Resting your hand on the gear stick, ignoring the handbrake, and revving the engine prematurely are just some of the ways you can harm your car without even realising it. Graham Conway, Managing Director of UK car and van leasing website, Select Car Leasing, said: “We all know how to take care of our cars, checking tyre pressure and tread, regular MOTs and keeping them topped up with fuel.
“But what many people don’t realise is the damage they are causing in their everyday use. The good news is that these things are easy to rectify once people become aware of what they are doing wrong.”
Being in the wrong gear
‘Lugging’ – aka being in too high a gear at too low a speed – actually strains the engine and can damage your cylinder heads, leading to expensive repairs. Cruising in a gear that’s too low for your speed can cause unnecessary strain, too.
Mr Conway said: “Listen to the noises your engine is making, these are often a good indicator for being in the wrong gear.”
Slamming on the brakes
Occasionally, motorists need to make an emergency stop. But constantly going for the brakes can wear down and even damage your brake pads and rotors. Mr Conway said: “Watch your speed and ensure there’s enough space between you and cars in front so you don’t have to brake so often.”
Ignoring your handbrake
Automatic car owners might be tempted to leave their car in the ‘park’ mode, rather than putting their handbrake on. But this puts a lot of pressure on one part – a little piece of metal – to keep your vehicle in place. Using your handbrake will even the load.
Not warming up
When you first start your engine, the oil pump circulates oil around the system, which can take a few seconds. Select Car Leasing’s Mr Conway explained: “Imagine waking up and doing a sprint right away, it’s asking for injury. It’s the same with your car, wait 10 seconds between starting the ignition and driving off.”
Hovering your foot over the clutch
When your foot is lingering around the clutch pedal, you might not realise when you’re slightly putting your weight on the pedal and engaging the clutch while you’re driving. Mr Conway said: “A constantly engaged clutch can cause surfaces to rub together, wearing down, and potentially damaging the release arm, bearing and pressure plates.”
Resting your hand on the gear stick
While having one hand on the wheel and one on your gear stick might make sense for changing gears quickly, the constant weight on this crucial lever can cause damage to its syncronisers and brushings, causing the gearbox to deteriorate quicker.
Mr Conway said: “If you’re a driver who likes to rest their hand on the gear stick when you’re not using it, consider how this could be impacting your car.”
Select Car Leasing is one of the UK’s largest independent specialists for car and van leasing. Established in 2004, the team has supplied vehicles to thousands of satisfied customers across the UK.