Many of us end up spending that much time in our cars that they start to practically feel like our second home.
From slogging to work and back every day to constantly ending up being the designated driver for plans with mates, you might think you know your whip pretty well.
But just because you know about a ‘hidden feature’ or all the different ‘hacks’ doesn’t necessarily mean your treating your car in the best way.
We’ve all got to look after our loved ones, lads, so mechanics have shared the 10 things they would never do with their sets of wheels.
Advert
Don’t rely on car maintenance reminders
Look, sometimes we forget and that’s fine but really we should try and be on top of things.
Technician Robin Reneau told Huffpost however that we shouldn’t by relying on the car itself to remind us to do things. Instead, she checks her levels and conditions herself.
“Factors such as frequent short trips, towing or driving in extreme temperatures can accelerate oil degradation, requiring more frequent changes than indicated on the sticker,” she explained.
“Over time, engine wear can affect oil performance differently, necessitating changes sooner than anticipated.”
Don’t use a rubber floor mat that doesn’t fit
Grace Claudio, a master automotive technician, explained that using a rubber floor mat on top of the carpet on the driver’s side that doesn’t fit can be a safety hazard.
“The floor mat on the driver’s side will get stuck on the accelerator and then you can’t stop the car, or it will get stuck behind the brake and then it’s hard for you to brake the car,” she said.
Don’t ignore warning lights
I mean, come on lads. Bogi Lateiner, a master automative technician, stressed the importance of paying attention to your car’s warning lights.
“That’s the only way the car has of telling us that something is wrong, before it gets so wrong that you’re on the side of the road,” Lateiner said. “Listen to your car, because it is trying to talk to you.”
Don’t neglect car maintenance
Lateiner reckons this is the most common mistake as people will just ‘deal with it later’.
She went on: “In reality, preventative maintenance is going to be always less expensive than the repair.”
Look after your whips lads.
Don’t use aftermarket parts
Rather than using original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, some drivers opt for cheaper aftermarket parts made by other companies.
However, Claudio says these can end up costing you in the long run.
“I’ve had it where things come apart, and it makes it worse than it already was,” she said. “And then it’s more of an expensive repair.”
Don’t buy any over-the-counter product promising to stop leaks
Another thing to avoid buying is apparently products promising to stop leaks in oil, coolant, powers steering fluid and flat tires.
Lateiner said they’re ‘temporary solutions at best’ and can end up ‘causing more damage than good’.
“The ones for tyres will make an absolute mess of your rim, and the person doing your tyre change is going to hate you,” she added.
Don’t use coolants or fuels different to what’s recommended
Similarly, Lateiner advises to always stick to what the manufacturer recommends.
“That goes for your coolant, your oil, the type of fuel that you use,” she explained. “So if your car is asking for 91-octane [gas], you have to use 91-octane.”
And again, if you don’t, it could lead to bigger repair issues.
Don’t change the exterior without considering the climate
Maybe you were thinking about getting some mad vinyl wrap on your car to spice things up. But if you live somewhere really hot it could be a bad idea.
Master auto body technician Cheyenne Ruether explained places with high UV rays ‘often cause cracking or delaminating’. She added: “And they are a huge pain to remove.”
Don’t lie to mechanics about issues
Maybe you don’t want to admit you’ve f**ked up but realistically, it’ll only make things worse if you lie.
“The more accurate information you can give us, the quicker we can get to the actual problem, because you’re not sending us on a wild-goose chase,” Lateiner said.
Just give them all the details and be honest – you could end up spending more if not.
Don’t replace tyres with used ones
Now surely this is an obvious one, but drivers will often do it, perhaps to save cash.
Claudio said: “A lot of times they put a tyre on there that’s pretty bad.”
Look out for tyres that look like they’re cracking and steer clear.
Jess Battison