5 Car Maintenance Myths That Are Actually False
There are multitudes of advice every car owner gets whenever the topic of keeping their car in good condition comes up. It can come from anyone, ranging from an online article to your family members. You can get tips on how to save on car maintenance expenses or how best to enhance your car performance, however, not all of this advice is necessarily true. Some pieces may have originated from exaggerated experiences and stories.
Here are the five common vehicle maintenance myths:
Let your engine warm up for 10mins before setting off.
Some websites suggest that you should warm up your engine for 10 minutes before you drive in cold weather. This is quite an exaggerated amount of time and quite unrealistic for those who always somehow wake up late for work (guilty). A simple minute in the morning will suffice! This minute is essential because when the temperatures drop, your oil becomes thick and settles in the bottom of the sump pan. As you can imagine, thick oil does not move very quickly and cannot get to certain components fast enough, like the turbocharger, for example. Therefore, by waiting for 30-60 seconds for the engine to warm up a bit, you give enough time for the oil to thin and lubricate all the moving components.
Using premium fuel is better.
If you drive an average-priced vehicle, chances are regular fuel would service your engine just fine. Premium fuel is only advisable to use for performance engines that get much hotter when running and, therefore, require cleaners and protectants to keep them at optimum performance. However, these kinds of engines are usually found in sports cars only. You may refer to your car manual to see what fuel the manufacturer suggests is most suitable for your vehicle.
All four tyres should be changed at the same time.
If one tyre needs replacing, you do not need to replace them all. As long as the replacement tyre is the same brand, size and model as the rest of your them, switching only one won’t be a problem. It is recommended that you have your tyres rotated during each oil change to get as much wear out of them as you can.
Every 3,000 miles you need to replace your oil.
Though this may vary among manufacturers, most modern cars only need oil changes every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, due to the improved oil composition and more advanced car engines. However, it is suggested that you refer to your car’s manual for the recommended oil change intervals.
Will servicing my vehicle at an independent garage void my warranty?
It does not matter where you have your vehicle repaired, your warranty is available for use until it expires. All repairs and maintenance done on your car by any car repair shop are covered by your warranty, however, it is important to remember to keep your receipts as evidence of the procedure. Check your car manual if there is any schedule specified for car maintenance to decrease the risk of invalidating your warranty.
Now you know not to be fooled into believing everything you hear about car maintenance! It is important to be aware of fallacies like these to avoid wasting time and money. As long as you do some research and refer to your car manual, you’ll avoid being fooled by false tips and claims!