Reckless driving habits themselves are a great way to prematurely ruin your automobile, and that's true even if your bad driving doesn't cause a crash. Read the advice from our experienced mechanics below.

Don't Start Too Slowly

For safety and a higer mph, realize that there's no reason to start driving so slowly that you risk theanger of your fellow motorists. Some drivers have been taught not to dart off from a stop, and that's usually smart. But accelerating too slowly stops your auto from normal driving conditions and can put wear on the transmission and engine. You should probably drive at expected speeds.

Keep the Tank Half Full

Know about 2 ways that emptying your car or truck of gas or keeping the tank low is a bad idea: Sediment in gas settles on the bottom of your gas tank, so when it's almost empty your car has to send that grit through the engine. This might cause a clog and will also make your engine to work a little harder than necessary. Also, gas or diesel in the tank actually helps cool the fuel pump, making it last longer and work better. If you don't have enough, your fuel pump could get too hot.

Don't Rev the Engine or Idle for Too Long

We have talked about engine idling in a previous blog, and the long and short of it is that you should avoid idling for more than about 60 seconds. It's also a bad idea to rev your engine while stopped, especially if you're doing so with a cold engine. If you do, the engine oil won't circulate properly and the catalytic convertor won't start working. Extreme temperature shifts are also a problem.

Don't Race and Slam the Branks

It's not a race. Obviously this behavior is far more likely to cause a wreck. But also, peeling out at intersections and braking hard is taxing on your transmission, engine and brakes. It's only natural to show off a fast vehicle, but true car lovers know that trying to show off too much will be destructive down the road.

Don't Shift Like a Novice

It can be tricky to handle the transmission properly. We'll just cover some of the ways. First, don't ever shift into park or reverse while your car is still moving. Next, don't move the gears into park and run off without using the E brake. When you do, the whole vehicle's weight will rest against the transmission. For manual transmission vehicles, be careful to remove your foot from the clutch between shifting. These easy things could save you thousands of dollars.

Don't Push the Speed Limit

Driving as fast as possible on the freeway can be a rush. But realize that driving like this can break the car. Our automobile team at Christian Brothers in St. Peters, MO, says that most autos do best at between 40 and 60 mph. If you drive faster than that, the engine will use more gas or diesel per mile driven and your transmission may not be able to keep up. Also, when you go so fast it means extra stress on all the small moving parts of your engine, and that can cause early wear. Driving at the limit is a great way to show that you love your vehicle.

Come in for a Checkup

In addition to driving wisely, keep your ride clean top to bottom. You should also be sure to check the lights, oil and tires often. And every so often, bring your car or truck in to your St. Peters. Christian Brothers repair shop for a diagnostic and analysis.