8 habits that seem good, but are the reason why cars quickly "wear out"

1. Fill the tank to avoid having to fill up often.

Many people have the habit of filling up their car's gas tank, a full tank of fuel can weigh from 50 - 100kg depending on the car. Filling up the tank can help you go more kilometers before having to stop at a gas station. But if you only fill up half the tank, your car will be about 20 - 50kg lighter, fuel consumption can be reduced by about 3 - 5%.

2.Rest your hand on the gear shift(with manual transmission cars)

Putting one hand on the steering wheel and one hand on the gear lever while driving will certainly make the driver feel comfortable. However, this will create pressure on the gearbox's bearings and synchronizing machine, causing them to wear out quickly. Therefore, it is best to put both hands on the steering wheel to help the driver change gears and maintain control when having to turn the steering wheel suddenly without affecting the vehicle.

3. Continuous clutch disengagement

Many people mistakenly think that continuously disengaging the clutch will make the car run smoother and save more fuel. This is a mistake because it will unintentionally cause the clutch system to deteriorate quickly, the clutch pads to wear out quickly and the clutch pads to be damaged quickly. Continuously disengaging the clutch does not help the car save more fuel but also causes the car to break down faster. Even when stopping at a red light, many people still put the gear in and hold the clutch instead of having to shift to N and release the clutch to maintain synchronization as well as protect the clutch plate.

4. Turn the throttle to N when the engine is cold.

It’s not a bad idea to let your engine idle for a minute or two after a long period of inactivity. This warms up the engine and gets the oil circulating again. However, idling when the engine is still cold is not a good idea. While the roar from the exhaust sounds nice, the sudden change in temperature can damage the vehicle’s components. In addition, some parts of the engine that haven’t been lubricated in time will also corrode.

5. Leave fruit/perfume in the car to deodorize

When there is a bad smell in the car, many people buy perfume or fragrant fruit to put in the cabin. However, car owners who do this do not know that the source of the bad smell is still there and is still harmful to health, it can be dusty air conditioner filters, dirty air conditioner evaporators, moldy food and drinks, which need to be cleaned first. Not to mention, putting fragrant fruit or perfume can also create more bacteria and chemicals in the car cabin.

6. Clean your car when you have free time.

If you simply wipe off the water after washing, that’s fine, and that’s not the point. But if you wipe while the car is covered in dirt, it’s no different than damaging the paint. The dirt will stick to the towel, turning it into sandpaper and scratching the clear coat. Repeatedly, the car’s body will have many tiny scratches and lose its shine.

7. Wash the engine with high pressure water spray

Keeping the car clean is a good thing to do, however, if you spray water strongly into the engine, it will wash away the dirt but can cause important parts in the engine to loosen or pop out. Especially sensors, fuse boxes, relays, etc. If these devices are soaked in water, it will lead to electrical short circuits, etc. Therefore, everyone needs to clean the car properly to avoid counterproductive effects.

8. Use tarpaulin to protect from sun and rain

Using a sunshade and rain cover is beneficial for the car, that goes without saying, but a cover that covers the entire car can get dirty and scratched. If you have to park your car in the sun, or want to protect it when it rains, you can use a cover that only covers the glass, which is just as effective, because the heat gain and heat retention effect in the sun is mainly caused by the glass.

Ngoc Anh