For most people, a car is the second most expensive asset they will buy, after a house. Cars are also the second most expensive thing people have to maintain, after their home.

Saving money on your car can be a huge boost to your wallet. These 10 tips are great ways to save money on your car. And they go way beyond finding the cheapest gas station to fill your car up. Follow these 10 easy tips to help you save money on your car expenses and stop wasting money on your car.

1. Don't buy premium gas: Premium gas is not cheap—it's called premium for a reason. Most cars do not need premium gas - in fact, most car manufacturers recommend regular gas, which is usually the cheapest.

Check with your car manufacturer to see which gasoline is recommended for your car. Chances are that unless you own a sports car, regular gasoline is recommended. Do your wallet and your car a favor and stop buying premium gas.

2. Changing your oil too often: Ever heard the saying that “If you're a hammer, all the world is a nail?” It means that people tend to see their specialty as a solution to everything. That is very true in the world of oil change shops, who tout oil changes a preventative measure to all kinds of car maintenance ills.

That's true to some extent—your car does need its oil changed. But it's not true for most cars that its oil needs to be changed every 3,000 miles or every 3 months, as oil change places recommend. Ignore that little sticker, and instead go with your car manufacturer's recommendation. Most car manufacturers recommend oil changes every 4,000 miles or more, and there's no need in most cases to change your oil more often than that.

3. Do not follow the dealer's maintenance schedule: Follow the manufacturer's. As a rule, follow the manufacturer's recommendations over the dealer's for regular maintenance. Most dealers have an exaggerated schedule that includes unnecessary service.

If your car has a maintenance problem, by all means, take it in. But for regular maintenance, use the manufacturer's maintenance schedule over that of the dealer. The manufacturer knows what your car needs.

4. Do not have your dealer repair your car: Instead of going to the dealer for repairs, go to an independent mechanic. In general, repairs done at non-dealer shops are much cheaper than going to the dealer. Many people are afraid to go to an independent mechanic instead of the dealer because they are afraid an independent mechanic will rip them off. However, with some research, it is possible to find an honest and competent independent mechanic who will save you hundreds or thousands of dollars over the life of your car over the cost of dealership repairs.

Use the Internet or a friend to find a reputable independent mechanic. Yelp.com in particular can help you find a mechanic with an honest reputation. Google Places is also a good resource. Steer clear of places with bad reviews, or places that are not ASE certified.

The ASE certification is granted by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence to help consumers identify good repair shops. But consider ASE certification as a minimum standard, and also be sure to research the shop online and by asking your friends and family. A good mechanic will have a good reputation in the community.

No car manufacturer voids a car's warranty for repairs because the car was repaired by an independent mechanic, so don't fall for this scare technique.

5. Don't buy the extended warranty on your vehicle: For most cars, you have until the regular warranty expires to buy the extended warranty. By then, you'll know if your car requires a lot of repairs. In that case, buy the extended warranty, but otherwise pass on it.

If you end up considering the extended warranty, remember that car manufacturers want to make money on the extended warranty. Unless most people who buy the extended warranty do not get their money's worth, the car manufacturer will lose money.

6. Keep your tires properly inflated: A major source of bas gas mileage is improperly inflated tires. Keeping your tires properly inflated only takes a little forethought, and it can save you big money on gas in the long run. It will also make your car safer to drive, decreasing the chances of an accident and make your tires last longer.

If you live in a place that gets cold during the winter, know that your tire pressure decreases as the temperature goes down. Most likely, you will have to add air to your tires during the fall and early winter.

Make sure that you check your tire pressure when your tires are “cold”, that is, several hours after driving. Driving makes your tires warmer, which increases the tire pressure. But car manufacturers give recommendations for “cold” tire pressure, so if you check your tires warm you won't be able to tell if your tires are properly inflated.

7. Don't buy collision insurance: Unless your car is pretty new and in good shape, collision insurance is a waste of money. Don't confuse collision insurance with liability insurance, which pays for the damages you cause if you are at fault in an accident. Collision insurance is insurance that pays for you for the damage done to your car if you are in an accident. But if you drive an older car, or a junker, the cost of collision insurance just isn't worth it.

Just put aside the money you spend on collision insurance instead to use to fix your car if you have an accident. If you don't have one, you can use that money on buying your next car.

8. Not negotiating with the dealer on the price of a new car: If you are buying a new car, you are just throwing money away if you fail to negotiate a good price on your car. Many people associated haggling over the price of a car more with purchasing a used car. That's good practice too, but your leverage is never better with the dealer than when you are in the market for a new car.

Dealers know that new cars are a commodity. In other words, very little separates a new economy car or SUV from one manufacturer from similar offerings from other car manufacturers. You can use the price of one dealer for one kind of car against another dealer selling a similar new car. This is different than in the used car world where every used car is a little different. In addition, you can go outside your city and find the exact same new car at another dealer.

If you do buy a new car, make sure you get a good price by playing several dealers offers against each other.

9. Buying a car at the wrong time of the month: That's right. It actually makes a difference what time of the month you buy your car. That's because of how car salespeople are paid. Car salespeople have to sell a certain number of cars by the end of each month to eligible for bonuses and even to keep their jobs.

A salesperson is much more likely to give you a good deal on a car toward the end of the month, when the salesperson needs that car sale to make a certain target. At the beginning of the month, the salesperson is less concerned with selling the car than with making the maximum commission. At the end of the month, the salesperson could even sell you a car that will not make the salesperson any money, but will help him or her meet a sales target.

10. Replacing your car too often: This tip is the biggest money saver in this list, and one of the biggest money savers most people can take advantage of. Most people simply tire of their car and buy another car much too soon. Keeping a car longer means that you are driving a car that you have already paid for, which frees up money from your car payment. In addition, it dramatically lowers the cost of owning a car.

The main reason for this is that cars depreciate very quickly. In the last 5 years of a car's life, it depreciates many times slower than in the first 5 years of its life. The more miles you drive in a car that is more than 5 years old, the more money you save.