To buy a vehicle, it is better to have a good budget. Even if you buy a new vehicle, you should expect to spend an amount of money on the annual maintenance of your car. It is also normal to have to spend a certain amount of money to repair your car. After all, like any other object, our vehicle can break from time to time! However, the number of breakages can be reduced by taking a few precautions. Here are 20 things you should avoid to avoid damaging your vehicle.
1. Put your hand on the gearshift and leave it there
Your gearshift lever is not a hand rest: it is simply used to shift gears. Putting your hand on it can damage it. You should, therefore, place your hand on your steering wheel when you do not need to use it.
2. Not using your vehicle enough
Contrary to what one might think, not driving enough is anything but advantageous. Storing your vehicle can even damage it! You may run out of battery power and end up with deflated tires, among other things. If you can, try to drive your vehicle from time to time.
3. Make sudden changes in direction
Do you drive manually? Try to avoid sudden changes of direction, for example, from reverse to forward. This could result in damage to your powertrain.
4. Do not pay attention to warnings
You’ve probably noticed that sometimes lights come on on on your car’s dashboard. Be aware that these are not there to add extra lighting to your car, but to tell you to check something in your car. Don’t push this too long, or the situation may become problematic.
5. Abuse storage space in your car
Does your car have huge storage capacity? That’s no reason to fill it out completely. Indeed, this will only have one consequence, that of putting tension on its powertrain and brakes.
6. Drive with a very low fuel tank
Sometimes you can drive with a low fuel tank. However, you should not drive constantly with a nearly empty fuel tank for several reasons. Indeed, you can break down in addition to breaking your car’s power system.
7. Don’t wait for your car to warm up
It is important to wait until your car warms up before starting it. When the weather is cold, wait a minute or two after starting your car to get on the road. This will ensure that the motor oil is properly distributed in the vehicle at the correct temperature.
8. Postpone major repairs
If you have important repairs to make, don’t delay too long. You can not only compromise your safety but further damage your car by doing so.
9. Rolling in potholes
It is normal to encounter potholes when driving in a car. It has to be said that the roads are not always of very good quality. However, we can be careful not to drive in them and thus avoid many problems. Indeed, potholes can break your tires and cause suspension problems.
10. Don’t take the time to do a quick inspection of your car
Of course, the warning lights on your car’s onboard display can give you several clues to the condition of your vehicle. However, you should take the time to do a quick inspection of the inside and outside of your vehicle. Check, for example, the condition of your tires by looking for wear.
11. Postpone your oil change
It is important to change your oil regularly. If you do not do so when you see the warning light on your onboard display, you may damage your car’s engine. Also, going to change your oil is a good opportunity to ask the mechanic to do a check-up of your car.
12. Do not take the pressure of your tires
Just as you should get into the habit of checking your engine oil, you should also make sure that your tire pressure is correct. Checking this is important because it can affect the number of fuels your car consumes as well as the life of your tires.
13. Do not follow maintenance instructions
When you buy a car, whether new or used, it comes with a guide containing several instructions, including maintenance instructions. These instructions were not written to be used as a bedside reading. They are very convenient and can save you a lot of hassle (and expense!).
14. Ignore reminders
Is your car being recalled? It is extremely important to visit your garage or car dealer. It is not without reason that dealers make recalls, it can sometimes compromise the safety of motorists!
15. Accelerate for no reason
One thing not to do if you want to keep your car in good condition is not to accelerate for no reason. Putting unnecessary pressure on the accelerator can increase your fuel consumption and add tension to the parts that make up the powertrain.
16. Parking without using the parking brake
Just because you don’t park on a slope doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use your parking brake. By applying the parking brake, you can increase the life of the more delicate transmission parts and balance the vehicle’s weight. So you have no reason not to use it.
17. Do not give a wax treatment to your vehicle
It is necessary to treat your vehicle with wax at least once a year. This is to protect the small transparent layer that covers the paint on your vehicle.
18. Driving in a dirty car
If you think that the objective of washing your car is purely aesthetic, think again! Simply washing your vehicle ensures that you keep it a little longer because you remove dirt that can eventually damage the paint or even cause your vehicle to rust. It is, therefore, a small maintenance action to be done frequently, especially during the winter season.
19. Wait before repairing your windshield
If you often take the highway, you may have already received a rock in your windshield. It is best not to wait before repairing the small crack created by the rock, as it can create a larger crack and result in quite exorbitant repair costs.
20. Fill up with the wrong fuel
There are several types of fuel, and not without reason. Be careful with the fuel you put in your car, as it could well damage it. It is, for example, a very bad idea to put diesel in a gasoline car. Diesel can damage your vehicle’s engine parts and, as a result, can lead to significant repair costs.