For those of us who love driving, various parts of the car can be worn down pretty quickly, leading to all kinds of expensive maintenance needs.
While some repairs are inevitable, there are a lot of drivers who seem to be in a rush to go to a mechanic. If you’re frustrated at the amount you’ve had to pay in the past to keep your car on the road, then there may be certain things you can do to help yourself. Here, we’ll go through some of the best tips on stretching out the life of your clutch and avoiding those big costs.
First of all, avoid riding the clutch. “Riding the clutch” is probably something you haven’t heard since your last driving lesson, or, if you’re unlucky, the last time you gave your parent a lift anywhere. This simply means keeping your foot resting lightly on the clutch, and toying lightly with the accelerator to smoothly pull away after changing gear. You might have been doing this for years without thinking, which may have something to do with the amount you’re paying for maintenance! Of course, you should be trying to change gears smoothly, but keeping the clutch partially depressed will wear it out sooner, meaning that you have to spend more on clutch repairs.
To save money! Taking too long to release the clutch is not only unnecessary, but can cause all kinds of expensive damage to your clutch and transmission. Even shaving a few seconds off the time it takes you to change gears can save a significant amount of money in the long run.
Finally, try to get into the habit of getting in neutral when you’re going to be stationary for a while. When you’ve just been stopped at some lights, or you’re waiting in traffic, always remember to put her into neutral and take your foot off the clutch. Keeping your car in gear, whether you’re just on the biting point or with the clutch fully down, will put an unnecessary strain on it. Over time, this will get you in the repair shop much faster than you would have liked! I know, fumbling around for a moment when the light is green won’t make you the most popular driver on the road. However, a few seconds of inconvenience can mean saving a huge amount on maintenance in the coming years. Get into this habit, and your wallet will certainly thank you!
Take these habits on board, and over time you’ll save a huge amount on your clutch maintenance. Remember that this is just the tip of the iceberg, and there are countless ways to avoid the auto shop for longer!The next good habit which will make sure your clutch lasts longer is changing gear quickly. If you’re in second gear, and you start hearing that strain in the engine as you get over 20mph, don’t delay, and get up into third. Unfortunately, holding the clutch too long isn’t something that driving test invigilators usually pick up on. After all, they’re certainly not there to teach you how
