Like we all have different personalities, we also have different driving styles.
But did you know that your style of driving has a direct impact on your car?
HERE’S HOW
1. Driving in the wrong gear
Driving in the wrong gear puts a lot of strain on your engine and gearbox. Plus it wastes fuel.
Tip: If you drive a manual car, shift to a higher gear as soon as the car is comfortable, but don’t accelerate harder than usual. With an automatic, gears will shift up more quickly and smoothly if you ease back slightly on the accelerator once the car gathers momentum.
2. Erratic driving
Braking and accelerating hard results in higher fuel consumption as well as faster tyre tread wear.
Tip: Keep a good distance between you and the car in front, that way there’s less of a chance you’ll have to brake suddenly.
3. Not letting your car warm up
When your car is cold, especially during winter, its oil becomes thicker which makes it more difficult to move around the engine. This puts a lot of strain on your engine.
Tip: Let your car idle for 30-60 seconds when you start it up.
4. Driving around too much weight
A heavy load consumes more fuel, plus if you drive around with more weight than your car can handle it can wear the engine out faster.
Tip: Check your vehicle manual if you’re unsure about how much weight your car can carry.
5. Bad driving conditions
This is not really a driving style, but your day-to-day driving conditions have a serious impact on your car. Dirt roads, colder climates, dry climates and bumpy roads can all affect your tyres, wheel alignment, engine and shock absorbers.
Tip: To help you identify any issues, come for a free 10-point safety check at you nearest Hi-Q.
