If you own a four wheel drive and don't already know that it costs more than a 2wd car, you do now! Four wheel drives typically cost more to maintain because they have more to look after.
However, if you want to save some money maintaining your four wheel drive, you can easily do a few things.
The first, and most obvious thing is the minor services on your car.
On most four wheel drives, servicing is done as a minor service at 10,000km, then a major at 20,000km and a minor again at 30,000km, with the 40,000km service being a major again.
A lot of people opt to do the minor service themselves, and to take the vehicle to the mechanic for the major service.
Please check the correct servicing intervals for your vehicle! In many cases, a minor service is as simple as checking everything works, changing the engine oil and filter.
This can be done in under an hour and a half if you have never done it before, and around 45 minutes if you already know what to do.
To change the engine oil, simply undo the sump bung and allow the oil to drain out into a catch can.
Undo the filter and tip the oil out into the catch can.
Once all of the oil has drained out of the sump, put a small amount of gasket sealer on the sump plug and screw it back up..
Fit a new filter (smear a bit of oil around the seal at the top) and tighten it up with your hand.
Fill the engine oil back up to the correct level (you should know how much oil the vehicle takes) and check it on the dipstick.
Be aware that the level of oil will drop once the filter takes a bit of it, and the oil needs to circulate properly before you know what level it is at.
By running the vehicle for a few minutes the oil will circulate and drop to the right level.
Four wheel drives make servicing easy as they are tall enough to sit under.
Even if you have to purchase a few tools at the start, by doing the minor services on your vehicle you no longer have to take it to the mechanics as often, and you can save in between $100 and $200 per service.
The cost of oil and a filter is usually no more than $50, and you can purchase it at many four wheel drive and car shops.