Seven of the worst things you can do to damage your car

Driving ^ | Feb. 18, 2016 | Brian Turner

[rickmichaels]

For all the expense, worry, and inconvenience of automotive maintenance and repairs, you’d think we would know better. But time and again, we ignore or do certain things to our vehicles that will almost always drive repair bills into the stratosphere. And no matter how highly rated or reliable your daily drive is, no matter how “bullet proof” you think it might be, these very simple things will roll any vehicle into an early grave:

[Daffynition]

Oopsie...I’m on the wrong thread. Heh.

[Dust in the Wind]

Grew up in a large family and heard Dad say many times,"First check the oil and water, the gas will take care of itself."And then he would laugh. We lived many miles from town...pre cellphones.

[Hawthorn]

>> please remember to change the air in your tires come summertime as winter air is not good for summer driving <<

Right on!

And don’t buy gasoline in Canada, because they use litres — whereas American engines are built to run only on gallons.

[SgtHooper]

The muffler belts from the dealer never last like the ones from Autozone.

[BobL]

Driving in England, where virtually everyone drives on the WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD.

[BobL]

Driving in England, where virtually everyone drives on the WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD.

[Don W]

oil changes can go into the 10’s of thousands of miles with no worry.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!

It isn't that the oil "wears out". What happens is that the oil gets a buildup of acids and other contaminants and becomes detrimental to the engine internals.

Dino-oil doens't wear out either, but it gets full of crap. THAT's why you change the oil.

Then again, what do I know, I've only been a gearhead since the '60's.

[nascarnation]

Oils oxidize at high temperatures.

Synthetics oxidize at higher temps than petroleum based.

So depending on the operating temperatures of the application, oils may break down.

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/28966/oil-oxidation-stability

[eastforker]

At 30K my engine is a quart low, thats when the oil get changed and I am over 200k now. If you just do normal driving the engine does not work very hard and very litle blow by. Different story if your pulling heavy loads up and down hills. The old engines of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s had very wide tollerances unlike todays engines.And the new synthetics are quite good at doing their job.

[Don W]

Wow, you’re quick! Nonetheless, I stand by what I said: it’s not the age, but the crap that matters.

[eastforker]

True, as long as the engine doesn’t overheat or run abnormaly high, synthetics last a long time.

[Cementjungle]