Car experts reveal five common mistakes drivers make that damage their cars

ALL of us have our quirks when we get behind the wheel but experts believe these could actually be damaging your car.

While mechanics will fix the problems when the car starts making strange sounds or even packs in, keeping an eye on a few simple things could save you hassle and money.

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How you drive over speed bumps, what gear you use in town and even where you rest your hand could all help keep your car going

KEEPING HAND ON GEAR STICK

If you drive a stick shift car then the temptation is to keep your hand on the gearstick all the time to allow a quick gear change.

But expert Matsumoto Naoki, whose background is in mechanical engineering, warns drivers to avoid this habit.

“A large force comes to play when you sit your hand on the gearstick,” he writes on his carfromjapan blog.

“The force can break or damage the gearbox components if the procedure continues. It can happen in a day or take some time.”

DRIVING WRONG WAY OVER SPEED BUMPS

Speedbumps are the bane of every driver’s life but not taking care when going over them can damage a vehicle.

Automotive engineer of 31 years Huibert Mees outlines the correct way to go over a speedbump that will protect your car.

On his autopian blog he recommends three methods that will protect your car’s suspension.

The first is slow down and turn just before the bump to cross over diagonally.

The second is maintain a consistent speed and power through the speedbump.

Finally you can lower your speed and drive over slowly at a snail’s pace

RIDING THE CLUTCH

Riding the clutch is partially depressing the clutch again as a way of making a quick gear change.

The upshot is that this creates more friction and wears out the clutch faster, rxmechanic warns.

“Always depress the clutch when driving. This is a tip for learners and inexperienced drivers,” he says.

OVERLOADING THE CAR

It’s always tempting when you need carry lots of things to ram them all in at once and hope for the best.

According to Jay Baviskar, who writes the mechstuff blog, overloading can cause long term damage to your car.

Steering becomes less responsive, the braking distance is increased, there’s increased wear on the tires and overload can even increase the chances of overloading the vehicle.

“Owning a vehicle can require a lot of work and could be a costly investment,” he says.

“But, there are plenty of ways that owners can help to get ahead of any potential problems.

DRIVING IN TOO HIGH A GEAR

Driving in too high a gear means that the engine is working harder and that places unnecessary strain on the motor.

This particularly happens when driving around town but it’s important to change down and allow the revs to rise before changing up, says motoring organisation the RAC.

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