When purchasing a new vehicle, the typical costs factored into the finances required to cover the monthly costs include the car loan payment, insurance and gasoline.  More often than not, the owner of a new car relies heavily on the bumper-to-bumper new car factory warranty to take care of any problems that arise on the vehicle, and neglects to execute a proper regime of preventative maintenance which will not only prolong the life of the car, but also prevent certain costly maintenance problems from arising after the factory warranty has expired. 

An excellent example of preventative maintenance that does not show its worth until after the factory warranty expires, is the routine oil change.  Most drivers are aware that the oil should be changed every 3,000 miles or every 3 months to protect the interior components of the engine.  Slacking on this practice will cause corrosive materials in the oil to settle into the inside of the engine and cause friction where there should be fluid motion of engine components.  Regular oil changes will dramatically reduce the incidence of major problems with bearings, rings, cam and valves on vehicles that have under 100,000 miles on the engine.  Unfortunately, the knowledge of the regular oil change is so common, that it is easy to “let it go” when sticking to the schedule is so vital to the longevity of the vehicle.

Making sure to check and change the oil filter, air filter and fuel filter during each oil chance is an very inexpensive way to help ensure many thousands of trouble-free engine miles.  The air filter and the fuel filter are usually easy to access and replace and will be much less expensive if changed by the owner on a regular basis, rather than having them replaced by the oil change technician.
Having the transmission serviced every 30,000 miles is a $50 to $60 maintenance item during which the transmission fluid will be flushed and replaced, the pan will be cleaned and the pan gasket replaced to prevent excessive and premature wear of the shifting mechanisms due to oxidation of the transmission fluid. 

Servicing the brakes through inspection and replacement of worn brake pad, shoes and accessory components, in addition to preserving safe driving conditions, will also prevent accessory damage to the rotors and drums. 
Finally, regular tire rotation, while not necessarily preventing breakdown of adjacent or secondary components of the vehicle, is valuable in it’s monetary benefit by substantially extending the life of the tires and increasing fuel efficiency.

When researching the expenses of the purchase of a new car, checking on current prices for the above mentioned items, and working them into the purchase budget will go far in extending the life of the vehicle and preventing costly repairs that wind up going on a credit card.