So you don't think your ride is as fly as it used to be and you've been watching way too much MTV Cribs, but before you head to a dealership to try to find something more "park-on-my-front-lawn-worthy," think it through.

According to the Car Care Council, in what you would pay for just ONE month's car payment, you could be spending in a whole year's worth of basic maintenance on your tried and true. Plus, average cost of a new car is around $30,000 now! Back in the '70s, you could buy a house for that!

Heading out of town to catch the fireworks in a different city? Save yourself the headache during the “are we there yet?” moments by making sure your car is ready for the long drive. The best part is, it’ll only take you 10 minutes!

According to the Car Care Council, doing a quick once-over can prevent you from going crazy when someone in the van needs a bathroom break – again. Here are a few things to check out:

Trying to make a dollar out of fifteen cents? Why not start with your vehicle? According to the Car Care Council, keeping your car clean doesn’t only look good, it can raise the value of your vehicle! All you need is a quick polish every six months and a car wash per week to keep your finish looking good under the hot summer rays and in the long run too.

After a winter season of crazy weather, no one knows what’s ahead for summer. So while you’re looking for ways to cool off, don’t forget about your car! Keeping your engine cooling system maintained will keep your car running cool in the hot summer months. The Car Care Council says to look for the following warning signs:

Symptoms of Engine Cooling System Wear:

What do Justin Bieber, Glee, Snoop Dogg, Twilight and the Car Care Council have in common? They’re all available on iTunes! That’s right, the same place you get all your good workout music now has the Car Care Council’s Car Care Minute videos available as Podcasts. The best part?

It’s totally getting nice out and you can’t wait to get out of the house, but the high gas prices are getting you down. No way are you going to give up cruising on Main St. though, especially because you know you look, like, so cute, driving with the windows down.

Luckily, the nice folks at the Car Care Council have rounded up some tips to save some you some gas money so you can spend it at the mall. Here are just a few: 

How do you say “I know how to change my flat but I still want you to do it for me?” Ok, well that might not be in there, but lucky for you, the Car Care Council now has the online Car Care Guide available in Spanish. Make sure to tell your amigos that the easy-to-use, non-jargony booklet can help them (and you!) get more information on preventative maintenance for el coche before you end up paying a lot of dinero down the road.

Are you clapping and cheering along?! You might not be yet, but I'm sure a lot of you will be soon during March Madness. While you're filling out your brackets and wondering how North Carolina will defend its title, take some time out to learn more about what's defending your car.

Finally! The snow is starting to melt and warm weather is soon (but not soon enough for some of us) approaching. However, the number that salt, snow and ice has done on our roads can only mean one thing - potholes.