subject: Car Care Myths & Realities [print this page] Seeking advice from friends, relatives and self-styled 'experts' can sometimes prove highly useful for helping you take care of your car, but you should always be cautious when trusting advice that seems intent on making you spend more money than you need to - or worse, could compromise your safety.
Like any other kind of myth, car care myths can be difficult to pin down to a precise origin, but their influence and staying power can be great. You might not recall where or when you heard that engine oil should be changed every 3,000 miles, or who told you this 'fact,' but like many nuggets of car care advice it simply isn't true. In fact, a quick glance at your car manual should inform you that you can drive much longer without needing an oil change, typically for 7,500 miles or more.
The source of many car care myths is likely to be advertisers and auto companies, who popularize the idea that getting unnecessary maintenance can make your vehicle more roadworthy. While it's true that keeping up with your servicing and maintenance can be beneficial, checking in more often than is required could actually cause some of your car's components to wear out more quickly, not to mention that you'll be spending a great deal more than you have to.
Similarly, some mechanics may try to persuade you to flush your radiator coolant every time you get an oil change, or even if you've just booked in for services like chip repair. Radiator coolant can last for a long time without needing to be replaced, usually for as long as five years or 60,000 miles, so anyone who tries to persuade you to change it more often is likely hoping to charge you a little extra.
Not all car care myths are spread by oil companies or business owners, however - some are just well-meaning attempts to look out for your safety. Others may be holdovers from previous decades that are no longer relevant to today's superior vehicles, such as the suggestion that you need to modify your car for every season.
While winter tires are still a useful or even essential requirement in colder areas, today's cars are designed to operate effectively year-round, and other than remembering to keep extra gas in the tank to offset the effects of freezing, you're usually best off trusting your own judgment when it comes to caring for your vehicle.
