Car Maintenance Myths

Are you throwing away hard-earned dollars on car maintenance you don’t need? There are many myths about car maintenance that people still believe. Knowing the truth can help you make better decisions about how to properly care for your vehicle. Here are four common car maintenance myths.

1. You must change the oil every 5,000 kilometres
This may have been true a long time ago, but modern vehicles that use oils are designed to operate for more than 5,000 kilometres between oil changes. In fact, some manufacturers recommend synthetic oil changes intervals varying from 8,000 km – 15,000 km.

Check your owner’s manual to determine at what interval to change your oil.

2. You should use premium gas because it’s best for all cars
Unless you have a high-performance sports car, then spending extra money on premium gas has no benefit. Most vehicles are designed to operate efficiently with regular, 87-octane gas.

Using premium won’t hurt, but you’ll see no improvement in performance or fuel-efficiency.

3. You should regularly flush your transmission oil
Synthetic transmission oil is pretty durable. Many service centres recommend flushing and replacing your transmission fluid every 60,000 – 80,000 km. The fact is, if your vehicle has synthetic transmission oil, without leaks, severe service operation, or transmission problems your transmission can go up to 160,000 km before needing a flush.

Check your owner’s manual to see what it says about transmission flushes. Cloudy fluid, a burnt look or odour and low fluid levels are signs to have your transmission system checked by a professional.

4. Your tires’ optimal PSI is the number on the tire
The pounds per square inch (PSI) number marked on the sides of your tires isn’t always the best pressure to drive with. Tire manufacturers put that number there to tell you the maximum pressure at which your tires can perform safely. Depending on road conditions and temperature, your optimum PSI may turn out to be below the number marked on the tire.

However, the manufacturer recommended tire pressure is often indicated on a sticker inside the front driver-side door and in the owner’s manual. Visit a professional if you notice your tires are losing pressure.

Car repairs and maintenance in British Columbia

It’s no myth that the technicians at Minit-Tune Brake & Auto Centres give honest advice and can steer you toward the best maintenance plan for your vehicle. We provide bumper-to-bumper service to help keep your vehicle running smoothly. Contact us today to schedule an appointment at one of our locations in the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Okanagan and Alberta.