Five unnecessary mistakes that wear out the car

Having the wrong tire pressure, neglecting service, or handling the gearbox incorrectly are some of the most common mistakes many people make with their car. Ahead of this summer's car holiday, we have therefore produced a list of common mistakes and how to avoid them.

Summer is just around the corner and many people will soon be hitting the roads to get to their summer homes, relatives and swimming spots. At the same time, many people may forget to check the condition of their car. Below we list common mistakes and tips for solutions that will extend both the joy of the holiday and the life of the car.

1. Incorrect tire pressure

Regularly checking the air pressure in your car tires is a good start to reducing the risk of unnecessary wear. Both too low and too high pressure can wear out your tires. Too low a pressure also increases braking distance and fuel consumption, making driving both unsafe and less economical. The recommended air pressure is usually in your car's owner's manual. If you don't have access to it, you can also look in the car's door frame for the correct tire pressure!

2. The wrong car for your needs

If you drive a lot of short distances on a cold engine, it may be a good idea to avoid a diesel or petrol car in some cases. A car powered by fossil fuels does not do well with cold starts, which can instead result in damaged exhaust pipes and destroyed diesel particulate filters. Instead, invest in an electric car that is both environmentally friendly and better suited for shorter distances. Does that sound drastic? Drive longer distances from time to time and use an electric engine heater in the winter to reduce the number of cold starts.

3. Irregular service

It may sound counterproductive to take your car to a repair shop to avoid high costs. But the fact is that regular service reduces the risk of sudden and unnecessarily expensive interventions. Taking your car to a repair shop once a year is a good rule of thumb. If you want to find out the service intervals for your particular car, it is usually stated in the service booklet that comes with it.

4. Careless shifting

Overusing the clutch in a manual car can cause unnecessary wear. Avoid holding the clutch down when you're in traffic, for example. Disengaging and using the brakes is much gentler on your car.

5. Tips for automatic transmission

Even cars with automatic transmissions benefit from careful handling of the gearbox. If your car with automatic transmission is heavily loaded, you should avoid creeping along. This risks wearing out the plates in the gearbox. If you find yourself in a traffic jam, you should instead leave a gap for the car in front and accelerate in turns.

Another tip: do not leave your car in "Park" without applying the parking brake, this may result in having to repair or, in the worst case, replace the gearbox.

You brake too much or too little

Some brake too little, others too much.

• Problem: Brakes too little/too softly. This can lead to the surface rust not disappearing which in turn may lead to the brake discs needing to be replaced.

  Solution: Drive according to the speed limit and do a controlled braking at least once every two weeks. This way you maintain your brake discs.

• Problem: Braking too much/too hard. Braking hard very often can also wear out the brakes.

  Solution: Plan your driving and brush up on your Ecodriving skills and you will find that your brake pads do not need to be replaced as often.