Joe Machens Body & Paint Center

Improve Your Driving and Reduce Wear and Tear on Your Car

I was in a cab the other day and the driver scared the heck out of me. He was darting in and out of traffic, changing lanes erratically and accelerating aggressively from every stoplight. I thought, wow this guy is really giving his vehicle a real beating and his repair bills must be crazy!

With our share of the worst roads in the U.S. right here in Columbia, MO, all of us here at Joe Machens Body & Paint Center want to share a few simple, common sense solutions for how to reduce the wear and tear on your car by driving smarter overall.

1.) Stay Clear of Potholes...if You Can

Reduce your speed for potholes or if possible, stay clear of them altogether. Potholes can cause significant damage to your car’s suspension, wheels and tires. When you hit a large pothole at fast speeds, your car’s suspension flexes very quickly, which adds a lot of undue wear to the struts and springs that make up the suspension.

2.) Give Yourself a Better Brake! 

If you’re not a racer driving on a race track, there’s no reason for you to be braking erratically and slamming on your brakes. If you're into the habit of mashing your brakes on a regular basis, you’re primarily wearing down your brake pads and rotors unnecessarily. Hard and abrupt braking creates friction and high temperatures, both of which can seriously harm your entire braking system, because they are not designed to withstand this type of abuse.

3.) Slow Down for Speed Bumps

Do you know have any idea of much it can cost you to repair or replace your car’s suspension system? It's not pretty, let's put it this way. Speed bumps are designed to slow vehicles down to sensible speeds, and they can wear out the struts of your car faster than you'd ever imagine.  

4.)  Ease In and Out of Driveways

If you want your car to remain healthy, take it easy when you're driving into or backing out of driveways. Excessive speed while turning in and out of driveways can damage your front and rear bumpers and suffer from scratching, scuffing and cracking that will eventually decrease its value.

5.) Slow Down, Lead Foot

By racing away from every stop sign or light, you are first burning a lot of fuel and in addition, stressing out your car in several ways. Lighten up on the gas pedal and you will immediately see that you're getting improved mpg and in the end and your car will last longer and perform better for you for the long run. 

Sources: NHTSA, AAA and MSN.com