Some car myths just won't disappear

By Kelsey Mays, Cars.Com

Young drivers often become the victims of myths -- from bad maintenance advice to mistaken safety tips. Here are 10 common misconceptions among young drivers and what to do instead. To you older drivers: No one's watching, so feel free to take a peek.

Maintenance
Myth No. 1: Change your oil every 3,000 miles. Various service stations advertised the 3,000-mile oil change for years, making believers of many of us. While it doesn't hurt to change the oil that often, it's a waste of money in most cases.
Modern vehicles generally recommend an oil change every 7,500 miles -- more than twice the distance those service station ads warn you about. The best advice is to follow the recommended schedule in your car's owner's manual.

Myth No. 2: Vehicles that require regular fuel benefit from a tank of premium gasoline once in a while. Years ago, leaded gas and high-compression engines demanded the occasional tank of premium gas, which included detergents to clean out fuel injectors. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency requires detergents in every grade of gas. Stick with your vehicle's recommended octane level and you'll get adequate detergents .

Myth No. 3: Keep your dashboard and tires shiny by frequently wiping them with protectant compounds.

Dashboards gather dust and tires lose their shine; it's inevitable with use. Frequent use of various protectant compounds, however, can do more harm than good. Some experts say cleaners cause the dashboard material to dry out or age faster. Also, tires become discolored as a side effect of their built-in chemicals, according to Bill Vandewater, of Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire. Aftermarket shiners can restore a tire's color, but they strip the tire of its original protectants. Vandewater says that over time, cracks form in the rubber. As an alternative, he suggests using mild soap and water with a good brush.

Driving
Myth No. 4: It's best to drive cars with automatic transmissions around town in ``3" -- or in ``D" with the overdrive button off -- and save ``D" for the highway.
The original idea was that drivers needed to lock out the highest gear for more responsive performance in stop-and-go driving. Most modern vehicles employ transmissions that are quick to kick down into a lower gear, so driving without the topmost gear around town only lowers gas mileage.

Myth No. 5: It's best to shift an automatic transmission into neutral at red lights.

This myth stems from the idea that keeping the transmission in drive while stepping on the brake wastes fuel and causes unnecessary wear on the driveline. In fact, actual engine wear and fuel loss are minimal.

Shopping
Myth No. 6: Luxury nameplates are the be-all and end-all.
Luxury brands have better resale values than their garden-variety counterparts, but they also tend to cost more. In a level playing field, the difference is often slight. According to Kelley Blue Book, a 1999 Infiniti G20 fetches only $210 more at trade-in than a similarly priced 1999 Nissan Altima. Also consider repair bills, which tend to be higher for luxury brands. Still worth it? You decide.

Safety
Myth No. 7: Talking on a hands-free headset while driving is a safe alternative to holding a cell phone. Here are the facts: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that one in 12 18- to 24-year-olds on the road at any given time is also on a cell phone. One-quarter of all police-reported accidents are caused by driver distraction, and cell phones play a significant role. In fact, the risk of collision can be four times higher when driving and talking on a phone, according to a 1997 study in the New England Journal of Medicine. The culprit isn't holding a cell phone or one-armed driving; it's taking your mind off the task at hand: safely piloting 3,000 pounds of steel to your intended destination. A headset does nothing to mitigate this; pull over or put it away. Enough said.
Myth No. 8: You don't have to wear a seat belt when you're sitting in the back seat.

Rae Tyson, NHTSA chief of media relations, warns of two risks that unbelted backseat passengers incur: First, they're unable to take full advantage of the vehicle's safety features, and accidents -- especially rollovers -- put them at high risk. Second, they become projectiles toward others during the collision, increasing the likelihood of injury among fellow occupants.

Myth No. 9: Keep your doors unlocked so rescuers can get you out after an accident.

No. Eric Bolton, media relations specialist at NHTSA, warns that unlocked doors are more likely to open during a collision and allow occupant ejection -- and ejections kill 10,000 people each year.

Myth No. 10: For maximum air bag protection, reposition everything.

Let's set the record straight: The NHTSA advises that the steering wheel should be aimed at your breastbone, positioned at least 10 inches away and tilted away from your head. But watch out, as a low-slung wheel prompts one-armed driving with the hand draped over the top of the wheel; in a collision, the air bag can shatter that arm from below. Remember to keep your hands on the wheel at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions, with the seatback upright and the wheel 10 inches from your chest. It might not be comfortable at first, but you'll get used to it -- and some day it could save your life.