5 Driving Mistakes that Will Increase the Maintenance Cost in the Long Run

Your car is designed to be driven in a certain manner, but most car owners have those good driving habits knocked out of them under stressful city driving conditions. You may be doing those driving mistakes unknowingly, and you won’t even realise until you are handed a huge bill at the time of logbook service.

Following are the five driving mistakes that are knocking years off your car’s life. But the good news is you won’t be repeating these mistakes after reading this article until the end.

1 Resting your hand on the gear knob

This one is a common mistake with expensive repercussions. When you rest your hand on the gear knob, the gears in your transmission system bear the brunt. They tend to grind against each other and wear out faster than they should. In case you don’t know, transmission repairs are really expensive and can drain out your savings in a snap. Therefore, make it a habit to rest your hand on the armrest or handbrake or any other spot where you feel comfortable.

2 Resting your foot on the clutch pedal

When you do so, the clutch remains partially engaged for an awfully long time. The longer you drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal, the sooner will you be needing to replace it. Most cars come with a dead pedal or you can have an aftermarket dead pedal installed on your car. The dead pedal serves as a footrest when you are not using the clutch and need someplace to rest your foot in a comfortable position.

3 Driving with high tyre pressure

Inflating your tyres beyond the recommended limit can lead to a tyre-burst situation, usually at higher speeds. While you may think that’s a rare occurrence in modern vehicles, the risk, however, is always present. Besides, it also impacts the vehicle’s handling and braking ability. Therefore, optimum tyre pressure is advised for long drives along the highway, because when the tarmac is hot, the chances of tyre-burst are even higher.

4 Using brakes and clutch together

Don’t use clutch unless you need to downshift. When you press the clutch before braking, the vehicle tends to move freely, and it falls solely upon the brakes to stop it. This puts more strain on the brake pads, leading to premature wearing.

On the other hand, when you apply brakes without pressing the clutch, the wheels experience resistance from the engine as soon as you take your foot off the accelerator. This takes some strain off the brake pads, and they last longer.

5 Using Air Conditioning System on Cold Start

Cold start is when you crank the engine after it has completely cooled down. To cope with the cold start, the engine makes a momentary RPM surge. During this time, do not turn on the air conditioning system as it will put more strain on the engine. The air conditioning unit should only be turned on once the engine has warmed up. By this time, the engine oil will start circulating inside the block and optimal operating temperature will be achieved.

Apart from these driving mistakes, most car owners install aftermarket electronic parts for a better visual appeal. These aftermarket parts tend to act up a couple of weeks down the line and may also impact the electrical system of your vehicle. To be on the safe side, always consult your local auto electrician in Lower Hutt before making an aftermarket auto electrical purchase.