As with most industries, the car world has its own version of Chinese whispers. Unfortunately, it’s often hard to determine what’s true and what’s false. Follow the wrong advice and you could suffer real-life consequences.
So, what are some of the most common car maintenance myths?
Premium fuel is better for your car and will improve its performance
This myth can be both true and false, depending on the car you drive. The cheaper petrol fuel has to meet quality standards, so won’t actually harm your vehicle’s engine; however, if you have a car with a big engine, the premium option is best as it can make for a smoother and potentially even faster drive. If you drive a car with an average-sized engine, choosing premium fuel will cost you more without the added benefits – it makes absolutely no difference to the cars’ performance in this case.
Roll down the windows instead of using the air conditioner for better fuel economy
Some people believe that rolling down the windows is better than blasting the air conditioning to keep your car cool. It’s thought that this reduces the amount of fuel consumed, however it actually makes little difference to fuel efficiency.
You need to change your oil every 3,000 miles
Although this used to be the case, nowadays how often you need to change your oil depends on the manufacturer. Schedule your oil changes based on your owner’s manual recommendations – otherwise you might as well pour your money down the drain.
Vehicle servicing at independent repair shops will void your warranty
Many people assume that you should have your car serviced at the dealership while it’s under warranty, and that going elsewhere will void it. It’s in the dealerships best interest to make people believe this; however, it’s not true. Any VAT registered garage can work on cars under warranty – just save your receipts to prove what was done and how much it cost. As long as the garage you go to sticks to the maintenance specified in the owner’s manual and does it at the correct times, your warranty will stay intact.
There are lots of motoring myths out there, some harmless, others that could cause serious damage to your car. Hopefully the above will save you some grief!