Biggest Myths About Maintaining Your Vehicle

As it’s one of the largest expenses we have in our lives, most of us prefer to take good care of our vehicles so that they last a long time. However, over time, a lot of misinformation and confusion has cropped up surrounding the right way to take care of a car. Some things just get said enough to the point where people automatically believe them. We’re here to bust a few of these myths so that your car actually lasts you a long time. Here are some of the biggest myths about maintaining your vehicle.

“It’s okay to drive on a spare tire for a long time”

As nice as it would be if this were true, spare tires don’t hold up well under that kind of pressure for a long time. In an ideal situation, you would only drive on your spare tire long enough to get your car into the shop for a replacement. Spare tires may be useful in a pinch, but they are not a real replacement for a proper new tire.

“You have to change your oil every 3,000 miles”

It’s one of the most prevalent car maintenance myths, but you only need to change your oil this often if you live in a particularly harsh climate—somewhere with a lot of dust or sand. Another reason you may need to change your oil this often is if you very regularly drive in stop-and-go traffic. For everyone else, you can go quite a bit longer than this without negative effects on your car. Try for around 7,000 miles per oil change instead.

“Higher-quality fuel is always better for your car”

The truth is that higher-quality fuel is really only useful for certain engines. High-quality cars have turbocharged engines that need the extra cleaners and such in higher quality fuel. However, most people’s cars will function perfectly fine with standard fuel.

“You must flush your transmission fluid every 50,000 miles”

A lot of modern vehicles now use transmission fluid that can last close to 100,000 miles. If you hear this from an auto shop, there’s a decent chance that they just want you to pay for a flush more often. Always check your car’s manual before blindly following what a mechanic is offering you.

American Modified knows that your car is important to you. That’s why we only sell the best Jeep and Honda aftermarket parts and accessories. When you want to go that extra mile for your vehicle, give us a call or check out our available parts in our online store.