Canva Owning a vehicle comes with a whole host of costs—from insurance and maintenance to parking and tolls. And if the past year has proven anything, it’s that another cost associated with vehicle use—namely fuel—can fluctuate wildly, putting further strain on your bank account for an already costly necessity. CoPilot looked into the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Surveys to see how much Americans spend on fuel for their vehicles and used sources from insurance companies, transportation fleet managers, and government agencies to determine some ways to lower that expenditure.

Photo Credit: ddisq / Shutterstock The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a huge shift in people’s daily lives, including their commutes. Suddenly, millions of people who used to commute to an office were working from home. While many companies are now requiring that their employees return to the office, there has been a lasting impact on daily commutes. Overall, commute times are less than before the pandemic, but bad traffic in some cities can cause commuters to lose days’ worth of time annually.

Source: Pixabay Despite many vehicle retailers pushing the idea of an all-online buying process, there’s no substitute for getting behind the wheel of a car that’s being considered. Test drives allow prospective buyers to better understand how a vehicle handles while evaluating features and functionality. The CarMax 24-hour Test Drive expands on this traditional dealer experience. While some individual retailers have offered extended test drives on a case-by-case basis, CarMax’s program formalized the approach at all 240 nationwide locations.

Source: Pixabay Purchasing a car is a big commitment and a significant financial investment. A car is never considered an impulse buy unless you’re rolling in cash. According to a 2021 Statista research, new car buyers in America spend around 5 hours and 22 minutes researching their prospective vehicles. While it’s lower than the previous years, it’s still a considerable time spent on research. However, learning what a car, truck, or SUV has to offer is just the tip of the purchasing decision.

Source: Pixabay Getting into a particularly severe accident is a traumatic experience for any car owner. With that said, numerous car accident myths were going around and passed off as facts. One of the most notable ones is airbag deployment. Many folks believe or likely have been told that the vehicle is considered a total loss if the airbags deploy. So if the airbags deploy, is the car totaled?

Source: Pixabay Investing in a vehicle is a critical choice for many people. Cars aren’t cheap. If you’re interested in buying a vehicle, there is more to consider than the price tag. Fees, insurance, and sales tax are a few additional considerations. Sales tax differs in every state. If you live in Missouri, you might wonder - what is the Missouri car sales tax? If you’re interested in learning more about the Missouri car sales tax, you’ve come to the right place.

Photo by Nima Sarram on Unsplash Regardless of the sticker price, purchasing a car is a costly endeavor. Average vehicle costs continue to grow across the country, and several states have increasingly expensive costs, such as sales tax and additional vehicle fees. Regardless of how good of a negotiator you think you are, all states can differ on the price, availability, and taxes involved in a vehicle purchase. There are details below for each, but in general, the cheapest states to buy used cars are:

Source: Pixabay Technologies like anti-lock brakes and regular crash testing have brought vehicle safety far forward compared to previous decades. But, despite all these advances, accidents still happen, and people die as a result. It’s a sobering fact that every car shopper should consider when looking for a new ride. With this in mind, let’s explore the most dangerous cars. It’s an effort that starts with looking at what vehicles are the most involved in fatal crashes.

Source: Pixabay There’s a feeling that we all get when we get our cars washed. It increases our confidence and helps to maintain the interior and exterior conditions of our vehicles. For better results, experts encourage car owners to go for a more professional approach. In this case, car detailing is always the go-to option. Washing it at home doesn’t even come close. Car detailing professionals will help you remove dirt, debris, and stains in the farthest of corners, and they have access to premium pro-level products and treatments to prolong the life of your vehicle.

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash The best car detail shops in Houston are businesses that pride themselves on their work. They work every day to improve their craft and detail vehicles until there isn’t a single particle of dirt or debris. However, finding such detail shops isn’t easy, so we did the work for you! 1. Best Overall: Fresh Start Mobile Detailing Fresh Start Mobile Detailing is one of the best car detail shops in Houston because they love what they do, and they do it with pride.