeps its Value

If your eye gets captured by every cute car driving by, make sure you take time to research them first online. Certain cars keep their value longer than others. So do certain colors. Paint trends, like burnt orange, don’t often hold their favor.

Know When to Hold ‘Em, Know When to Fold ‘Em

The answer of “when” isn’t the same for every driver, not even drivers with the same kind of car (and same kind of problems). If you’re paying thousands of dollars for something, you should have it the way you want. That might mean trading in when your car is just a few years old. Financially, you get more out of your car the longer you own it but there’s more to life than finances. Keeping your car in good condition, minimizing your upkeep with a good warranty and buying models that hold their value can help you get more out of your purchase no matter how long you keep it.

Source: Mashable.com
[Image: Creative Commons ]

This isn’t a guide on how to maneuver car loans, or shady salesmen. If you want to learn more about the ins and outs of buying a car, Edmunds.com has an excellent resource already on the web, Confessions of a Car Salesman.

No, we’re here to tell you about a few accessories you might as well buy after your new car is home (or on order) that could save hundreds or thousands of dollars.

But how will I get them installed?

This is a question many people ask the first time they consider buying a 3rd party product. Call around to body shops. Chances are the dealership will charge you out the nose for installing accessories, name brand or not, and it doesn’t cost you anything to call around and check.

The Three Best 3rd Party Accessories for Money and Quality

1. GPS Navigation Systems - When we first started looking into this it was ridiculous the difference in price and quality between the navigation systems on the market and those available through factory options.

In order to get a factory-installed system, you may have to go up a model from the car you were initially interested in. Bundled with other options, you could wind up spending thousands, when a few hundred would buy a name brand system with better features.

Most importantly, if you buy a third party product, you can replace and update your navigation as new technology becomes available. That’s not always so easy to do when it’s built into the car.

2. Floor and Cargo Mats - This is one of the simplest ways to save in buying a new car. When faced with factory options, you may be asked to pay upwards of $100 for a pair of regular mats, and another charge of “all weather” mats. Then there’s the cargo or trunk liner. Craziness.

A set of heavy duty (we’re talking construction site) all-weather floor mats can run under $50 when purchased through a supply store or on the Internet. This four-piece set of carpet mats costs under $15 at JC Whitney.

If having the label is important to you, factory mats are very often available online for less, as well.

3. Anti-theft Protection - In an earlier post, we covered different methods of protecting your car from being stolen. The worst? Obnoxious bleeping alarms. More often than not, they go ignored, and more often than not, these are the alarms automakers put in your cars. Skip the expense, and save that money for an anti-theft device that works.

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