Fact or Fiction? 4 Vehicle Maintenance Myths You Mistakenly Believed

You may have heard of numerous sayings about the upkeep of your car. Some of it involves the steel tube rack of your sports vehicle as well as tips on how to keep that radiator running efficiently. But are any of these myths really worth listening to? Are any of these myths real at all? The following four myths sure aren’t!

Warm Up Your Car Before Driving

It depends on the car you’re driving. For example, if you own a classic car like a 1967 Chevy Camaro then do warm up your car as older vehicle models had carburetors which needed some heating up to be able to work well before you can hit the road. But with today’s vehicles, ignore that step unless you want to waste some ten minutes of your time and your car’s precious gasoline. You see, vehicles manufactured in the late 80s to the present day had their carburetor replaced with an electronic fuel injection mechanism which does not need any warming up. So what are you waiting for? Rev up and drive on!

Change Your Motor Oil Every 3,000 Miles

This rumor is no way true in any sense. It is so mythological that there is even a Wikipedia page dedicated to it. Why do people believe this myth anyway? In the 70s, the oil industry was just beginning to prosper—scientists were just beginning to really explore the abilities of oil. With the quality of motor oil back then, 3000 miles was pretty sufficient. But with the evolution of the oil industry these days, you should no longer follow that 3,000-mile rule. In fact, with some motor oils you can just double that number or change your oil five times the old number: 15,000 miles is the limit with today’s modern motor oils. To be safe, though, best contact your car manufacturer to know when to change that motor oil.

Go for Premium Gas

Here’s the thing: many people believe that switching to premium gas will make their vehicle go faster and the engine run smoother. But it doesn’t! If your car does not need premium gasoline, then do not go for it. You will just be wasting your money for something that you do not need. Vehicles that do need high octane or high quality gasoline are usually those with high compression engines, such as sports cars. Do note that most car manufactured have low compression engines so regular gas will do just fine.

Wash Your Car Using Dishwashing Detergents

Hold it! Before you raid your cupboard for that big bottle of dishwashing fluid, know that you are just wasting a lot of money. Despite what you may think, dishwashing fluid is a definite no-no when it comes to washing your car. In fact, it can only damage your expensive paint job as dishwashing liquid can strip the wax finish off the paint. Treat your ride like a baby and take it to a well-trusted car wash if you want it clean and spotless.

Don’t just believe anything people say about cars ‘cause if you, you’d risk spending tons of money needlessly and damaging your sweet ride. Remember the myths stated above and you’ll be able to avoid stress in the long run.