Are you damaging your car without even knowing it? Five driving mistakes you may be making

Overloading the car

While cars were designed to hold plenty of weight, every vehicle has its limit, according to the RAC.

It said: “The greater the weight, the more strain you’re placing on the brakes, suspension and drivetrain.

“It’s also worth noting that while leaving unnecessary items – like golf clubs or gym gear in the boot of you car – won’t add increased strain on your car’s parts, it will affect your car’s fuel economy and possibly your car’s emissions output.

“So it’s always advisable to leave the golf clubs at home when not needed and try to travel as light as possible.”

Sitting in a high gear

Fuel costs are through the roof, and you might be trying to save as much money as possible by avoiding low gears.

However, if you’re accelerating through town in a very high gear, the engine has to work double hard to get up to speed, putting more pressure on the motor.

Instead don’t be afraid to let your rev counter go up a bit, and change down gear whenever you need to.

You should definitely avoid accelerating in low gear while driving up hills.