Stop That: Top 7 Things You Do That Ruin Your Car

Cars are valuable possessions and quite complicated mechanisms that require proper treatment and operation in order to function properly. While most modern manufacturers design their vehicles the ways that they’re supposed to last for several decades even when subject to active and continuous use, some driving habits and omitted maintenance routines may impair the performance and the safety of your vehicle, as well as decrease its lifespan.

Even if car owners regularly take their vehicles to the auto repair shops to conduct throughout inspections and necessary maintenance fixes, they still have to watch the way they drive and treat their cars on daily basis to reduce the negative impact imposed on the vehicle by their negligence and improper driving habits. This will not only make their cars last longer but also improve the safety and save them quite a lot of money on repair costs.

So, here’re top 10 car owner’s misbehaviors – things you may do that ruin your car. Make sure that you don’t make these mistakes and you’ll have your car in a great condition for much longer than usual.

Don't ruin your car by:

1. Holding the brakes while driving downhill

It might give you the sensation of safety, as you think that you’re ready to slam the breaks and stop anytime you need to. However, thins driving habit contributes to the early wear and tear of the vehicle’s braking system. When the latter is worn out, you can’t drive your car safely. And, its replacement costs a lot. So, opt for a lower gear instead of an extensive use of brakes.

2. Not slowing down to pass bumps and holes

Yourmechanic.com mentions that if you make your car jump on those on the high speed, you’ll surely ruin its suspension in no time.

3. Constantly running with low fuel levels

It’s completely understandable that sometimes car owners can’t afford to buy a full tank of gas. And, there’s nothing wrong with waiting for a better fuel price deal.

But, if you’re that driver, who keeps adding just a few gallons of fuel to the rank on a regular basis, you need to understand that what happens when you make your vehicle use the remains of the fuel from the bottom of the tank.

The thing is that the sediments concentrated on the bottom of the tank often get to the car engine through the clogged filter and mess it up. Is the money you’ll save on fuel worth ruining your engine?

4. Making sudden stops and starts

If you slam your gas or brakes too often, you’ll not only increase your vehicle’s gas consumption but also deteriorate its brakes system and rotors.

5. Revving the car to warm it up

 Warming up the engine during the cold weather conditions is actually quite beneficial for the vehicle, as the oils won’t lubricate under a certain temperature range. Besides, some parts of the vehicle’s mechanism have to work within the predetermined temperature levels. 

But, waiting for your car to warm up might be quite frustrating, especially when you’re running late. At the same time, making your vehicle roar to warm up will cause significant damage to its engine. 

So, it’s better to wait for a minute or so than to deal with unexpected car repairs.

6. Forgetting to keep the tires properly inflated

The required level of inflation does not only ensure the longer lifespan of the tires and contributes to the less frequent tire replacement expenses. It’s also a huge driving safety deal breaker, as if you drive a car with underinflated and bald tires, you expose yourself to the danger of losing control of your vehicle on a slippery or a bumpy road and getting into a terrible car accident.

7. Skipping regular examinations

 When your car seems to look and operate just fine, you may find that there’s no need in spending time and money on the mechanic’s services.

But, there are hidden breakdowns that won’t show up until they turn into major problems, weird noises – indicators of the engine, transmission, and other issues - you might not notice, maintenance measures you need to take, but don’t know how or when… So, don’t underrate the importance of professional car examinations and have a professional to look at your vehicle every once in a while to keep your car on point.