Taking good care of your car and, in this way, avoiding unnecessary damage, sometimes involves abandoning old habits that, at first glance, may seem harmless, but which actually contribute to reducing the vehicle’s useful life.
One example is the installation of hitches on rear bumper. Many people don’t know, but there are car models that cannot be equipped with the “ball”, unless it is exclusively for decorative purposes.
This is just one of the many things you should never do to your car again if you want to extend its useful life and, of course, avoid spending money unnecessarily. Here are three common mistakes:
Walking in “neutral”
One of the most common practices when driving is to put the car in “neutral” when going downhill, with the argument that it “save fuel”. But the truth is quite different.
In addition to not saving a drop of fuel, coasting in neutral, especially in automatic cars, can cause damage to the transmission and, consequently, huge losses for the car owner.
Top up the water in the radiator
Another common mistake that many people end up making is “topping up the water in the radiator”.
This practice, although it may seem harmless, is harmful, because tap water can cause corrosion and blockages in pipes. The correct procedure is to top up the tank with demineralized (or distilled) water, generally accompanied by the additive recommended by the manufacturer.
Hold the clutch on hills
The third item on the list of things you shouldn’t do with your car is aimed at those who drive vehicles with a manual transmission: hold the car on hills using the clutch.
This practice, despite allowing faster exit, can cause premature wear of the pressure plate and clutch disc. The result? Maintenance costs that could be avoided for much longer.
The ideal may seem strange, but it really is to use the handbrake.
