RUNNING a car is expensive, setting back the average motorist £220 per month.
And those costs can rise even higher if you follow some of the most widely-believed motoring myths and commonly-made mistakes.
tiktok/@KingRegis_Josh Regis regularly shares his motoring tips on TikTok[/caption]
From ignoring warning lights to incorrectly defogging your car, there’s not only a risk of damaging your bank balance but also your motor too.
To debunk some of those myths, we spoke to automotive engineer Josh Regis, 34, who has spent 18 years as a mechanic and has 18,000 TikTok followers thanks to his car expertise.
Keep it cool
Many people believe driving with the windows down is more fuel-efficient than turning on the air conditioning (AC).
But Josh says: “I’m an engineer and I’ve done scientific experiments to prove that it’s more energy efficient to use your air conditioning.
“When the window is down, you’re using more gas because you are forcing your vehicle to work harder against wind resistance.
“Your car works harder by burning more fuel to maintain the same speed. If you used your air conditioning, your vehicle will run at the same speed so it burns less fuel.”
Josh says it’s more energy efficient to use the AC than driving with your windows down
Mist opportunity
Most people believe the only way to defog your windscreen and other windows is to use heat.
But according to our car expert, it only works for a short time and the real fix is turning on your AC.
Josh says: “The best example I can give is if you have ever had sex in your car and noticed it fogs up.
“That’s because of all the body heat and the internal heat inside the vehicle, which builds moisture.
“When your windows fog up that’s because of moisture, there’s a difference between the temperature in your car and the temperature outside.
Josh says it’s best to use the AC to defog your windscreen
“Using heat will work for a certain amount of time but the windows will fog up again because of all the moisture and heat inside the vehicle.
“But when you turn the AC on, it takes the moisture in the air and makes the air dry, allowing the vehicle to cool and the windows to defog.”
Josh says there is just one exception and that’s when there is ice on your windscreen.
To remedy this, he says you should turn up the heat to melt the ice but once it has gone, “switch to the AC to remove all of the fog”.
‘Waste of money’
Using premium petrol can cost 15p more per litre
At nearly 15 pence more per litre, choosing premium petrol can raise the cost of running a car significantly.
But according to Josh, it only benefits a select number of vehicles.
He tells us: “There’s a myth that premium petrol will last longer than regular and that it’s better for the car but that’s not necessarily true.
“Fuel is fuel, so unless your vehicle says it needs premium then it doesn’t matter and you’re just spending more money on fuel debt.
“Premium petrol contains a higher level of octane, which means there is a higher rate of combustion.
“This is only needed for high-performance vehicles like a Mercedes Benz S-Class AMG, which need more power to drive.
“If you have a regular vehicle, it doesn’t matter what type of fuel you use because your vehicle doesn’t need that higher level of octane and will only perform at the level it’s capable of.”
Hot take
During winter, many people believe they need to warm their car before they drive – but according to car expert Josh it’s not necessary.
He explains: “It’s the most commonly believed myth but it’s actually not an issue and you don’t need to do it.
“It’s actually better to turn it on for five seconds and then drive off straight away because you are bringing the car to its optimal running temperature more quickly than if you leave it to sit there to warm up.”
Josh explains that the belief about warming your car before driving dates back to when vehicles were fitted with carburettors, which “needed heating up to allow the fuel to be more efficient”.
He adds: “But now we have fuel injectors, which are computer controlled and give your car the right amount of fuel when you start up the engine.”
But Josh explains there is one exception to this rule, which is “if you’re in extremely cold temperatures around -28C (-20F)”.
Engine error
Drivers are often filled with dread when the ‘check engine light’ comes on inside the vehicle – but it’s not always “something catastrophic” according to Josh.
He tells us: “If you see the ‘check engine light’ shortly after you leave a petrol station, this typically means your fuel cap is loose.
“Most of the time that’s what your car is trying to tell you and it doesn’t mean there is something catastrophically wrong with your vehicle.
“Once you’ve tightened the cap and driven around a bit, the light will turn off.”
£1,200 mistake
Engine errors might not always be catastrophic
When the low fuel light comes on, some drivers are tempted to squeeze in an extra few miles before going to the petrol station.
But Josh warns this damages multiple parts of your vehicle including components in the fuel system which cost £1,200 to fix alone.
He tells us: “When the low fuel warning light comes on, you need to get fuel immediately. Some people wait 30 miles before filling up again.
“There is a fuel level that you need to maintain within your vehicle to stop the parts from overheating, which causes damage.
“Fuel repairs can be very expensive because of where it’s located in the car. A mechanic would need to take out the whole backseat unit.
“I’ve done these repairs a few times, they take a lot of time, can be very expensive and it’s tedious and annoying to fix.”
For more top tips from car expert Josh Regis follow him on TikTok or Instagram