4 Shocking Myths about Car Maintenance

If you’ve found yourself perusing the cars at your local Subaru dealers lately, looking for some great items in the Subaru used inventory, then you should be sure to learn about all the responsibilities of car ownership first. Anyone working at your local Subaru dealers shop will tell you that there are some crazy myths out there about car maintenance. For anyone who wants to know some more information about taking care of your car, here are some important truths behind common myths. Keep reading to find out some critical facts that everyone should know before buying a car from the Subaru inventory.

Myth #1: You need to get a professional oil change service for every 3,000 miles you drive. False!
Modern auto companies actually recommend that for newer vehicles, you don’t need to have an oil change this often. Subaru car dealers actually suggest that you only need to have the oil changed at 5,000 or 6,000 miles. If you’re wondering why this is, it’s because modern engines are higher quality and the oil used today is better suited for these cars and lasts longer before it needs to be changed. If you’re worried about taking this advice but want to know more, talk to your local Subaru dealers to see what they have to say.

Myth #2: The pressure listed on your tires is the pressure you should fill them to when you get air. False!
Look again and you should make sure to read the fine print, because the numbers on the tire specifically mention what the maximum pressure is, not the recommended pressure. You should definitely never exceed the numbers on the tire, but you also don’t need to fill it this high every time you get air. It’s a good idea to fill them a little less full than their maximum capacity, and this can even extend the length of your tires which can save you time and money.

Myth #3: If it is very cold outside, it’s necessary to let your car engine warm up for a few minutes before driving. False!
The only reason you would need to do this is for personal comfort, because it can be somewhat unpleasant to go for a morning cruise in a frigid car. It simply isn’t a requirement to warm up your engine prior to driving, because the only difference this makes is that warm air will be running through the inner engine pieces, which is important only if you are doing a lot of high impact driving, like speeding up very fast. You should probably take it easy in the morning anyway, so whether your engine is cold or not you shouldn’t go crazy fast. Still, if you want to be comfortable during your commute, it doesn’t do any harm to heat up the car before you get going.

Myth #4: Fuel additives can make your vehicle run smoother. False!
This myth began to get popular when companies that produce fuel additives started to spread the ideas that gasoline can get buildups of solids like dirt and rocks, and this can hurt your engine. It does kind of make sense, because gasoline is just oil extracted from the ground, which is filled with sediments and dirt. However, government regulations have specific laws that require gasoline companies to include special components that prevent harmful solids from forming in gas, so you don’t have to add these extra products yourself.