Are you killing your car.

mcjordi

guilty on 5, sometimes 7.

Idiophreak

Hm, let me see...4, 5, 6 (depending on the definition of "too high"...), 7 and 10.

I contest 7, though - I kinda see what they're getting at, but I really don't put any force on the gear stick when it's resting there....

jrrowleyws

The gearstick takes vibrations from the gearbox. So if you rest your hand on it, you stop the vibrations on the stick which then makes the selector rods vibrate... and eventually they get damaged. apparently....

Conor_3

Number 4 and number 6 are just utter rubbish. The comment about an engine producing most of its power through the mid band is just utter tosh. You'll find on a petrol engine, it's about 500 RPM short of the redline.

vikingaero

On my own cars I drive them well, treat them sympathetically when cold, clean them each week.

On my company car I drive it hard and am less sympathetic mechanically. I certainly don't abuse it in any way and it hasn't been washed for about 4 months.

jaydeeuk1

My own car I certainly don't abuse. Hire cars on the other hand have been returned with the dash board lit up like Blackpool illuminations

candygirl

I'm guilty of them all.Had my car for 16 months and washed it twice:eek: :eek: :eek:

anewman

Guilty of 7 occasionally but only because in certain gears the gear stick does an annoying rattle. Have got the parts to overhaul the gear linkage. Just need some spare time to get the job done

Don't wash the car as often as I'd like, but it doesn't go any longer than 2 months without at least quick wash.

Regarding short journeys, I try to combine short journeys and get back to the car while it's still warmish to go to the next destination which I hope absolves me of that sin

suki1964

:AIm a wee angel:A

Actually not been driving long enough to get into any real bad habits and with the price of petrol and the amount of miles I do just to go about normal living and living miles from anywhere, I do tend to go easy on my car.

At 20,000 miles a year I need to give it all the help it can get

jonfev

Conor wrote: »

Number 4 and number 6 are just utter rubbish. The comment about an engine producing most of its power through the mid band is just utter tosh. You'll find on a petrol engine, it's about 500 RPM short of the redline.

Utter rubbish is a bit strong. You are partly right about where peak power is produced in the rev range but it depends on the make of engine. That said, the principle of point six is correct, basically if you rev the nuts off your car you will shorten it's life. Number 4 is also broadly correct and quite simply you are not. The majority of engine wear occurs when your engine is cold and to drive hard from cold increases this wear exponentially. I do hope I don't end up with one of your old cars!