Car maintenance myths to leave behind in 2022

Myths…they’re like old habits, they die hard. When something new comes in, speculations about it arise and some survive the test of time. This is the course most myths take whether in the automotive industry or in other fields.

Myths can be fun, but sometimes they become the source of disasters and unnecessary expenses, or they could stop you from fully enjoying your car’s capacity. Read on to find out some car myths everybody should stop believing by now.

Changing your oil… filters, and coolant

Trips to the mechanic may be few and far between which is why it is common to get multiple maintenance tasks done in one go. Well, it seems like you’re saving time and money by doing this one other thing (or two) while you’re at it, right? However, you don’t have to.

You may save on time, yes, but changing the oil doesn’t mean it’s time to drain other fluids and replace other parts. It’s still best to consult your car’s manual to check the recommended duration to change these things. Based on the manual, schedule your regular mechanic visits. You may be spending more money by often replacing what doesn't need to be replaced.

Warm up your car before you drive in winter

It is an age-old practice to warm up your car for some time before you start driving in winter. Well, it’s partly true, but that’s mostly for old vehicles. Thanks to modern internal combustion engines and fuel injection systems, the fastest way to warm up your car now is to actually drive it.

The old practice of warming up the engine is because of carburetors, the predecessor of fuel injectors which slowly replaced them since the 1960s. Carburetors need time to reach a certain temperature to function properly and supply fuel and air to the engine.

Of course, flooring your car right away isn’t a good idea, too. Slowly accelerate from parking and your engine will be warm enough soon.

Premium gas will make your engine perform better

For most people, the default thinking is that when something is more expensive, it should be better than its regular counterpart. Well, not really. There’s been a ton of research saying that you don’t actually need premium gas to make your engine performance better, the extra spending is unnecessary. That is… if your car’s manual says you just need regular gas (or even when it says premium is recommended). Normal vehicles that don’t require the use of premium gas won’t get benefits from it, it’s designed for cars that need the less combustible type of fuel. Keep the extra cents in your savings.

You save on gas if you fill up in the morning

Waking up early sure has a lot of benefits but saving on gas money isn’t one of them. This myth came from the fact that gas is denser when the air is cooler. However, the temperature of the gas you get from your favorite stations doesn’t change significantly regardless of the time of day. So no, it’s not worth your early morning alarm.

Ever heard of these myths? Guilty of doing them? No worries. They are not entirely unfounded, some of them are just outdated.