We are more than a century away from the appearance of the first motor vehicle. Many myths about cars have emerged over time, and in what follows, we will debunk some of the modern car myths.
Top 5 myths about cars
1. If the battery is dead and the car won’t push start, there is a more serious electrical problem
Fake! When a lead-acid battery , such as car batteries, is fully discharged, a much larger amount of energy is required to charge it. So the alternator has to draw much more power to start charging the battery. Always, in an electrical generator such as the alternator, the greater the charge energy, the greater the magnetic field created inside the alternator. This magnetic field opposes the normal direction of rotation and causes a magnetic braking of the machine.
If you notice that when pushing, when you lift the clutch and get into gear, the car brakes suddenly and does not start, you have no reason to worry. Simply remove the battery from the car and charge it with a car rectifier. When the battery is fully charged, you will notice that the car starts without any problems.
2. Braking downhill and not using the engine brake destroys the brake pads, especially on mountain switchbacks
Fake! Just think how many times you have braked harder at speeds over 100 Km/h! Then how much more special would braking at 50 Km/h be, but downhill? The brake pads are made of an extremely hard material that wears evenly regardless of road gradient and speed. Only in conditions found only on the track, in racing cars, can we talk about rapid and extreme wear. There, indeed, certain techniques are used, as well as components specially designed for racing. But with a personal car, on public roads, such a thing will never happen.
Furthermore, some cars don’t perform engine braking as effectively, sometimes even accelerating as if the car was speeding down that slope. That is why we recommend normal use of the foot brake in all situations, especially where there are drop-offs (precipices) or tight curves and steep inclines.
Read also: Dacia Spring has become more expensive by 600 euros. How much does a car cost now?
3. The car breaks down if you don’t brake close to a stop on any pothole or bump
Another of the many car myths. Totally fake! If you don’t believe us, remember how many pits you didn’t see and took them at full speed, because you didn’t have time to react! Then think about what repairs you’ve done to the car that might be related to those potholes. Exact! A motor vehicle is a one-ton iron machine. It won’t fail catastrophically from a few jolts. The same is true on dirt or forest roads. If you drive there at 10 Km/h, you are doing nothing but confusing the person behind and wasting unnecessary time. Of course, there is the exception when the cloud of dust in the background might bother someone in the area. If there is no one around, then it can also be done at a slightly higher speed.
If, however, your car breaks down from a few potholes where you didn’t brake, maybe you didn’t make the best choice and it’s time to reorient yourself to another model or brand of better quality.
4. Smaller cars consume less
Not infrequently, people are surprised when drivers of small cars tell them that their cars have high fuel consumption per hundred kilometers. The reason is simple – small cars have small engines. Small engines burn a smaller amount of gasoline per burn time, so they also produce a smaller amount of power. So to match a larger car, the engine needs to rev faster, which increases fuel consumption.
5. Smaller cars go very slowly
Nothing could be further from the truth! Recently, more and more drivers create situations that can cause an accident, because they believe that a small car will automatically move at a lower speed. But this is just one of many myths about cars! In the city, there is not much difference between a Matiz from 2004 and a Mercedes from 2021, if we abstract the interior and equipment. Small cars can quite quickly reach the maximum legal speed in the city, which is between 50 and 70 kilometers per hour. The differences appear at speeds above 100 Km/h, where, indeed, small cars struggle much more.
That is why many drivers believe that they have plenty of time until the small car reaches them. They enter the intersection, but until then, the small car moves like any other car. This creates a situation where both cars arrive at the intersection at the same time, of course, with the driver of the larger car not giving priority to the smaller car.
The next time you notice a smaller car approaching your intersection, consider that that car will be traveling at the same speed as you. This way you also avoid the unnecessary loss of time and some unnecessary expenses, because, in case of an accident, you will be the culprit, for not giving priority.