There are dozens of automotive fallacies. Oddly, people believe – and in some cases, act upon – them, even when doing so is against their own interest. For example, many drivers still assume that overfilling their tires will help maximize their fuel efficiency while minimizing tread wear (both are false). Others continue to warm their vehicles for several minutes before hitting the road, thinking they’re preserving the life of their engines (unnecessary with today’s cars).

While there’s no way we can debunk all of the car-related fallacies that persist, we can clarify a few of them. In this article, we’ll focus on five specific truisms that may be leading you down the wrong path.

1 – “All-Weather Tires Provide Better Traction”

Tires that are designed to be driven throughout the year are equipped with treads that offer a reasonable amount of traction on both dry and wet roads. But in order to do this, they must sacrifice traction in each circumstance. That is, to provide traction on dry roads, they must forfeit traction on wet roads. And vice versa.

Winter tires will provide more traction on wet roads. If you live in an area that receives very little rain, all-weather tires should be sufficient.

2 – “I Should Downshift When I Want To Slow Down”

Those who drive vehicles equipped with manual transmissions often downshift in order to slow down. Some do it because they were taught it’s the proper way to drive a manual tranny. Others do it to extend the life of their brakes.

First, the only reason to shift down through the gears is so your transmission will be in the right one when you hit the accelerator. The objective should not be to slow your vehicle. That is the responsibility of your brakes.

Second, while downshifting to slow your car will prolong the life of your brakes, you’ll wear out your clutch and transmission more quickly. Over the long run, you’ll spend much more money replacing these parts than you will replacing your brake pads.

3 – “I Can Conserve Fuel By Trailing 18-Wheelers”

A lot of people think driving closely behind 18-wheelers will let them take advantage of their draft. This in turn will allow them to save gas.

There is likely some benefit to doing this. However, the benefit is so negligible that it is unnoticeable. More important, trailing 18-wheelers closely enough to realize the smallest benefit can be fatal. Don’t do this.

4 – “Oil Should Be Changed Every 3,000 Miles”

Long ago, this was true. Motor oils back then were designed with lower quality, and engines were much less durable. Today, motor oils last longer, and the technology used in engine design makes the assemblies less prone to problems. While you should always follow the recommended service intervals listed in your owner’s manual, you can safely change your oil every 5,000 miles. Some automakers even recommend waiting 10,000 miles.

5 – “Anti-lock Brakes Were Designed To Stop In A Shorter Space”

This is false. Anti-lock brakes were designed – as their name suggests – to prevent your brakes from locking up. Traditional brakes would often lock when drivers hit them to avoid an accident. When this occurred, the driver would almost completely lose the ability to stop. An ABS system allows the driver to slam on his brake pedal without fear of his brakes locking. This provides him better control.

The result is that many people are indeed able to bring their vehicles to a stop within a shorter space. But this is an aftereffect of the system’s design, not the reason for which it was designed.

The above truisms exist even though they have been publicly debunked in the past. Set them aside. It’s important to isolate truth from fiction in order to drive safely, and care properly for your vehicle.

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Category: Automotive
Keywords: car truisms, things about cars that are not true, facts about cars, myths about cars