is revving your car bad

According to AAA, the average yearly cost of car repairs is $1,186. However, replacing your vehicle will set you back even more.

Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to prolong the life of your vehicle. We’ve gathered a list of ten habits that could be killing your car.

Is revving your car bad? Keep reading to find out the answer to this question and learn what else you may be doing that’s damaging your car.

1. Can You Put Off Oil Changes?

You may find yourself saying “I’ll change the oil this weekend.” Then the weekend rolls around, you get busy, and decide you’ll change it next weekend. Pretty soon, you don’t remember when you were supposed to change it.

As the oil moves through your car, it picks up dirt and pieces of debris from the engine. This is why it’s imperative to change your oil on time.

The most common problem caused by not changing the oil is the engine can overheat because of the added friction caused by dirty oil. As time goes by, this causes the engine components to warp and wear out.

2. Should You Ignore Noises?

Do not try to fix a noise in your vehicle by turning up the stereo. Most unusual sounds in a vehicle are indications of problems.

One example is with brake wear. It starts with a scraping or squealing sound when the brakes are near the end of their service life. Not paying attention to this sound could result in not being able to stop when you need to.

3. How Can You Know When to Replace Parts?

Proper periodic maintenance is essential to replace worn parts and identify small issues before they become expensive.

An example is the timing belt. Some manufacturers suggest replacing the belt after 60,000 to 100,000 miles. If the belt fails, your engine can self-destruct from the inside out, as bent and broken valves litter the inside of the engine block.

Take time to figure out when every part of your car needs to be replaced. Then, write it down on something you won’t lose and make sure you check it often.

4. For How Long Can You Put Off Repairs?

Repairs cost money, but putting them off can cost you even more. Changing an air filter might seem not important, but if it gets so clogged that it stresses your heater fan it will fail, you’re going to have an expensive repair bill.

In a word, you should never put off repairs any longer than absolutely necessary. If you have to, pay for repairs with a credit card or borrow money to make sure they’re done as soon as possible.

5. Can You Ignore the Check Engine Light?

Ignoring an illuminated check engine light can result in serious engine trouble and costly repairs.

A check engine light could indicate something as trivial as a loose gas cap. However, it may also mean there’s a significant safety problem if the repair is with the brakes or tires.

Always get a check engine light checked out as soon as possible to avoid having a small issue become a major problem.

6. Are You Driving Your Car Often Enough?

One of the worst things you can do to a car is not to drive it enough. If a car sits for too long, its battery can die, its gas will go stale, and its tires can become flat on one side.

Parking a car for a long time also invites critters to turn it into their own condo. It’s better to take an occasional drive to thoroughly warm it up, get its fluids flowing, and recharge its battery.

If you plan on letting a car sit for several weeks while you go on vacation, you should ask a friend to drive it at least once a week.

7. When Should You Worry About Leaks?

You should always worry about leaks. If there’s a rainbow soup of leaked fluids on the floor of the garage, your car is trying to tell you something.

You can tell a lot about your car’s problem by checking the color and feel of the fluid:

  • Black or brown oily feeling liquid is likely motor oil.
  • Red liquid is often transmission or power steering fluid.
  • A clear or brown slick liquid is probably brake fluid.
  • Coolant leaks are usually slimy yellow, green, or pink.

Many automotive fluids are highly poisonous to pets, so even if you don’t care about your car’s health, make sure your pets don’t get near any leaked fluids.

8. How Often Do Fluids Need to be Checked?

When was the last time you went out to check all of your car’s fluids? If it’s been a while, it’s time. Ideally, you would check fluid levels every time you drive. However, at least once a week is much more practical.

Many fluids are required for the operation and protection of vehicle systems and components. Without them, your engine can become damaged, so pick a day of the week and check your fluids on that day every week.

9. Is Revving Your Car Bad?

No matter how many Fast and Furious movies you’ve watched, you’ll probably never be able to drive like Dominic Toretto.

However, one thing is for sure. Hard acceleration strains a number of your car’s powertrain components, including pricey high-tech automatic transmissions. So, yes. Revving your car is bad for it.

The next time you want to drive fast or furiously, think about your car and the damage you may do to it or your wallet.

10. Does Oil Type Matter?

One of the easiest ways you can avoid killing your car is to use the right oil.

While 30-weight oil was once the standard, many new engines run on much thinner lubrication than older motors. If you don’t use the right oil, you can damage your engine.

Some automakers use synthetic oil because of its extended life, resistance to thermal breakdown, and more consistent performance in frigid temperatures. It’s also more expensive, which is why some drivers opt for cheaper conventional oil.

However, if you ignore the manufacturer’s recommendations, you run the risk of damaging your engine in the long run.

Learn More About Car Maintenance

Now you know the answer to the question “is revving your car bad?” and learned other ways you could be killing your car.

As you can see, it’s essential to start replacing bad habits and replacing them with good ones. This way, you can provide a long life to your vehicle and at the same time save yourself a ton of money on repairs.

If you want to learn more about why the light engine in your car is always on, read our post about why your check engine light is on.