Good Driving Habits
What You Can Do to Protect Your Vehicle
Automotive professionals are always trying to teach drivers about the benefits of regular maintenance. While it’s true that visiting an expert every so often can keep your vehicle healthy, isn’t there anything you can do to protect it that doesn’t cost money? In addition to service schedules, there are some good driving habits you can adopt to protect your wallet and vehicle from auto repairs. Keep reading to learn the tips from the pros at Dave’s Ultimate Automotive in Pflugerville, Texas!
Stop All the Way & Save Your Transmission
When you back out of a parking space or pull into your driveway, do you shift while your car is still rolling? Switching between “Park,” “Drive,” or “Reverse” before your car has completely stopped is bad for the transmission. It wasn’t designed to shift gears while the vehicle is moving. To help your transmission last longer, and avoid costly repairs, stop completely before you start or stop driving.
Slow Down for Speed Bumps & Spare the Suspension
Is your commute home from work littered with speed bumps? They’re just in the way of you getting home quickly! Instead of seeing speed bumps like an obstacle on a racecourse, view them for what they are -- a potential wrecker of your car’s suspension. If you hit speed bumps, potholes, or other uneven surfaces quickly, it can seriously damage the suspension system, which means you’ll need expensive repairs to restore the car’s driveability. Slow down to evade repairs!
Use the Parking Brake, That’s Why It’s There
Are you someone who uses the parking brake every time you park? Good! That’s what you’re supposed to do! Shifting into “Park” with the transmission is important, but it wasn’t designed to hold the full weight of the vehicle for long periods. That’s what the parking (emergency) brake is for. Engage it every time you get out of your car to get the most out of your brakes and transmission. If you want to get extra detailed, make sure you engage the brake before shifting into “Park” or before letting your foot off the brake pedal to ensure the parking brake takes on the strain first.
Want more car maintenance tips? Keep reading the information shared by the experts at Dave’s Ultimate Automotive or visit our shop in Pflugerville, Texas, to speak with us! We’d be happy to tell you what we know.