Seven bad habits drivers do that could be ‘killing’ their motor – tyre change mistake can cost £100s to repair
DRIVERS have been warned to avoid seven bad habits that could be “killing” their cars and costing them hundreds.
Mark, who runs specialist dealership Exotic Car Play Place, explained how motorists can swerve higher repair costs on his YouTube channel.
Mark said: “You could literally be ruining your car
“All these habits could be destroying your car step by step, day by day.”
All change
Changing your oil is an essential bit of vehicle maintenance and many modern cars have an automated system to tell you when its due.
However, Mark urged car owners to make sure to give the oil a refresh more frequently than is recommended.
While modern synthetic oils have a longer lifespan than the older stuff, you don’t want to be running it to the bitter end.
Doing so can cause carbon deposits, poor combustion and “sludge” in your oil lines.
Not only can this hurt performance, but it can wreck your engine over the years.
Instead, consult your owner’s manual for recommendations on oil change intervals rather than relying on a reminder.
As a rule of thumb you should change your oil roughly every 3,000-4,000 miles.
Leaky ship
It’s not just oil you need to worry about either.
According to Mark, drivers should be regularly checking their fluid levels and changing them regularly based on the owner’s manual’s recommendations.
Brake fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid and radiator fluid are all vital to the proper running of your car but are easy to neglect.
If you’re not confident doing it yourself you can always go to a garage and get it checked for you.
Tyre tragedy
We’ve all had that sinking feeling of discovering a tear or puncture in your tyre.
Any driver immediately knows it’s going to cost time and money to sort.
However, Mark revealed that it’s actually worse than you might think.
Most modern cars use electronic systems to regulate the linkage between the tyres.
Very small differences in tyre pressure and condition can play havoc with these systems, according to Mark.
As such you actually have to replace your tyres in pairs to make sure that they are even.
It gives the impression it’s neglected
Even worse, if you have a four-wheel drive car a puncture in one means replacing the whole set at significant expense.
While it’s a pain, that cost is nothing compared to the hundreds and even thousands you would have to shell out if you ruin your transfer box or differential.
‘Broken glass syndrome’
It may seem like a small thing, but chips, scratches and dents can all contribute to your motor falling into disrepair.
Mark explained: “Have you ever heard of broken glass system?
“You see a house with a broken window…it just gives this subliminal message that the house is run-down.
“Same thing with a car – you see a broken taillight, you see flat tyres it gives the impression it’s neglected.”
Based on that theory, he urged drivers to look after their car’s exterior by employing things like paint protector film.
The stick-on film is available for as little as a pound online and can help prevent scratches, dings and chips from gravel thrown up behind other cars.
Warmin’ on up
Back to protecting the inner workings of your vehicle, warming your car up on chilly days can help prevent harmful wear and tear.
Allowing the car to idle for a few minutes gives the oil a chance to flow and lubricate the engine, helping it to run more smoothly.
Likewise, allow your car to sit and cool down for a couple of minutes before turning the ignition off when you get home.
These two steps create a much smoother heating/cooling arc for the delicate parts of the engine and can extend their lives.
Back it up
Similar to warming up and cooling down, Mark warned against making the transition from reverse to drive too harshly.
If you back out of your parking space then slam the vehicle into gear and set off, you’re giving your gearbox a lot of work to do in not much time.
Always make sure acceleration is gentle and that you move through gears smoothly.
And when changing from reverse to drive, try and pop it into neutral or let it sit for a moment before moving on, as long as it’s safe to do so – a couple of seconds should do it.
Check it out
Finally, Mark urged motorists never to avoid a check engine light as there are “hundreds” of reasons it might flicker into life.
Everything from engine failure to a loose sensor can trigger it – but all can be detrimental to your motor.
If you see the light pop up on your dashboard don’t drive again until you can get it properly checked out.