The Best $100 You Can Spend on Your Car in the New Year
Millions of people made New Year’s resolutions this year, many of which are already starting to fizzle — but how many of them resolved to give a little extra care to one of their most valuable possessions in 2025?
This year, it pays to put money into your vehicle if doing so could pay you back in the years to come. If you have even an extra $100 to invest in TLC for your ride, that C-note could pay much larger dividends later down the line. Here are some of the best ways to spend $100 on your car — but as the first entry proves, what you don’t spend that money on can be just as important.
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Skip the Oil Change
The best move you can make for your car with $100 is not to throw it away based on automotive mythology.
According to Edmunds, Americans waste millions of dollars and create millions of gallons of contaminated waste oil every year by adhering to the outdated yet stubbornly persistent standard of the 3,000- to 5,000-mile oil change — and that’s not an accident.
Dramatic advancements in modern motor oil — particularly the more expensive synthetics that most newer models use — have increased the required interval between changes by thousands of miles. However, quick lube shops and dealership service departments continue to preach the 3,000- to 5,000-mile schedule for obvious reasons: to get you and your credit card into the shop as often as possible.
Many newer vehicles can go 7,500 miles, 10,000 miles or even 15,000 miles between changes. However, that information is buried in your owner’s manual, which service shops know busy drivers seldom consult, particularly if they slap a convenient reminder sticker at eye level on the driver’s side windshield that says otherwise.
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Good Quality Synthetic Oil
The Edmunds article that pilloried the 3,000-mile oil change myth profiled Mobil 1 Extended Performance as an example of how far modern motor oil has come.
It’s guaranteed for an eye-popping 20,000 miles between oil changes — four to nearly seven times what your service station would have you believe is necessary. There’s even a high-mileage formula that makes the same guarantee for vehicles with more than 75,000 miles on the odometer.
Even if you have an older model vehicle or one of the increasingly rare new ones that take conventional oil, it’s safe to make the switch to synthetic. Most options in the Extended Performance lineup are easy to find for around $40 per quart, which is more expensive than lesser oils but a whole lot cheaper than five or six unnecessary oil changes.
A Car Cover
If you park your car outside, the Chase Auto division of Chase Bank advises that a car cover is one of the best investments you can make in terms of dollars spent vs. long-term value retained.
The elements — rain, snow, ice, hail, wind-driven debris, etc. — degrade your exterior. The sun’s UV rays attack not just the outside, but can dull, crack and warp vinyl, leather and other interior materials. Even corrosive elements like bird droppings and sap can compromise your paint and cause cosmetic damage that can lower your resale value.
A high-quality, weather-resistant car cover can eliminate all of that and, according to Chase, even deter car thieves. Highly rated options are available on Amazon or at your local auto parts store for between $50 and $100.
A Car Wash Kit
According to Consumer Reports, washing your car has benefits beyond just the pride of a fine-looking ride. Like a car cover, frequent car washes can keep dirt and debris from degrading your paint and prevent damaging rust or even cosmetic blemishing that can lower your car’s resale value through diminished aesthetic appeal.
According to Four Seasons Mobile Detailing, the average basic car wash costs between $10 and $50, while full-service detailing can run well into the three figures.
Presuming two basic car washes per month at an average of $30 each, that’s $720 per year. For those with the space and water access to DIY, Amazon lists highly-rated car wash kits for inside of $50 that can let you pamper your baby for pennies on the dollar.
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