We all have that friend or uncle who loves cars and who would
always tell you the right way to drive. He could be giving you
advice on how to take care of your car or even tell you what he
thinks you’re doing wrong.
But is everything that this friend or uncle saying true?
Whether you consider yourself a petrolhead, or a casual driver, you
likely have a set of beliefs about how you should drive and take
care of your car. We debunk some common misconceptions here.
This is not always true. All you need to do is to use the grade of
petrol recommended by the manufacturer for your car model.
Manufacturers will list the requirement in the car manual, as well
as on a label usually placed inside the fuel tank flap.
Reserve the premium grade petrol only for high-performance cars
like the Audi RS 6 Avant or the Audi R8 with engines that require
high-octane petrol in order to run at their peak. Filling up
regular cars with 98 octane petrol when it only requires 95 or 92
octane will not increase engine power.
This may have been true back when cars still used carburetors, but
with a modern car you use more fuel by leaving your engine running
than you would restarting it.
This explains why Audi’s vehicles are fitted with start-stop
systems. As a general rule of thumb, you should switch off your
engine if you need to stop for more than one minute.
Do not wait to hit the specified mileage interval for an engine oil
change. As oil ages, its ability to lubricate and protect vital
engine components is reduced.
For example, while the car manufacturer may recommend an oil change
at 10,000km, waiting 18 months to reach the mileage interval means
the oil ages and becomes less able to protect the engine. Over
time, oil deteriorates due to the accumulation of contaminants such
as soot, carbon and acids.
Regular oil replacement is essential in ensuring an engine’s
longevity and efficiency, and within reason, the more often the
better. A good timeframe to do this is every 6 months, per
5,000km.
Assuming your car has a conventional handbrake, unless
well-practiced you are more likely to get yourself into more
trouble than out of it. These handbrakes brake the rear wheels
only, causing the car to over-steer violently if pulled-on at high
speed.
Many premium brands have now replaced the conventional handbrake
with an electronic parking brake which acts on all four wheels and
is fully integrated with the anti-lock braking system.
This is absolutely false. Fatal accidents may occur at any point in
your journey at virtually any speed.
Even if you are driving at a relatively slow speed, a violent
impact could result in very serious injuries or even death
especially if you are not belted up.
Wearing a seat belt ensures occupants participate in the gradual
deceleration of the vehicle as it crumples to absorb energy, thus
preventing serious injury as a result of hitting other passengers
or parts of the car during a collision. Of course, it also reduces
the risk of a passenger being thrown out of the passenger
compartment, which is designed as a survival cell.
The ten-to-two position has been the traditional favourite because
a firm defined grip on the wheel allows you to intuitively know
where the straight-ahead position is without looking down, enabling
the driver to correct a skid if need be.
But air bags have changed that premise. During a collision, the bag
deploys at a speed of 200km/h, protecting the driver’s head and
chest from the steering column. Moving down your hands down
slightly to the ‘quarter to three’ position is now recommended,
giving the driver the same degree of control with more lateral
space for the airbag to deploy into.
Braking in the case of a tyre failure will further destabilise the
car, as will a sudden change of direction.
The best course of action is to simply lift off the accelerator and
let the car slow to a halt gradually, gently countering any
tendency of the car to pull in the direction of the failed
tyre.
Then look for a safe place to pull over to the shoulder and seek
assistance. Few vehicles come with full-sized spare wheels these
days, but you may have an emergency spare. Unfortunately a tyre
repair kit will not work in this situation.