Simply put, buying a car is an investment. Aside from the up-front cost of the car itself, you should expect to spend money on keeping your car running smoothly and safely so you can maximize its life as much as possible.

But cars are also incredibly complicated machines. With so many moving parts, it only makes sense that things will break down every now and then. Even cars from the most reliable manufacturers need a mechanic's TLC every now and then. While there's a seemingly endless number of components that could potentially break down in any given car, the good news is that most repair jobs tend to be pretty predictable.

Here are three of the more common car repairs.

Oil-related issues
Oil changes are the most common and well-known maintenance task, even for drivers who have no idea how a car works under the hood. This is because oil changes are both simple and regular – it's a task you need to be on top of, and they're easy enough that you can do them yourself. That's right – you don't need to shell out any money to get your oil changed, this is one maintenance task you can do all on your own. Just be sure to check your car's owner's manual to see how often you should change up your oil.

One final note: Just be sure you stay current with your oil changes. According to the All Pro Service Center in Des Moines, Iowa, failure to change your oil can result in your engine overheating much faster and can even warp some of the components inside, resulting in hugely expensive or even irreparable damage to the engine.

Tire changes
Sure, you may know how to change a tire on the side of the road, but we're not talking about a temporary replacement until you can get to a service center. You likely don't think about your tires too often, but believe it or not, they may be the most frequent reason you head to the mechanic's shop. According to Cheat Sheet, a set of tires tends to last between two and four years. Considering it's not uncommon to keep the same car for close to 10 years, that means you'll likely go through the process of replacing them multiple times during the life of your car. Considering it can cost between $400 and $600 to swap out a full set of four, that's a significant expense.

Fortunately, you can help extend the life of your tires by regularly monitoring their air pressure and tread. Doing so will greatly improve their effectiveness and reduce wear and tear as much as possible.

Brakes
Brakes are such an important safety feature of your car that multiple Hollywood movies create suspense by putting plucky protagonists in vehicles with insidiously snipped brake lines. The good news is you likely won't have to worry about your brake lines – unless you're an international spy or something similar – but you'll most likely have to replace your brake pads at some point during your ownership.

According to WyoTech college in Laramie, Wyoming, brake pads typically need to be changed every 40,000 miles or so. While replacing the brake pads is a fairly simple and inexpensive process, if you also need to replace the disk, drum or rotor component of your brakes, you may be looking at a much higher expense. Mitigate these maintenance costs by addressing any brake-related repair issues immediately, before they can get worse.