Do you actually know how you should drive your car? Are there things you do in your car that cause it to lose life and make it so you won’t have the car as long as possible? Most of us are guilty of performing some task with our vehicle that we shouldn’t. This can be as simple as being in too great a hurry or performing other tasks when we drive. No matter what you’re doing wrong with your car, here are some items you really should avoid to ensure your car will be more reliable and able to provide you with years of great driving. You can also learn about some of the biggest mistakes car owners make by watching this video.
Start and Go – When you get in your vehicle you shouldn’t start it and drive off immediately. Go ahead and start the car and then put on your seatbelt and adjust the radio and seats to give your engine at least ten to fifteen seconds for the oil to warm up and components to be made ready.
Rev too Soon – Your car has an operating temperature which you can see on the temperature gauge. If you rev your car hard or push it to accelerate too quickly upon starting you could seriously damage the engine and cause the car to become damaged.
Use the Right Gas – If your car only needs regular gasoline, use regular gasoline. If you aren’t driving a performance model that requires higher octane gas all you’re doing by choosing higher octane fuel is wasting money. Use the gas your car needs and it will serve you well.
Changing Oil Too Often – Older oil needed to be changed after 3,000 miles, but the oil of today can last anywhere from 5,000 to 15,000 depending upon the type of oil. These oils last longer in time as well and don’t need to be changed nearly as often. This is another great way to save some money while maintaining your vehicle.
Inspect Your Vehicle – When you have some time, on a regular basis, you should inspect your vehicle. This means checking all the fluids and walking around the vehicle to make sure everything works as it should on your car or truck. This will help make sure you don’t have any unnecessary surprises when you get ready to drive off.
Tire Pressure – You need to check your tire pressure on a regular basis. At least once a month and when the temperature drops at least ten degrees or more you should check the pressure to make sure you have properly inflated tires. This is also a good idea before taking any kind of road trip.
Inspect Your Tires – While you’re checking that tire pressure you can inspect your tires. Use a penny and make sure the head of Lincoln is covered to ensure you have at least 2/32 of tread left. Make sure the tires have worn evenly, if they haven’t you need to have your alignment checked as well.
Spare Tire – While some cars don’t have a spare tire anymore, if yours has one you need to check it to make sure the tire isn’t flat and it will be able to replace one of your other tires should they go flat. There’s nothing more upsetting than having a flat tire only to realize your spare is flat as well and you can’t make it to the next service station.
Owner’s Manual – Read it! It’s your car, you should know every single thing your car has to offer and what it does. This will take a little more time than all these other tips, but you need to read through this manual and understand your vehicle completely.
Clean Properly – Don’t use paper towels and do use a lubricant when cleaning your car. The best way to clean your car is to use a microfiber cloth and some form of liquid cleaner or lubricant to protect your paint.
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