10 Car Myths That are Hurting Your Wallet

These are the days of information. With just a click of your mouse, you can easily discover any information you want to on the internet. Some of it is true, while some… not so much. Do you remember when you were young, when your mum warned you not to believe everything you hear? The same came be said today with what you read, especially when it comes to cars and car parts.

These days, there are so many ‘hacks’ and ‘tips’ available related to your car, that finding the truth is like finding a needle in a haystack. If you read enough, you might just believe some of these myths are true. Not all of them are based in fact, however. So how do you know which ones are real and which you should ignore? When it comes to your Peugeot, we have the information you can trust.

Car Myths Debunked

• Dishwashing Detergent is Safe- Dishwashing detergent is readily available at your local store, so why not take advantage of it? After all, if the most popular brands are safe on your skin, safe to use to clean oil off of animals and boast claims like “eliminates streaks,” why would you want to use it on your Peugeot? While it may seem appealing and safe, cleaning your car with dishwashing detergent can actually ruin the look of your car. It’s created to remove everything- and it will. This includes the polymers on the surface of the car’s paint. Doing this can rapidly accelerate the oxidation process and lead to rust. What you should use instead is a milder product that was specifically created for washing cars.

• Jet Fuel can Increase Your Car’s Power- This is the furthest thing from the truth. In fact, you’re likely to tear up your Peugeot’s engine if you try it. Petrol-powered cars are meant to operate on petrol, and nothing else. If you attempt to put kerosene jet fuel in it, the engine won’t be able to combust the kerosene and your car won’t go anywhere.

• Don’t go Without Idling- On a cold winter’s day, you’ve been told that running your engine while it’s cold is bad for your car. It hurts several Peugeot parts, including the engine and the brakes. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to turn your car on 20 minutes before you leave the house, however. All you need to do is take it easy for the first five to ten minutes of driving. By keeping the RPM down for this amount of time, you allow the engine and brakes to heat up gradually.

• Failing to Fill up can Ruin Your Engine- Driving your Peugeot until you run out of petrol may have been dangerous to your engine once upon a time. However, most of today’s modern cars feature fuel pumps directly in the fuel tank that have protective screens that prevent dirt and debris from engine your engine. That doesn’t mean driving until your tank is empty isn’t bad for other Peugeot parts, though- namely your fuel pump. The fuel pump needs a certain amount of petrol in the fuel tank to keep it lubricated and cool. Without it, this car part is likely to fail.

• You Don’t Have to Change Your Coolant- Many drivers never change their coolant, and they pay for listening to this myth. Coolant is responsible for two things in your car: it helps the engine operate at the right temperature by cooling it down and helps protect the engine from operating at a temperature that is too low. Coolant doesn’t last forever, however, and its heat-reducing properties tend to fade after four or five years. Coolant flushes are necessary to protect your engine and keep your Peugeot operating as it should. If you let the coolant wear down and don’t flush it out, serious engine damage can occur. Other car parts can also be damaged, including the heater core and radiator.

• Changing Your Oil- You know the party line: change your oil every 3,000 miles or suffer the consequences. Turns out, this isn’t exactly true. While changing your oil this often may not hurt any car parts, it will definitely hurt your wallet. Most modern cars can be driven as much as 7,500 or 10,000 miles before they need an oil change.

• Dirt Increases Fuel Efficiency- Have you heard this one? Many drivers believe that a dirty car is a more fuel-efficient one. The myth goes that dirt on the outside of a car acts like a golf ball’s dimples, lowering the amount of drag experienced. The truth is, having a dirty car actually increases the amount of drag experiences, reducing fuel efficiency by up to 10 percent.

• “Off-brand” Petrol is bad- While off-brand petrol may not have the engine-cleaning additives that name-brand petrol does, that doesn’t mean it’s bad for your car. While these petrol stations may not have their own commercials, they are forced to meet the same standards as other companies. This means you can save money on petrol without worrying it will ruin your Peugeot.

• Use a Smooth-Surface Cloth for Cleaning- This is actually the last thing you want to do. You may want to save money by using an old t-shirt or a piece of flannel to wipe down your car, but it’s a mistake. These types of fabrics don’t have fine particles that absorb. What this means is that they generally wind up moving dirt around on your car instead of removing. This can lead to micro-scratches that can result in rust. Avoid it by using a cloth, like microfiber, that can remove the dirt without harming the finish on your Peugeot.

• It Only Takes a few Minutes to Fully Charge a Battery After a Jump Start- If you’ve ever thought this to be true, and tested your theory, you were probably proven wrong rather quickly. It actually take several hours of driving or being hooked up to a battery charger for a dead battery to charge to full capacity. You must consider for a moment the kind of pressure the battery is under while you’re driving, especially in winter. It has to power heated seats, your radio and even your cell phone charger. These accessories draw a lot of power, leaving little for the alternator to give the battery.

Don’t believe everything you read on the internet, especially when it comes to car parts. Take care of your Peugeot and trust the professionals to keep your car running smoothly.