Other than your house, your vehicle is probably your biggest financial investment. Not only does this mean that you rely on it to get you where you need to go, but you’re solely responsible for keeping it running the way it should. Read here to find out why your poor driving habits can actually affect the lifespan of your current vehicle, and how you should change them to lessen the damage.
Read More: Your Spring Maintenance Checklist
3 Bad Driving Habits that Ruin Your Car
Brakes
Are you in the habit of constant “stop and go” driving? Quickly accelerating after a stop only to have to hit the brakes again a few seconds later. While we can’t always avoid sitting in slowly moving traffic, constantly putting pressure on your gas and brakes will strain both systems. Instead, focus on slow acceleration between stops and easing your vehicle to a stop instead of coming to a full stop quickly.
If you’re stuck in a traffic jam for long enough, it might actually be best to just turn your vehicle off; thus taking the pressure off the brakes system.
Electronics
When you leave your vehicle’s electronic systems (stereo, headlights, etc) on while the vehicle isn’t running, you are slowly stealing energy from the battery. While you can jolt your battery back to life in a pinch, it’s better not to let this important power source become fully drained.
You can avoid letting the battery drain completely by starting your car every 15 minutes or so whenever you need to use your headlights or stereo without the vehicle running.
Suspension
Your suspension is made to help your vehicle transport heavy loads, and even tow trailers. However, it’s a good idea to only carry the amount of weight that your vehicle was built to handle. The strain from prolonged heavy weight on the vehicle can result in a worn out suspension and expensive repairs down the road.
Another great thing to try and remember is to come to a complete stop whenever you are shifting your vehicle from drive into reverse or vice-versa. Shifting while you are in motion can result in transmission issues.