Things (and partners) last longer if you take care of them and treat them well. And cars are not the exception that proves the rule, far from it. Having a neglected car, or not paying attention to how certain components work, may seem like a trivial matter, but it is not at all. Something that seems harmless can, over time, become a real problem.
We are not only referring to the fact that these behaviors that we are going to break down below represent a car expense and losing moneywhich also. Many of these habits can affect systems and, in the long run, endanger your own security. Knowing them is the first step to knowing how to correct them. So now you know, read and stop doing these ten harmful habits If you want your car to last longer:
1. Delay maintenance
We’ve already covered this in our car maintenance guide. It may hurt to spend money at the garage, but maintaining your car is vital to its longevity. Regular maintenance includes changing oil and filters, as well as fluids. Each vehicle manufacturer specifies a different maintenance routine, which you can find in your owner’s manual.
There is no doubt that it requires invest some time and moneybut it is a mere trifle when you compare it to the cost of a new engine or transmission. Remember that you do not lose the warranty if you take the car to an independent garage, which is generally cheaper, and that you can install equivalent quality spare parts instead of original ones without any fear.
Driving with worn or underinflated tires
We have separated the tires because they deserve special attention. They are part of the car’s safety triangle and are key since it is the only point of the car that has direct contact with the ground. That is why you should not risk driving with worn tires. If a tire bursts while driving you can lose control of your vehicle and have a serious accident. And if you drive a vehicle with slick tires in the rain, the risk of aquaplaning increases. Yes, they are expensive (especially if you have an SUV or your car has very large tires), but they cost less than a car… or a life.
Okay, maybe we’ve been a bit catastrophic, but don’t skimp on tires. Or check the pressure. This habit only takes five minutes and with the correct pressure they will last longer (they won’t wear unevenly, they won’t deteriorate before they’re expected and the car will use less fuel).
2. Ignoring the warning lights on the dashboard
When a warning light comes on on your dashboard, it’s important to address the problem right away. If you don’t know what the light means, check your owner’s manual or call your mechanic. Some warning lights on your car can alert you to some very serious problems, such as a coolant leak, which can cause your engine to overheat. A preventative repair often prevents the problem from getting worse.
3. Skip cleaning the car
Without proper care and attention, even the best paintwork will become pale and discoloured due to industrial and traffic pollutants or acid rain. Some time ago we gave you all the steps necessary to wash your car properly. And be careful, although the purists will always recommend washing it by hand, normally this wash uses less water than in a car wash… which ends up filling the water with dirt and causing endless tiny scratches. Be careful, we say car wash and not the car wash stations with large rollers…
There are situations where cleaning is more important, such as when driving through snowy roads where salt has been used to prevent ice patches. And in summer, it is essential to protect the car from the sun in an appropriate manner.
A couple more tricks. If you find yourself road worksdrive slowly and as far away from the vehicle in front as possible. Tar is very hard to remove from the bodywork. When you get back from your trip, try to clean your car as soon as possible. It is also a good idea to have a clean interior and, for the more daring, you can try cleaning the engine.
4. Driving aggressively
Give accelerations It doesn’t help you save time and it has negative effects on your car. It consumes more fuel, overheats the engine and wears out the tires. This type of driving won’t kill your car immediately, but it will cause the engine, transmission and brake system to deteriorate much more quickly than expected. Cars that have been abused will have premature fluid leaks, broken seals and other mechanical problems. And that’s not to mention starting off with the drive wheels spinning. It’s a waste of gasoline and tiresas well as unnecessarily damaging the transmission, clutch, gearbox and differential.
Also avoid driving with the engine at many revolutions. It increases fuel consumption and can cause over-revving (the engine revving too much). This means that repairs are very expensive. This type of driving also puts stress on the clutch, transmission and gearbox.
In our advice for caring for a turbo engine, we already indicated that these are mechanics that require special attention. Check the lubrication and oil level. Do not accelerate abruptly, or seek maximum power with a cold engine. After a long trip, leave it idling for a few minutes so that the oil circuit cools the turbo shaft.
5. Driving too calmly
Nowadays, advances have made it possible for us to enjoy powerful cars with high torque. Because of this, it is common to travel in high gears at very low revs… thinking about saving fuel. But efficient driving can damage the car if you do not do it properly.
For example, climbing a mountain at low revs in fifth or sixth gear can be more damaging to the engine than over-revving. The reason is that the mechanics work without enough revs to reach their maximum torque, where the best performance occurs. power-consumption ratioAs we explained in how to drive efficiently, damaging your car can lead to serious and costly problems, such as damage to the crankshaft, connecting rods, rod bearings and main bearings.
In the case of diesel cars this slow driving can affect the EGR valvewhich accumulates more carbon and reduces its useful life by half, or particle filter (hence the higher maintenance of diesel cars). Gasoline engines are not the panacea for this either, because going too slowly damages the catalyst (which becomes a coal depot)…
In addition, it is becoming more common for them to fit a turbo, a fantastic piece… but delicate (especially if it is not cooled properly after a long trip), so that the cooling system and the oil circulation itself cool the turbo, which reduces the risk of breakdown by more than 90%.
6. Start the car like there’s no tomorrow
When you start your car in the morning, especially in winter, warming up the engine with hard acceleration is a bad idea. The oil and components have not yet reached the ideal temperature… and being less protected will accelerate wear in the vehicle’s engine.
As we reminded you in our tips for starting a cold car, wait a few seconds for the oil to reach the circuit and then always accelerate progressively.
7. Abusing the clutch… and leaning on the gear lever
The clutch is one of the most punished elements of the car. As It works by frictionsuffers wear and tear every time you step on it. That is why you should not put your feet on it unnecessarily (this produces an overexertion that affects the disc and all the parts that act on it).
Another bad habit is to use the gear lever as an armrest. Without knowing it, you are putting pressure on the internal mechanisms of the gearbox, which wears out and causes play in synchronizers, bearings, etc.
In the long term, this results in vibrations and imprecise gear shifting. You know, use the lever only to change gears… and do it gently. And in automatic transmissions, never try to start by pushing it (use the pliers), or drive in neutral. You will only get it to crash.
8. Using the brakes too much… or not at all
Pressing the brake pedal for too long can accelerate the wear of the discs and pads, deform the discs, create vibrations in the steering wheel when braking and deteriorate the brake fluid, making the brake system less resistance to fatigue.
As we told you in our tips for going up and down mountain passes, use the engine brake when downshifting. This will preserve the brakes and allow you to control the car better. And finally, don’t overuse the brake pads and shoes. Replacing them is much cheaper than replacing the set of discs and drums. If you want to learn more about this topic, you can read our tips for keeping your brakes in good condition.
If on steep slopes we sometimes abuse the brakes too much, when facing a speed bump We often don’t. It’s true that our dear mayors have taken a liking to placing too many of them (they can only be rivalled by roundabouts), but you have to stop when you come across one. If you don’t, you run the risk of bursting a tyre, or causing problems with the suspension anchor points.
9. Move the steering wheel with the car stopped
Avoid manipulating the steering wheel when the car is stationary. Bear in mind that at least a ton of weight is on the tyres, wheels and suspension… the tyres can become deformed and the suspensions can become unbalanced, with damaged bearings.
Also, you can wear out the steering rackwhich will make driving difficult. It is true that now the vast majority of cars have power steeringin which this problem is not so serious… but in these you should never turn the steering wheel to the limit. If you do, you force the mechanism (the power steering pump knocks when empty) and it will break down sooner.
At this point, we cannot ignore those who go up curbs with the car to park. Sometimes it is unavoidable (we all do it). Try to go up on the low area and slowly, because you can damage the suspension settings and end up unbalancing rims and tirescausing vibrations in the steering wheel. And when parking, if the tires do not touch the curb, all the better. These “pinches” against the concrete wear out the tires a lot and it is easier for them to blow out, in addition to damaging the bearings.
10. Driving with the car on reserve
Yes, your car is able to move with less than five liters There is a lot of fuel in the tank, but the fuel pump doesn’t like it at all. This element (in cars with electronic injection) is submerged in the tank, so there must be enough fuel to ensure lubrication and cooling of the pump. So make sure that the car is not running on reserve, as the pump may be left unprotected.
