5 Common Car Myths In Nigeria

Car myths will always be flying around in our country Nigeria. How enlightened you are will determine whether you’ll believe it or not. There is no doubt you’ve probably heard some strange, weird, scary and even ridiculous things about cars.

Car myths are mostly based on the misinterpretation of basic physics. One thing we won’t stand is you embarrassing yourself by stating a myth as fact or a fact as a myth while you’re having conversations with your friends & family at home or colleagues at work.

We’re here to let the curtains fall on certain car myths that a lot of people have believed for such a long time.

1. Big SUVs Are Safe, Small Cars Are Dangerous

The bigger the car, the better the safety, right? Maybe it’s the size of the car or perhaps it was the salesperson who did their job well to sell that lie. There are a lot of people out there who think they are safer in SUVs. Big SUVs are not safer than small cars, As a matter of fact, there are small cars which are way safer than a lot of cushy SUVs in the market. SUVs are quite heavy machines, which makes them safer in theory but harder to control in real life. Due to its weight, you’ll find the manoeuvring and braking in high speeds much more difficult and high-speed crashes are usually the most dangerous ones. Also, their high center of gravity makes SUVs prone to rollovers.

See Related Post: 15 Used SUVs And Crossovers That Should Be Avoided

2. A Car Is Trash Past 100,000 Mileage

You’ve probably heard it so many times that you lost count. If your car has travelled past 100,000 miles or you’re buying a car whose mileage has crossed that mark, you risk going to an early grave. It is 2018, not 1918! On a serious note, your car should be able to do at least 250,000 miles without any major engine or transmission issues. As long as you maintain your car with passion and dedication, it won’t give you sleepless nights.

3. You Cannot Drive A Long Distance On An Empty Tank

There will be a moment when you’re driving while that little pointer is aiming at ‘E’ but you can’t seem to find any petrol station nearby. The good news is that you can drive a long distance while your car is telling you the tank is empty.

The bad news? Not every car can travel a long distance while showing fuel gauge is reading empty. In fact, the distance the car will travel depends on the model of your car. Technically, when that pointer is on Empty, the fuel tank is not really empty. There is usually 1, 2 or 3 gallons left to spare.

See Related Post: TIPS: Does Running The Air conditioner Increase Fuel Consumption of Your Car?

4. 1 Horse Is Equal To 1 Horsepower

Admit it! Most of you have thought that 1 horsepower is equal to the strength of a full-grown horse. Why else would they call it horsepower?

It’s a common misconception that one horsepower is equal to the peak power production of a horse, which is capable of a maximum of around 14.9 horsepower. By comparison, a human being is capable of approximately five horsepower at peak power production.

Instead, it has been designated that horsepower should be equivalent to the amount of power that a horse can sustain for an extended period of time. However, there are many different variations of horsepower. That’s another topic for next time.

5. Manual Transmission Leads To Distracted Driving

There are those who are misled to believe manual transmission causes a driver to be distracted. In fact, they believe the manual transmission is dangerous and outdated; hence it should be banned to make the roads safer. That is quite the opposite as manual transmission reduces distracted driving.

Think about it, when are you likely to text or talk on your phone when driving? With distracted driving being one of the major causes of accidents among drivers, a manual transmission car can make you a better driver. Don’t be mad you can’t eat while driving a manual car; you aren’t even supposed to eat while driving.

All the above mentioned myths are false. You can carry out more research and get back to us.

Are there other myths you believe are not true?  Share with us in the comment section below.

See Related Post: 5 Things You Shouldn’t Do When Driving A Manual Transmission Car