If you want to keep your car in the best of shape, there are probably some improvements you can make to your driving habits. Learn more about this in this post!

Bad Driving Habits to Avoid

There are a lot of things to focus on while driving, so maybe you don't notice some of your bad driving habits that can be causing damage to your car. To avoid any further damage, take note of these bad driving habits so you can eliminate them completely.

Driving on Empty

Whether you're trying to see how far your car can get you on empty or you're waiting for payday to fill up your tank, there's never a good reason to drive around with almost no fuel. Not only does this put you in danger of running out of fuel completely, it's also bad for your car. Allowing your car to run on the fuel that is way at the bottom of your tank can lead to a clogged fuel filter because of all the debris that settles into the bottom of your tank. A clogged fuel filter leads to added strain on your engine, which can lead to further problems. To avoid these issues, keep your fuel tank at least halfway full at all times.

Resting Your Hand on the Gear Stick

Whether you drive a manual transmission or automatic car, avoid resting your hand on the gear stick. This may seem like no big deal at all, but it can cause issues over time. You see, the gear stick is connect to the selector fork which makes contact with a rotating collar for a split second as you change gears. When you rest your hand on the gear stick, this puts pressure on the selector fork without you even noticing. This pressure can lead to premature wear because it will be making contact with the rotating collar for longer than it should. To prevent this from affecting your car, do your best to keep both hands on the wheel whenever you're not shifting gears.

Shifting Gears Suddenly

Whenever you're pulling out of a parking space in reverse, you probably switch back into drive super quickly in order to move out of the parking space as quickly as possible. While you may be moving fast, this is no good for your car. Whether you're moving from drive to reverse or reverse to drive without actually stopping to shift gears, this will cause damage to your drivetrain over time. It may not seem so bad to not come to a full stop while changing gears, but this sudden change can result in pricey repairs down the line, especially if you have an automatic transmission. To avoid engine issues in the future, be sure to get synthetic oil changes regularly. If you can't remember when you got your last one, now is the perfect time to change your oil. You can find all the products you need for your synthetic oil change in Williston by contacting Advanced Filtration Technologies, Inc. at (701) 572- 3780. They can recommend products like  AMSOIL Oil's Signature Series 0W-40 Synthetic Motor Oil.

Pushing Your Engine Too Hard on Cold Starts

If you let your engine idle on cold starts in order to warm it up, you're simply wasting fuel and contributing to pollution. This isn't to say you should take off at full speed on cold starts or rev engine to get it to warm up faster. Pushing it too hard before it reaches its ideal operating temperature can cause some serious damage. Think of it like forcing your body to run a sprint at full speed without first warming up. Instead, let your engine idle at most 10 seconds and then drive away slowly. This will be better for your fuel and your engine in the long run.

Ignoring Maintenance

Getting vehicle maintenance taken care of can take time and money, but this doesn't mean you should ignore it. In fact, ignoring it can lead to car issues that will end up costing your more time and money. If you tend to forget about oil changes, tune ups, and other maintenance tasks, schedule them ahead of time and write them down in a day planner or set reminders of your phone.

Get a Synthetic Oil Change in Williston, ND

Getting a synthetic oil change in Williston, ND is a must if you want to keep your car in the best shape. The oil experts at Advanced Filtration Technologies, Inc. can help you find the perfect synthetic oil for your car. Give them a call at (701) 572- 3780 to learn more about their AMSOIL Oil products.