Your car is an important part of your life. As your main form of transportation, you need your vehicle to get you to and from work, social events, and everything in between. People take pride in their cars. Showing them off, giving them fun names, and decorating with bumper stickers. When you take pride in something, that means you want to take care of it. You want to be sure that thing is in the best condition at all times. This is true of your car as well.
Car maintenance can be extensive. As the big piece of machinery it is, your car has several systems that all have to operate seamlessly for your vehicle to work properly. With so much going on, there are a lot of ways you can be harming your car without even realizing it. Even car experts can be forgetting to do some of these simple upkeeps and it could result in an expensive trip to the mechanic down the line. If you want to guarantee your car is in tip-top shape now and in the future, check out these ways you’re secretly damaging your car and how to avoid them at all costs.
Bad Driving
This one seems like a no brainer, but bad driving is, you guessed it, bad for your car. Quick breaking, revving the engine, and rushing through speed bumps can cause serious damage to your vehicle. You spent a lot of money to purchase your car, so why on earth would you immediately turn around and abuse it? Try and follow the specific regulations for how to operate your vehicle in order to keep it running for longer.
Being Shifty
The gear shift is a vital part of driving. Whether you drive a manual or automatic, be sure you’re treating that system with care. Don’t shift into drive while your car is still reversing and don’t rest your hand on the stick while you drive. This can cause problems for the whole system.
Ignoring the Oil
As a car owner, you’re familiar with getting your oil changed. Not doing so regularly can cause serious damage to your vehicle. Oil helps lubricate different parts of the engine, cleans the engine itself, and helps keep everything cool. Without fresh oil, these safeguards aren’t in place and you may see the negative effects.
The Wrong Insurance
When you purchase a car, you also need good quality car insurance. And though it may not damage your car in the moment, the wrong insurance can be costly when you’re looking for comprehensive coverage or a return on property damage. The best way to find an auto insurance policy from a good insurance provider is to compare prices, premiums, and coverage. Through car insurance compare you get to find a better deal and be in charge of your auto insurance needs.
Tired Tires
The wheels on your car go round and round, and it’s up to you to be sure they don’t get too worn out. Your car will monitor the tire pressure, but you should also check it regularly. Under-inflated tires can lower your fuel efficiency and cause unnecessary pressure on your breaks.
Not Gassing Up
You don’t want your car to be running on fumes, so experts recommend always driving with 1/8th of a tank or more. Otherwise, the fuel pump can overheat, the filter gets dirty or clogged, or the filter stops working altogether and sediment from the bottom of your tank gets into your engine and causes damage. So before you get to “empty,” do yourself a favor and gas up now.
Weighing It Down
Are you guilty of using your car as a mini storage unit? All that extra weight can actually damage your car’s suspension and put extra strain on the vehicle. So lighten up, your car will thank you for it.
