Nowadays, with the use of the Internet, it is easier than ever for false myths to get spread around on social media, and a rumor can quickly gather pace and be believed by thousands of people. Also, some myths surrounding cars are due to the fact that some of these things might have been true in the past, but not anymore.

For example, it has always been known that cars with a manual transmission save more fuel than those with an automatic transmission, but this is no longer true. Today, we have compiled a list of 15 common car myths and have debunked every single one.

Do you still believe that Korean cars are unreliable? What is this, 1999? And what about this ridiculous belief that using your car at a gas pump can lead to an explosion? Anyway, without further ado, let’s get straight to it!

15 SUVs Are Safer Than Small Cars

carmagazine.co.uk

Many people believe that SUVs are safer than small cars, mainly because you feel much safer in a big car. Yes, in case of an accident, you face less risk when you are in a heavier car, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. If two small cars get into an accident, the odds of them being fine are much higher than if two SUVs crash.

14 Bigger Engine Means More Power

youtube.com

This cannot be further from the truth. A bigger engine does not necessarily mean more power. If somebody says that, you immediately know that they aren’t the biggest experts on cars. For example, some limousines have massive engines but are insanely slow. The power of an engine depends on a lot more than its size.

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13 Muscle Cars Can’t Turn

apkpure.com

Whoever believes that muscle cars can’t turn or are awful at cornering can be forgiven, because once upon a time, this was true. However, this hasn’t been the case for a while, and perhaps the first muscle car that was great at cornering was the 5th generation Camaro released in the 2000s.

12 Electric Cars Are More Likely To Catch Fire

auto-types.com

Electric cars are not more prone to catching fire than regular cars, despite what many people believe. In fact, according to Tesla, regular cars are over ten times more likely to catch fire than electric ones.

Also, regular cars will catch fire very quickly, while it takes time for a battery to gather enough heat to start a fire, which is good because it gives occupants time to get to safety.

11 All SUVs Are Good Off-Road

popularmechanics.com

Nowadays, SUVs are used as everyday cars much more than they ever were, and many people own one but never even go off-roading. Car manufacturers know this, so in some SUVs, the focus is placed on comfort and practicality much more than on its off-roading abilities. For example, the Mercedes GLS is far from a good off-roader.

10 4WD Is Better Than Snow Tires In Winter

accuweather.com

It is true that four-wheel-drive improves performance in freezing conditions, but it doesn’t mean that you can completely forget about snow tires. For safer driving, you are still required to get snow tires. In terms of cornering, snow tires have a great advantage over four-wheel-drive. You’ve got to stay safe out there!

9 Korean Cars Are Bad

wired.com

In the past, Korean cars were never popular, but recently, all that has changed. However, some people still seem to be stuck with that mentality. In fact, according to a survey by JD Power, Korean cars have now surpassed European and American ones in terms of quality, and it’s not surprising as Korean cars have increasingly improved over the years.

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8 Convertibles Are Unsafe In A Crash

carkeys.co.uk

Naturally, the common belief is that convertibles are unsafe in a crash, which might make sense at first because you are not fully protected, but the reality is that convertibles are much less likely to roll over due to their low center of gravity. Of course, you are more at risk if it does topple over, but it is highly unlikely.

7 You Should Change Oil Every 3,000 Miles

rd.com

This is a very common misconception, and it even has a name – ‘the 3,000-mile myth’. Once upon a time, this might have been true, but not anymore. Modern cars don’t need to have their oil changed that often, and it won’t make your car perform any better, or any worse, for that matter.

6 Performance Chips Increase Power

autoanything.com

There are many cheap performance chips out there that claim to increase power, but all they really do is light up and make you think they’re improving performance. If you are insistent on getting your car ECU-tuned, it’s highly advised to get it done by an expert. Don’t just buy any old chip you find on eBay because it’s affordable.

5 Premium Fuel Will Clean Your Engine

gomechanic.in

There is a common belief out there that premium fuel will clean out your engine by getting rid of deposits, but it’s not true. Of course, using premium gas will not cause any damage to your car, but it will hurt your pockets, as it generally costs 20 cents more per gallon.

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4 Manual Cars Are More Fuel-Efficient Than Automatics

cars.lovetoknow.com

Ask any boomer and they will tell you with conviction that manual cars are more fuel-efficient than automatics - which was true back in the day, but not anymore. Today, most cars with an automatic transmission have more gears than modern manuals, which means the engine can provide the same amount of power to the wheels with fever revs, which saves gas.

3 Using Your Phone While Pumping Gas Can Lead To An Explosion

Verizon.com

In the last couple of years, you might have seen tips on social media advising you not to use your phone while pumping gas, as it can lead to a fire or cause an explosion. The myth began when a woman in Brazil died from her vehicle exploding, but it turned out this wasn’t caused by her mobile phone.

2 Driving With Your Tailgate Down For Fuel Efficiency

frsport.com

There is a common myth out there that driving with your tailgate down increases fuel-efficiency, but it is actually the complete opposite. Leaving the tailgate up is more fuel-efficient than having it down. So, if you want to save gas while driving your truck, you know what to do.

1 Turning On The Engine Uses More Fuel Than Letting It Idle

fuel gauge
forevertwentysomethings.com

Many people believe that turning on the engine uses more fuel than letting it idle, but in modern vehicles, the engine automatically goes off when you are stationary, so you don’t need to worry about this. According to experts, letting your car idle for more than 10 seconds wastes more fuel.

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