We all want our cars to stay on the road for as long as possible, and avoid any costly maintenance wherever we can. Unfortunately though, the large majority of us don’t take good enough care of our vehicles. We put off cleaning it, put off changing the fluids, and ignore weird noises for months telling ourselves it’s “probably nothing”. If you’re worried about these kinds of habits, here are some of the ways far too many people are hurting their cars…
Not Giving it Time to Warm Up
This is a relatively small sin, yet one that a huge proportion of motorists are guilty of. Specifically, I’m talking about failing to give the car enough time to warm up before putting it into gear and pulling away. This is bad for a car’s engine no matter what the environment is like, but it’s an especially bad habit to have when the weather’s cold. In the peak of winter, the oil in your engine isn’t going to lubricate it nearly as effectively. Furthermore, all the components in your engine are designed to work in a certain temperature range. Pulling away immediately strains everything under the hood, so try to avoid it.
Not Slowing Down for Speed Bumps and Hitting Potholes
This is an issue that affects the suspension, shocks and wheel alignment. All three of these will get worn down extremely quickly if you go over every speed bump you come across too fast, and carelessly run your wheels right into potholes. If slowing down for speed bumps and avoiding potholes sounds like a no-brainer, then that’s a great sign! However, if you’re one of the many people who simply drives right over them without adjusting anything, then you’re pretty much asking for a big auto repair bill. If you carry on sticking to these bad habits, it’s only a matter of time before your shocks, suspension and wheel alignment are totally wrecked. By simply paying attention to the road, and going a little easier on your wheel, you can save a small fortune in maintenance.
Driving with Winter Tires All Year Round
Right now, you may have winter tires fitted on your car, and that’s a good thing. However, when spring comes around and the winter begins to get warmer, you’ll need to switch back to standards. Many people aren’t aware of it, but keeping winter tires on your car all year is never a good idea. They can wear down extremely quickly in warmer weather, and even start to melt if they’re driven on any baking highways in the peak of August! Driving winter tires all year round will wear down the treads very quickly, and also means that by the time winter comes around again, those tires will be pretty much useless. If you hate the hassle of picking out tires and fitting them to your car, then I recommend getting a good set of all-season tires instead. Whatever you do, don’t keep your winter tires on through the summer!