Don’t Make These Car Care Mistakes Part Of Your Routine

If you’re in the habit of keeping your car clean and sticking to a routine car care schedule, then major props to you – not only will you have a reliable ride every time you hit the road, you’ll also have higher resale value when you turn around to sell it in a few years. Habitual car care is important, but it’s also important to ensure it’s the RIGHT type of habitual car care. Toyota of N Charlotte is here to talk bad car care habits that you should break (or not get into the habit of at all).

5 bad car care habits to avoid

Habit #1: Not filling your gas tank.

Are you in the bad car care habit of filling your gas tank a few dollars at a time? You may think it saves money because it’s such small increments, but it actually doesn’t. You’re wasting fuel by going to the gas station more often, and you could actually be causing problems with your fuel pump. Keeping your fuel pump submerged in gas helps to keep it cooler and preserve it so you can go longer without repairs or replacement.

Habit #2: Not using your parking brake regularly.

A lot of N Charlotte Toyota drivers think you should only use your parking brake when you’re parked on a hill. Not true! Using the parking brake actually helps to redistribute your car’s weight, which means your normal brakes last longer. You should put your parking brake into play every time you park your car as part of your car care routine.

Habit #3: Changing gears too quickly.

If you’re in the habit of shifting gears quickly (especially in an automatic and especially from reverse to drive), you could be doing damage to your car’s transmission. You should always ensure your car is stopped completely before you change gears.

Habit #4: Hitting the gas pedal too hard.

If you’re guilty of putting the pedal to the metal, it’s time to slow things down. Hitting the accelerator hard actually burns more gas, which means you get less fuel efficiency and have to spend more money on gas. It also does a number on your engine and drivetrain over time, which means more frequent maintenance and repairs.

Habit #5: Not cleaning out your trunk.

When was the last time you cleaned out your car trunk? If it’s been a while and things are looking full back there, it’s time to purge. Our Charlotte car care experts explained to us that keeping too much junk in the trunk can actually do damage to your car’s suspension and wear your brakes out more quickly. It also weighs your car down, which reduces fuel efficiency and results in higher fuel costs.

Build good car care habits with Toyota of N Charlotte

Let us help you get into good habits when it comes to your car care – call Toyota of N Charlotte today to get started at (704) 659-2025, or stop by and visit us at 13429 Statesville Road, just off I-77 at exit 23 in Huntersville.