I’m a driving expert – why avoiding these common mistakes could save you £2,000

A DRIVING expert has revealed six driving mistakes that could be damaging your vehicle, and avoiding them could save you up to £2,000 in repairs.

Drivers have been warned to avoid some particularly bad driving habits that could result in costly repair work.

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Handily, car experts at Leasecar. uk have come up with a list of driving mistakes that could affect the performance and overall lifespan of your car – and will certainly end up costing you extra cash if left unchecked.

Resting hand on the gearstick

This habit is easy to get into, especially when feeling lazy on a long drive, but it will cause unnecessary damage to your car’s transmission. 

By placing a hand on the gearstick and applying pressure to it, drivers risk forcing the selector fork against the rotating collar, causing wear or even a snap.

It can cause expensive transmission trouble and general wear in the gearbox. 

Going from drive to reverse quickly 

Cutting corners while driving, such as rushing to change into reverse, can cause severe damage to the gearbox.

When reversing, the car should be at a complete halt, or it could cause wear to the transmission, which is costly. So, being patient is essential. 

Driving in the wrong gear

Driving in the wrong gear won’t do your car any good at all, but it’s still something lots of drivers do.

Travelling in a gear that is too low for your speed, or vice versa, puts extra pressure on the car – it can cause strain on the engine, so moving between gears properly is essential.

Putting the car in gear at a stop light

Drivers should avoid staying in gear at a red stop light, as it can wreak havoc on the car’s clutch.

Although it seems tedious, especially in rush hour, drivers shouldn’t keep the car in-gear (with the clutch depressed) at a red light – instead bring the car to a complete stop, select neutral and use the brake if on a hill. 

Driving with low fuel

If payday is still a way off, drivers may be tempted to see how long they can make their petrol last, which is actually a terrible idea in terms of the health of your car.

Letting the fuel run dry in a car can cause increased wear to the fuel pump, leading to failure and an expensive replacement.

As well as this, it can destroy the engine and cause damage to the fuel filter and catalytic converter.

Replacing a catalytic converter alone can cost £1,000, so to be safe, get to the petrol station before the warning light appears.

Resting feet on the clutch pedal

Inadequate clutch control can shorten the life of the plate due to excessive wear and tear.

Some drivers are inclined to rest their foot on the clutch, unaware that it creates friction and will eventually lead to failure, which is costly to repair.

The average UK clutch replacement cost is around £500-600 but could be over £1000 depending on the complexity. 

This comes after a car repair expert revealed the worst driving habits that could cost drivers up to £600.

Plus, drivers were warned over ten easy mistakes that could invalidate their car insurance and end up costing them thousands.