Debunking myths to steer towards Happy, trouble-free motoring

If you’re a diligent car owner, you want your vehicle to be in perfect condition. But if you follow all the car maintenance advice out there, it’s easy to get confused.  

“There’s so much conflicting advice out there, it’s hard to know what’s best for your car,” says Johnny Pretorius, sales director of MotorHappy, a supplier of motor management solutions and car insurance options.

“Keeping your car in good working order throughout its lifetime depends on good car maintenance. However, there’s lots of car maintenance tips that might have made sense years ago, but new advancements in automotive technology have made these irrelevant.” 

Here, MotorHappy debunks the five most common car maintenance myths to help you save time, money, and effort: 

1: Warming up your car by letting the engine idle for several minutes 

This one is outdated. While this was certainly recommended for most vehicles built before 1995, modern engines warm up and cool down a lot quicker. With modern engines, the fastest (and best) way to warm up your car is to start driving gently. In other words, don’t rev the engine hard (keep below 3,500rpm) for the first few minutes. 

2: Engine oil should be changed every 4,500km

When it comes to maintaining your vehicle, it’s always advisable to check the owner’s manual rather than listening to outdated myths. If you want to keep your car’s engine in the best possible condition, have the oil changed as per the manufacturer’s guidance. 

3: Premium fuel can increase performance of my engine 

Most cars are made to run on regular grade fuel, so if your car doesn’t require premium petrol, fill up with regular. A recent notice from the US Federal Trade Commission said in most cases, using a higher-octane fuel than your owner’s manual recommends offers absolutely no benefit. It won’t make your car perform better, go faster, get better mileage, or run cleaner.  

Myth 4: Inflate the tyre pressure to the PSI figure written on the sidewall 

When inflating vehicle tyres, many of us think that the number on the tyre’s sidewall (psi) is the recommended air pressure. However, that psi figure is the maximum pressure the tyre will be able to hold safely. Make sure to check the recommended tyre pressure for your vehicle. It’s usually on a sticker on the driver-side doorjamb, in the glove box, or on the fuel-filler door. A wrongly inflated tyre can significantly affect handling, braking, and overall tire wear. 

Myth 5: You can wash your car with dishwashing or laundry detergent 

Using dishwashing or laundry detergent can strip the car’s paint because they’re designed to flush the grease off utensils and clothes. If you use it on your car, you might remove the protective wax or the clear coat on the vehicle. Stick with car washing liquids even if it means paying extra.