• Common mistakes
• Lifespan
• Car
• Vehicle
• Mechanic
• Mobile mechanic
• Auto mechanic

Vehicles are composed of small and huge components that are working together as a machine. 

These components need proper conditioning and maintenance to keep the car running  beyond its standard years. 

However…

There’s a good chance that you are messing something up – when driving or keeping your car – that shortens its life. 

It could be unintentional, but these mistakes will hurt your car in the long run.

Hence, we have listed down the most common mistakes that reduce your vehicle’s life span.  

1. Hard footing on the brakes 

Avoid additional and unnecessary wear to your car by keeping your foot away from the brakes.

This is because putting a heavy foot on the brakes can damage your brake pads and brake disc rotors. This will result in having to get replacements more than necessary.

Driving calmly means putting less pressure on your vehicle and ultimately adding years to its standard life span. 

2. Resting your left foot on the clutch 

If you are driving a manual car, make sure to remove your left foot from the clutch pedal after you engage. 

Resting your left foot on the pedal will cause grinding between the clutch disc and pressure plate. 

This will eventually lead to losing the ability to shift gears. 

3. Not removing your hand on the gear shifter

This problem is associated with cars with a manual gearbox. 

While it is common for drivers to rest their hand on the gear knobs, resting your hand on it for too long will result in scraping between your shifter’s bushings and synchronizers. 

4. Not engaging the handbrake when parked.

If you are the sort of motorist that prefers to hold the biting point of the brake when on a hill rather than pulling the handbrake, you aren’t alone. 

Your handbrake needs to be engaged whenever your car is still or parked; and regardless if you’re on a slope or a flat surface. 

Ignoring your handbrake can cause too much stress on the transmission system, which can ultimately lead to premature damage of its components. 

5. Driving on bad tires & improper alignment

The tires are the most used and abused part of the vehicle when driving on different terrains. They regularly need replacement or you will end up with bald or worn out tires. 

On the other hand, over or under-inflated tires can cause poor handling and increased risk of tire blowouts; while, inappropriate alignment of tires can result in imbalance causing road accidents as well. 

Ignoring the irregularity can also reduce its fuel economy, thus increasing consumption of gas. 

Hence, the easiest solution is to get your own tire pressure gauge and perform regular checks. Rotate your vehicle’s tires and have them aligned, to maintain even treadwear and optimal handling. 

6. Using inappropriate parts

No matter how well you take care of your car, you cannot prevent the regular wear and tear of the components which eventually necessitates replacement.

Sometimes a vehicle can have minor breakdowns, which will require you to install new automotive spare parts in your car. 

Such parts include batteries, spark-plugs and  transmission box components, which should always fit perfectly. 

Spark plugs should have the correct heat range; while fuel and air filters should be name-brand, original-equipment-equivalent or better.

If your vehicle needs new parts, do not settle for any other brand or quality, choose the genuine components for your car.

The few dollars you save won’t matter if the car part you just bought breaks after just a few kilometers, or worse, damages your car. 

7. Not checking the levels

A car is just a machine integrated with several small and big parts.

Regularly checking your vehicle will ensure that the engine and the other parts of the vehicle are functioning smoothly.

Every couple of weeks, you must take some time to check the oil levels, tire pressure, and transmission fluids.

A lot of people tend to neglect this step causing serious damage to their car along the way.

8. Not following the oil change schedule

Most cars nowadays can run up to 8,000 to 10,000 kilometers before needing an oil change. 

Changing your oil often or as recommended keeps sludge deposits and corrosive materials out of the engine and helps you keep your car on the road longer. This is especially true if you mainly do city driving. 

Another good idea is to change the oil filters regularly. 

Old oil filters can hold onto oil and dirt particles, which end up mixing with the clean oil; and eventually leading to poor engine performance and reduced engine lifespan.

9. Using cheap, low-quality fuel

Using top-rated fuel would add some more years to its presence on the road;

While a cheap-grade oil or gas can decrease the performance, create drivability problems and warning lights; and eventually damage the engine and other automotive parts of the vehicle.

This is probably one the biggest mistakes you can make with your car. 

When you try to penny-pinch and opt for less than top-tier-rated fuel, you might face more expensive damage and repair costs along the way. 

10. Driving on a low fuel or empty tank.

Much of the functionality of your fuel system’s parts depend on your tank having the optimal amount of fuel. 

It’s a risky game to play, and not just because of the potential of ending up by the side of the road;

But also because running low on fuel, allows air to enter your fuel system, which could cause a range of problems including mistiming and engine overheating. 

Running your car another 10 miles while the fuel light is on will move debris and dirt that has settled to the bottom of your tank through your engine. 

As much as possible, try to keep your car’s tank at least halfway or three-quarters of the way full most of the time.

11. Accelerating in cold engine

Car acceleration is something that you need to do with extreme caution.

This is because accelerating in full-throttle while your engine is cold can reduce your car’s lifespan. 

Always remember that engines always require a little time  to heat up. 

12. Reckless driving

If you frequently  treat your vehicle like a race car, even when it is not built to race, your car’s engine and other components will be prone to excessive wear and tear. 

Aside from increasing the risk of a road mishap, aggressive acceleration and braking will not only increase your fuel consumption, but can also be harsher on the brake system, causing discs and pads to wear out more quickly.

If you would like your car to last longer, the key is to not be too rough with it. 

13. Banging through humps and potholes

Some drivers are reckless and not mindful of the condition of the roads they are driving on.

No matter how perfect your car’s suspensions are created, it will still break at some point if driven above the limit. 

Reckless driving through those potholes can also break the tires, wheels, rims and brake struts, too. 

So try to avoid potholes, bumps, and other obstacles on the road. 

If you can’t, then slow down and drive over them as carefully as you can. 

14. Missing maintenance and timely repairs

Missing professional services and timely repairs might eventually lead to having riddled with issues and damages to your car. 

Avoiding the replacement or repair of a component can eventually cost you a fortune as the engine fails under excessive pressure.

To make sure everything in your car is running smoothly,  you should have a professional mechanic inspect the condition of your vehicle at least twice a year, to ensure that everything is running smoothly.

15. Ignoring the early symptoms of trouble

Catching and addressing small issues with your vehicle early on, can often keep it from growing into a major problem that can end up into expensive repairs or replacement.

If you see your dashboard indicators turning on, it is alerting you of potential trouble.

When you feel or hear a strange rattle in your car, you should pay close attention to it and immediately identify the cause.

We’ve listed down the most common dashboard lights, as well as  weird car noises, and what they potentially mean.  

This should help you assess if it’s something you could fix or if your car is  already in need of professional help.

Car issues may not be obvious at first, but remember:  it’s better to be safe than sorry.

16. Avoiding the washing sessions

Why do we have to keep our car’s exterior clean if they are going to get dirty again anyway?

Well, keeping your car’s exterior clean will add some years to its presence.

Grime and grit can cause excess wear on the interior and exterior of a vehicle. Hence, washing your car regularly prevents sludge and debris build up, protects its paint, and reduces the likelihood of rust. 

It is also  worth noting to spray the underside of your car especially in winter to prevent the salt from eating away your chassis’ bare metal.

Lastly, it is simply easier to detect problems and damages on a clean car. 

17. Not driving it enough

Any unused machine for an extended period of time will eventually die out. 

Unused vehicles usually share the same fate: metal rust, uneven tire pressure, stale gasoline, oil engine residue  and poor car batteries.

If you want to store a car for a long period of time, you should store your car in a suitable, indoor location. 

Make sure you give it a good wash, and overfill the tires to keep their shape round. 

Remember to protect it from rodents. You may do so by placing peppermint-oil-soaked mothballs in the cabin, under the hood, and in the boot. 

You can also keep the battery alive by hooking it up to a trickle charger.