For many individuals, the inner workings of their vehicle remain a mystery, and over the decades this confusion has led to numerous auto repair myths and misunderstandings. These myths can be strongly held by a large group of people and they have come about for many different reasons.
What may have once been true about the regularity of specific maintenance in the past may no longer hold true due to advancements in technology and manufacturing. This can lead to myths about how often certain fluids need to be changed or parts need to be replaced. Then there are myths that have been passed down from one generation to the next simply because they make sense on the surface, but with a little deeper look prove to be completely untrue.
As a vehicle owner, it is important to know what is true and what is patently false when it comes to auto repair. While some myths can be fairly innocuous and only affect habits, others can be extremely pernicious and lead to costly car repairs. Cassels Garage has been repairing vehicles in West Melbourne for over 50 years. Our highly trained mechanics have seen and heard it all in that time, and we’d like to help set straight some of these commonly held myths once and for all.
1. Cheap Gas Can Be Harmful to Your Engine
On the surface, it would seem to make sense that if you pay a little extra for the “good stuff” at the gas pump that you’ll help prevent damage that can be caused by lower quality alternatives that may contain impurities that can be harmful to your vehicle’s engine. After all, in most cases you get what you pay for when it comes to auto-related items and services. Typically if a car is more expensive it means that it has probably been manufactured using dependable high quality parts. Likewise, higher priced oil tends to perform better than lower priced options. And to some degree, more expensive gas can be more beneficial than its less expensive counterpart because the former contains additives such as cleaners and protective agents. However, lower priced gas is not harmful to your engine. All fuel is regulated by the government and must pass specific standards that insure that it does not include things that can actively harm your vehicle’s engine. The bottom line is that you can rest easy no matter which octane of gas you select at the pump.
2. There Is No Longer a Need to Ever Change Your Car’s Oil
The myth of not needing to change your vehicle’s oil is a newer fallacy born out of the growing awareness that synthetic oil lasts much longer than its predecessor. When someone hears that their oil can last up to 10,000 miles their mind automatically begins to incorrectly assume that oil changes really aren’t necessary anymore. Without question modern-day oil and engines are extremely impressive and are able to endure more neglect than in the past. However, that does not mean that your engine is bulletproof and immune to breaking down. Oil provides lubrication to various parts of an engine and over time the lubricating effect of the oil lessens. When an engine is no longer well lubricated the parts begin to wear out more quickly and that leads to expensive automotive repairs. So, even if your oil only needs to be replaced every 10,000 miles, regular fluid changes are still vital to keeping your car running properly.
3. Automatic Transmissions Are Not as Efficient as Manual Transmissions
This is actually an example of a myth that was true in the past, but no longer is correct. Decades ago automatic transmissions were poorly designed and inefficient. When compared to a manual transmission, early automatic transmissions were far less fuel-efficient and overall were outperformed by their manual peers. However, over the years the development of automatic transmissions has become exponentially more refined. Today automatic and manual transmissions are more or less equal with regard to fuel efficiency and other benchmarks.
4. Regular Vehicle Maintenance Is No Longer Needed
This myth is in some ways connected to the myth of no longer needed to have your vehicle’s oil changed. While it’s true that most vehicles are built more efficiently and dependably than in the past, there are still a multitude of components that need to be maintained. Higher quality parts and manufacturing techniques can’t prevent your tires from being knocked out of alignment. Your brakes still wear down over time. The various components of a vehicle’s engine need to be checked to make sure that they are functioning properly. There are a plethora of reasons why regular vehicle maintenance is still a necessity, and while a mechanic isn’t always needed, many aspects of vehicle upkeep go beyond the cursory inspection that most individuals perform. Taking your vehicle in for scheduled maintenance makes it far more likely that small issues will be discovered before they become bigger problems.
Cassels Garage Is Here to Help
Hopefully we’ve done our part to debunk some of these commonly held auto repair myths. At Cassels Garage we take great pride in helping car owners keep their vehicles running smoothly. If you have any questions about your automobile or are in need of automotive repairs feel free to contact us today. Our knowledgeable mechanics are here to help. 32
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