Mechanics Share the Most Common (and Costly) Car Care Mistakes People Make

Cars, cars, cars. They make life easier until something happens and they become the bane of your existence. The widespread presence of mechanics, detailers, and auto repair shops makes it seem like solving car problems is out of reach for the laymen. While this may be true for more serious issues, many problems with your car can be solved with some basic knowledge and the confidence to see it through.

Mechanics make their money off of your vehicle ignorance. At the same time, there are many car problems mechanics know can be solved at home. Regular maintenance of your car's fluids, tire treads, and belt quality takes a bit of time but can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. Let's learn about some common car care mistakes that people make. (For mileage strategy, discover 10 tips to get the most out of a tank of gas.)

To compile a list of common car care mistakes that people make, 24/7 Tempo consulted automotive and business sites like TwistedSifter.com, Farm Bureau Financial Services, and Reddit.com. Next, we selected tips that give the best chance of fixing your car at home. After that, we confirmed aspects of our research using sites like VikingMotors.ca and Huffpost.com.

Perhaps it's a generational thing but many people these days have a latent fear of opening their hoods and seeing what's going on inside their cars. The engine compartment can look intimidating with a glance but a quick check of the owner's manual and you should be able to find all the important fluid tanks with ease. It's unlikely you'll need to change coolant, antifreeze, or power steering fluid but it helps to check their levels.

For fluids like oil, you probably won't be able to see the tank itself, but you should be able to find the dipstick. Pull it out and check the oil level. If it's low or springing leaks, you'll probably need to take it into the shop. If the oil looks murky, especially after an oil change, it might be cause for concern. Not all things can be done at home but regularly checking your fluids can give you a more well-rounded sense of your car's health.

Let's say you just bought a new car. You're enjoying the feel of it on the road, all the cool dashboard features, and that unmistakable new car smell. Delving into the car's inner workings right off the bat may seem to take the romance out of the experience. Doing this, however, can open up new horizons of car-driver connection. Every car is different, and by proxy, so is their maintenance.

After you take your new car out for a test drive, flip open the owner's manual and get a sense of the specifics; what type of oil the car takes how often it needs to be changed, what type of gas is ideal, and how often things like timing belts need to be replaced. These may seem like ancillary concerns but knowing the right gas, for example, is imperative. Filling your tank with the wrong type of gas or changing the oil to the wrong kind can spell out costly repairs down the line. Furthermore, using the wrong gas for long enough can void your warranty. That's why it's best to get a sense of the car's fundamentals.

The warning lights that come up on your dashboard are like an oracle. However cryptic these omens may appear at first glance, heed their warnings, as they can tell you exactly what problems are happening in your car. Consult the user manual to specify what the warning might be. Many people see a check engine light on their dash and ignore it. This can be a classic mistake, as whatever problem made the warning light ping won't go away with wishful thinking. The warning lights are there for a reason, and if they pop on, you can bet something is wrong. It could speak to a serious issue but at the same time, it may be an easy and superficial fix. Chances are, whatever it is will only get worse until it's looked at by you or a professional mechanic.

Many mechanics and car repair shops make their bread and butter from tune-ups. However, that doesn't mean you need to pay for simple diagnostics. Instead, set a regular date and time each month to give your car a checkup. The process is simpler than you expect. Furthermore, if you have the right tools it makes a diagnostic even easier.

If you don't own one, buy an affordable tire gauge to check the air in your tires. Inspect your tires closely. This way you can see if there are any leaks or erosion to the treads. Once those look good to go, look at your battery and spark plugs to make sure they are free of any buildup or fluid deposits. Finally, start your car and listen closely for any strange sounds. Just like that, you've done it, you've given your car a regular diagnostic without breaking the bank.

Let's say you're driving along and notice some imbalance or roughness to your ride. We tend to listen intently, notice a problem, but pray it away hoping it is an anomaly and not a widespread problem. This type of thinking may be comforting at the moment but does not bode well for your car in the long run. These types of issues usually speak to your car alignment.

If your car is riding rough, it probably speaks to an issue with your wheels. That's why it's important to get your tires rotated and balanced regularly. This will ensure a constant, smooth ride. When the alignment of your wheels is off, everything from steering to equilibrium can be affected. If you're struggling to keep your car steered in a straight line, don't panic. It's another relatively easy fix, but it requires some reading in the car's manual.

No one likes getting an oil change. It requires making an appointment, taking your car to the shop, and sitting in uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room for at least an hour until your car is ready. The process may drag on and inconvenience your schedule but oil changes are utterly necessary. Luckily, modern cars and innovations in oil technology give you more leeway in terms of oil changes.

You don't need to get your oil changed every 3,000 miles, but you do every 10,000 miles, and every 8,000 miles to be on the safe side. Plus, if you make lots of stops in your daily drives, you probably need to get oil changed more often than others. It may be a minor headache but it pales in comparison to outright oil problems.

Many aspects of your car can be fixed with simple troubleshooting. Take your windshield wipers, for example. Most of the year, you practically forget they even exist. Then winter comes, bringing rain and storms with it. You turn on your handy windshield wipers, but they drag. Then your windshield wipers begin leaving streaks on your windshield.

Don't throw up your hands, it won't fix the problem. Simply swap the older wipers out for new ones. Of all the tips on this list, changing windshield wipers might be the easiest fix. Plus, streaky windshield wipers make driving riskier, and anything that adds danger to your drive isn't worth the dollars. Don't hand it off to a mechanic either, just replace them for a few dollars. This little investment will save you time, money, and stress.

With engine blocks evolving into solid, impenetrable masses and mechanic shops everywhere, we end up taking our car in to be serviced for every little problem. Why try to fix it when the experts can take care of it sight unseen? That kind of thinking makes sense, but only up to a certain point.

A few lessons at YouTube University can show you how many aspects of your car are DIY fixes. Smaller mechanisms in your car, like filters for cabin air or engine air, can easily be fixed at home with slight instruction. These tasks seem intimidating but after a few practice runs, you'll almost feel like a mechanic yourself. Plus, each home fix will compound savings. (For those looking to go cross-country, here are some questions to answer before going on a road trip.)

With anything in life, we tend to put off the little problems so long they grow into big problems. Car maintenance is no different. Let's say your timing belt is getting worn out. It's still drivable, so you put on your horse blinders and secretly hope you can just drive the problem away. The problem appeared a few weeks previous, you ignored it, and the car still seems fine. Resting on your vehicular laurels has worked so far, so why not keep at it?

Then a couple of months down the road, your timing belt outright fails. Now, the worn timing belt that would have cost you a few hundred dollars to fix weeks ago has become a failed timing belt, costing you thousands of dollars. That's why it's better to fix even the slightest problems when they arise. Don't wait until your car breaks down because it might cost you your whole paycheck and the ensuing headache of taking a taxi back and forth from the mechanic.

On average, cars require new brake pads every 50,000 miles. Your car may be different but that doesn't mean you should ignore any issues with your brakes. Let's say you're driving along, minding your own business, when you hit the brakes for a stoplight and feel a strange thud. At first, you think nothing of it, until you come to another stoplight and when you hit your brakes they emit a strange grinding sound, like two metal blocks forced together. This type of issue should not be ignored. It may mean your brake pads are wearing out. If you don't get this issue checked out immediately, it could seriously damage your brake rotors.

If you're feeling adventurous and have a little car knowledge in your back pocket, look inside the wheel compartments where they meet the axles. When the metal calipers look worn out or damaged, your brake pads are probably on life support and begging for a makeover. Let's say instead of grinding, your brakes squeal. Don't panic, as that is a built-in sign your brakes are failing. If, by chance, you hear that squealing you can assume that your brake pads are down to their last 10% of usability. In that case, see a mechanic immediately. Otherwise, you may have to shell out thousands of dollars.

Let's say you have several cars in your driveway, with two being your favorites that you regularly drive. That least favorite car, the old station wagon, has now sat there unused, leaking bits of oil and collecting dust for months. Finally, you come around to driving it and are hit with several problems at once. Cars not driven for extended periods often accumulate problems such as flat-spotted tires and dead batteries.

For these reasons, you must drive your car at least every couple of weeks, even if it's just a few miles. This will keep the battery charged. Furthermore, a few miles on the road will wake up the car's important systems like climate control, transmission, steering, brakes, and suspension. For the more advanced car enthusiast, there is a strategy called the Italian tune-up, and it's fun too. An Italian tune-up is when you take your car out on the highway and put the pedal to the medal, really flooring the accelerator until you hear the engine growl. This speed-racing tactic will eject all the gunk and debris that's been piling up in your tailpipe. You'll find your car runs better, and with a cleaner sound, almost instantly.

Washing your car may seem like the most superficial of strategies but you'd be surprised how neglecting your car's hygiene can spell increasingly serious trouble down the road. Some people wash their cars, as a rule, every week or more. Others, however, refuse to clean their car until it resembles a patch of dirt more than a shiny automobile. Whatever your tendency in this department, it's best to clean your car regularly.

When cars aren't washed, dirt, grime, and other minerals can build up to such a degree that it damages your paint job. When even a serious rainstorm can cause damage to your paint job, it's best to regularly clean your car and save money on repairs. Furthermore, muddy tires can cause accidents all too easily. Plus, if you ever want to resell your car, steady washing will increase its look, feel, and price tag.

While this article has trumpeted the merits of fixing your car yourself, truth be told, some things are better left to the professionals. If car problems have inspired a hobbyist streak in you, you probably feel more comfortable getting under the hood and finding out what's wrong. For those with a little vehicular know-how, some problems might be easy to spot and fix. If you don't know what you are doing or are just trying to save money, however, it's best to leave the more complex issues to professionals.

Let's say you notice a problem and attempt a fix but nothing is working. You shouldn't keep tinkering on it until you cause a disaster. Cars are complex machines with intricate mechanical and electric mechanisms. Working on aspects of your car that seem beyond your reach will cause you even more headaches. If you find yourself in a similar predicament, perhaps it's best to compare how much money you'll save working on it yourself versus how much it will cost you if you make the problem worse. When all else fails, take it to a trusted mechanic. They will be able to remedy problems that even the best amateur car fixer can't solve. (For domestic matters, learn common kitchen mistakes and how to fix them.)