9 things you're probably wrong about when it comes to your car, from maintenance to pricing

A lot of car buyers think that if they walk into a dealership at the end of the month, they're likely to get a better deal than they might have gotten a week or two earlier. They assume a dealer will want to get rid of as much inventory as possible to cap off that month's sales.

That might have been somewhat true once upon a time, but not all aspects of car buying are going back to normal post-COVID, and that includes finding those types of deals.

What is probably more fruitful to watch as an indicator of a good deal, instead, is automaker and dealer inventory. The more cars sitting on dealership lots, the more likely they may be willing to work with you.

For similar reasons, many car shoppers think the very best car-buying deals come at the end of the calendar year. But again, with how car buying has changed so much since the pandemic, that's not necessarily the case. 

We know that dealers aren't necessarily bringing back those holiday blowout sales like they used to. Part of that is because dealers know they don't need to anymore. 

Consumer behavior over the past few years taught automakers and their dealers that customers are actually willing to wait longer and pay more for the vehicles they really want. That's shifting a bit as macroeconomic uncertainties weigh on consumers, but for the most part, there isn't much incentivizing the industry to reintroduce those major holiday sales.

The answer is somewhat simple: Not necessarily. 

New and used vehicle prices have dropped significantly from their pandemic-driven highs in 2021 and 2022. 

According to Kelley Blue Book, since peaking in December 2022, the average transaction price (ATP) for a new car has dropped 5.4% to $47,218 in March 2024.

In addition, incentive spending on the park of automakers increased dramatically over the past year. The average incentive spend from carmakers totaled $3,121 in March, up 102% over the same time in 2023. 

As incentives increase and average transaction prices fall, you may find a cheaper car, but that doesn't mean you'll get an affordable car. According to KBB, of the 275 new car models on sale in the US this March, only eight frequently sell for less than $25,000, down from more than 20 models just three years ago. 

There's a yes and no to this one. 

Electric vehicles generally need less service. We put together a guide on the key differences between an EV and a gas-powered one. 

This includes no oil changes and other common gas-drivetrain maintenance. But it might include something like more frequent tire replacements, and there's always the battery to think about.

The cost, and potentially even wait times, associated with servicing and repairing an EV could be greater than that with an internal combustion engine vehicle. The repairing aspect is especially key.

One Kelley Blue Book analysis estimates EVs have maintenance costs of $4,246 over 5 years of ownership, lower than the $4,583 estimate for gas-powered cars. At the same time, EVs have $1,712 in repair costs over that period, higher than drivers looking at $1,695 in repair costs for gas-powered vehicles.

So it depends how you look at it: Overall, less maintenance — but if you do get in a fender-bender, it's likely going to cost you.

Drivers might assume that filling their gas-powered vehicle up with premium could boost their car's acceleration or fuel economy. That's really not the case, according to Cars.com.

Experts suggest that, if you fill up a car that calls for regular gasoline with premium, the opposite impact might occur. 

Certain vehicles call for higher-octane fuel because, when used in the appropriate engine, it results in more power and better overall performance. 

But a vehicle that calls for lower-octane fuel operates as it should when fed that fuel. 

In return, a vehicle that does call for premium gas should be given premium. Otherwise, there's a risk of damaging the engine over time. 

Skipping your annual tire rotation is not a good idea. 

Rotating your tires is important for optimal wear performance and overall maintenance, according to tire supplier Bridgestone.

With optimal vehicle alignment, tires still need to be rotated to counteract uneven wear patterns and maintain an even tread wear. This can help improve traction and fuel efficiency and save gas mileage, and ultimately aids the lifespan of your tires, according to Firestone. 

It depends on the type of vehicle and tires, but ideally, a replacement is done roughly every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, and many drivers do it at the time of their oil change. It also depends on whether you have front, rear, all, or four-wheel drive for which pattern of rotation you should do, whether front to back or side to side. The Tire and Rim Association offers specific guidelines on these patterns. 

It's also a safety factor: Rotating your tires reduces the risk of failures or blowouts.

Drivers might not want to spend money on what they perceive as an added expense by having two sets of tires — an all-season set and a winter set — but having a winter set of tires, if you live in certain environments, could have a lot of benefits. 

Winter tires are specifically designed to have tread patterns that can more easily navigate and have better traction on ice and in snow. But they're also not just for inclement winter weather; Road & Track suggests that winter tires are advantageous in cold environments even without wet or icy roads because of the way the rubber interacts within lower temperature ranges. Drivers specifically do not want to drive on winter tires throughout the year because their tread could wear more in warmer weather, reducing their lifespan.

An all-season tire can compromise a bit and handle both worlds. But where an all-season tire might not provide enough of the right grip to drive in the cold, but they could be more optimal for dry, warm temperatures. 

Having two sets of tires doesn't necessarily mean a second investment, it just means each wears half as fast.

It's a controversial one, but perhaps not everyone needs to drive a pickup or an SUV. 

SUVs, especially, and pickups, too, dominate US roads. But many experts would argue that a number of those vehicle owners don't use those cars to their full extent.

There are plenty of people across the country who do drive pickup trucks and use them for hauling, towing, and more. Those vehicles have a distinct purpose for certain lifestyles, careers, and needs. The same can be said for SUVs — whether a driver has a big family, needs to haul a lot on the weekends, or even finds that vehicle to be more accessible, those personal vehicle requirements are valid, and it's important to have affordable options that accommodate everyone and all uses. 

Others might be able to assess whether they do need that large vehicle. Sedans have largely gone by the wayside, and now cars are just getting bigger (and arguably less safe). Many Americans tend to buy their vehicles for a once-a-year situation — that one road trip or that one move — rather than for their needs a majority of the time, but there may be smaller, and more efficient, options.

It's no surprise that internal combustion engine vehicles account for a lot of CO2 emissions — about 10% of them globally in 2022, according to the International Energy Agency. The agency notes fuel economy has increased from engine, powertrain, and vehicle tech improvements, but more efforts are necessary to meet broader decarbonization targets worldwide. 

Part of that has to do with the above — big vehicles are getting bigger and more popular. Heavier, less efficient SUV sales have skyrocketed across the globe while EVs only account for a small percent of the total fleet. A long-term trend on increasing power has also slowed progress, per the IEA. Just because you're buying a more efficient vehicle, doesn't necessarily mean it contributes to broader progress.