Car Maintenance: The Biggest Mistakes & Myths
A part of getting ready to compare auto insurance rates involves making sure your car is in tip-top shape to minimize your chances of an accident. The safer and better-maintained your car is, the less likely you are to have a collision and raise your premiums. Compare auto insurance rates with these car maintenance myths and mistakes in mind. Hopefully you can combine these with our frequently asked questions in order to have a great relationship with your car.
Myth: Tire gauges are unnecessary
Keep a gauge on hand to check your tire pressure regularly. Especially as winter approaches, tires lose pressure because of colder temperatures. Check your pressure in the morning when your tires are the coolest. Some new cars have tire pressure monitors that will alert you when the tire is low, but usually by the time the indicator light comes on, your pressure is dangerously low. Check your owner's manual or the driver's door for the recommended tire pressure for your car.
Myth: I need to winterize my vehicle.
Besides changing your tires according to the demands of the season, modern cars do not require special maintenance when the winter hits. One thing you do want to do in the winter months is keep more gas in your car to minimize the possibility of ice forming in the tank and causing you trouble.
Myth: You have to warm up your car before driving when it's cold.
Though running in colder temperatures is harder on an engine, letting the car idle to "warm up" the engine does nothing but waste your gas. It is OK to drive immediately after starting the car if you drive gently until your engine gauge indicates that it has warmed up. Just make sure to keep your RPM's down, and you won't have a problem.
Myth: I have to change my oil every 3,000 miles or every 3 months, whichever comes first.
This is an outdated heuristic to decide when to get your oil changed. Engines have made considerable strides since this advice was put out there, though changing your oil more frequently certainly won't hurt your car. But it will cost you more money. Check your owner's manual for a better estimate of when to change your oil, some cars can go twice the 3,000 mile limit before needing an oil change. With some synthetic oils, cars can even go tens of thousands of miles. But stick with the owner's manual recommendation.
Myth: The penny test will tell me when I need new tires.
There is an outdated test whereby you place a penny, heads-side facing you, upside down into a groove in your tire tread. The rule states that, if you can still see the top of Lincoln's head, you need new tires. But experts now recommend doing the same test with a quarter instead to err on the side of caution. The penny test could leave you driving on near-bald tires.