By Amos Kwon Autoblog
It’s incredible what car maintenance myths get passed down through the generations. We’ve all fallen for at least one of them, and it’s hard to break free from them even when we’re given the truth.
Old habits can die hard, especially when we think that changing those habits might do harm to our vehicle. The good news is that debunking some of these myths can actually save you time and money.
Of course, some of the myths are true, but not all of them hold up to scrutiny when you take a closer look, especially as automotive technology and durability continue to advance. With evolving automotive technology, some long-held beliefs about vehicle care are now outdated or were never true to begin with. Here are seven car maintenance myths that just don’t hold up anymore.
Myth #1: You should change your oil every 3,000 miles
This is the most common car maintenance myth, and drivers are all over the place on this one. It seems that a disproportionately high number of drivers still believe that you need to change your engine’s oil every 3,000 miles.
While that was the case with older cars, it’s no longer true for cars that are newer than 15 years (that’s 2010 for you math-challenged individuals). While you should always check the recommended service interval for your specific vehicle, it’s now typical for most cars to have their oil changed between 5,000 and 7,500 miles.
Most modern cars will even provide a notification on your gauges when an oil change is needed. If your car runs full synthetic, you could go as far as 15,000-mile intervals before your car needs an oil change.
If you’re using full synthetic and changing your oil every 3,000 miles, that’s a waste of money. Many motor oils now have lubricants and additives that give them longer life, increasing viscosity and reducing friction and wear.
You also should consider the type of driving you do. If it’s more often in stop-and-go traffic where there’s more wear and tear on your engine, err on the side of more frequent oil changes. If you do mostly highway driving, you can increase the interval.
Most vehicles driven under normal daily conditions can go 7,500 miles between oil changes. Just remember that it’s wise to keep the intervals consistent.
Myth #2: You must ‘winter-ize’ and ‘summer-ize’ your vehicle before the season begins
During the fall, you’ll see specials advertised to “winterize” your car. Of course, winter driving conditions tend to be harsher than warmer weather conditions, but do you need to spend upwards of $200 to get your car ready for colder conditions?
It’s more important to perform regular maintenance on your car year-round than it is to do something special. Details like checking coolant and windshield washer fluid levels, inspecting tires for wear and pressure, and ensuring your battery can hold a charge are tasks that should be performed all year long.
As long as you do these things, there’s no need to spend the extra money to prep your vehicle. The same goes for the summer months.
The only thing you might need to pay someone to do is swap out summer tires for winter tires, but most car owners use all-season tires. Aside from that, there are some things you’ll need to do for winter, but under no circumstances should you pay someone to do them. Make sure your vehicle has a snow brush/scraper, a bottle of sub-zero window washer fluid, and a set of jumper cables or a portable jump starter.
Myth #3: You need to use premium gas for better performance
Most cars these days don’t require premium gas. Even if your car has turbocharging, that doesn’t necessitate using premium fuel. Unless your car recommends premium fuel, don’t assume that you should pay the extra $.20+ per gallon for it.
What is premium fuel, anyway? It uses a higher octane rating than regular gas. The octane rating measures how resistant the gas is to knocking or pinging, which occurs when the fuel ignites too early in the engine’s combustion cycle. Knocking can damage your engine over time, so some high-performance or luxury cars require premium gas to prevent it.
However, most cars are designed to run on regular gas, and using premium gas won’t make any difference in their performance, fuel economy, or even emissions.
Unless your owner’s manual specifies that your car needs premium gas, you’re better off saving your money and sticking with regular gas. If your car absolutely requires premium gas, the manufacturer has specifically designed the engine to operate optimally with higher octane fuel versus a lower grade of fuel with lower octane. In these cases, using regular gas can lead to engine knock, reduced power, and damage.
Myth #4: You need to warm up your car’s engine before driving
This myth is as old as the hills. Why do you think remote start is such a coveted feature on cars, even modern ones? Many car owners believe they shouldn’t drive their car unless the engine is properly warmed up.
The common belief is that if you drive a car cold, it could damage the engine. Modern cars operate very efficiently in cold weather and come to temperature quickly while driving. Letting a car sit at idle is more damaging to the engine than driving it cold. Not only does it unnecessarily consume gas, but it can contribute to carbon buildup in your car’s engine. Over time, this can shorten the life of the engine.
That doesn’t mean you should just start it and drive it hard from the get-go, of course. The best practice is to start the car (don’t rev the engine) and allow it to run for thirty seconds to a minute. Then, drive it normally without exceeding about 3,500 rpm until the car’s temperature gauge shows that it’s warm. This allows the engine fluids, parts, and transmission to warm up properly before adding stress and strain to them.
Myth #5: You should always replace your car’s tires in pairs or all four
Go figure that anyone who wants to sell you new tires tells you to either replace all four at once or a minimum of two. Tires are expensive, and they love selling you a full set of tires that can cost over a grand installed.
While it makes complete sense to replace worn tires (with 30 percent or less tread life remaining) in sets of two or four, it is not dangerous to replace a single tire if the rest of your tires have good tread life remaining.
Let’s say you blow a flat on a single tire in a set that’s relatively new, but the shop tells you to replace two of them. Should you cave and spend the money because the mechanic tells you it could be dangerous if you replace only one? If your car has two-wheel drive (front or rear), and your tires have 70 percent tread life remaining, you can replace only one.
In cases where your vehicle has all-wheel or four-wheel drive, it’s best to consult your owner’s manual because each vehicle has special tolerances for differences in tread depth between tires. If they’re askew, it can damage your car’s drivetrain.
As a general rule for two-wheel drive cars, replace them in sets of two if your tires are 40 to 50 percent worn. If they are 70 percent worn (or more), replace all four.
Also, regardless of how many you replace, keep them of the same make and type in order to reduce problems under hard braking or emergency maneuvers.
Finally, do not mix seasons. Don’t combine summer tires and winter tires, winter with all-season, or summer with all-season. These tires have vastly different treads and compounds and will definitely affect how your car behaves.
Myth #6: Inflate your tires to the PSI number indicated on the tire’s sidewall
Your average driver doesn’t know much about tire inflation. The tendency to only inflate tires if they “look low” is typical, and the second tendency is to inflate tires based on the PSI (pounds per square inch) number printed on the tire’s sidewall.
Both of these are bad ideas. A common tire inflation myth is that the maximum pressure printed on the tire sidewall is always the right pressure. That is just a number that indicates the maximum pressure for that tire.
If the tire says 51 PSI, don’t assume you should inflate your tires to that number. That could result in overinflation, which could lead to a blowout if you hit a pothole or even a loss of grip.
Underinflation could lead to wheel damage, decreased tread life, reduced fuel efficiency, poor handling, and flats. You’ll end up replacing or repairing tires unnecessarily.
The best thing you can do when it comes to inflating your tires is to follow the sticker located on the driver’s door jamb or your owner’s manual. These numbers are model-specific, so always refer to them.
If your car has a tire-specific pressure monitor, keep an eye on it and inflate as necessary. If your car does not have one, keep a tire gauge in your car’s glove compartment and never rely on the tire gauge at gas stations, which are often inaccurate or simply do not work at all.
Final thoughts
You don’t always accept advice from people at face value, so why should you accept long-held myths about car maintenance without doing your homework first? Each one of these car maintenance myths has been debunked so you can keep your car in tip-top shape for a long as you own it.
Observing the right car maintenance tips will also keep that period of ownership longer than you might expect. We always recommend that car owners read the manual from cover to cover in order to familiarize themselves with the best practices, and don’t just take a friend’s or mechanic’s word for it.
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This story was originally published April 22, 2025 at 9:00 PM.
