If you’ve ever woken up and thought, “Today feels like a good day to trash my car’s engine,” you’re in luck. There are several proven, boneheaded ways to completely wreck that mechanical heart beating beneath your hood—and many Americans are already doing them like pros. According to data from the Car Care Council, a staggering 84% of vehicles on the road need parts or services right now. So, if you’re into mechanical neglect, you’re far from alone.
Never Change Your Oil
The first way to annihilate your engine? Simple: never change your oil. Ever. Just let it marinate in heat, metal shavings, and sludge until it turns into a tar-like soup of regret. Engine oil isn’t just some optional spa treatment for your car—it’s what keeps metal from grinding against metal at 5,000 RPM. Neglect it long enough and you’ll earn the joyous sound of piston slap, the aroma of burning, and an eventual call to your local tow truck operator. According to a AAA report, improper maintenance (with oil issues topping the list) is a key contributor to the 32 million roadside assistance calls they respond to each year. That’s a lot of people failing basic Engine 101.
Don’t Add Coolant
Next, let’s talk about the cooling system—or, as many drivers interpret it, “that thing I’ll ignore until steam starts shooting out from under the hood like a geyser.” Overheating your engine is a gold-standard method of vehicular sabotage. Radiator issues, low coolant, or a broken thermostat can slowly bake your engine from the inside out. And yet, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), overheating is one of the top five causes of engine-related breakdowns. But hey, who needs coolant when you’ve got blind optimism and a AAA membership?
Drive It Like You Stole It
The third surefire method? Drive like you’re auditioning for Fast & Furious 17: Warranty Voiders. That means full-throttle takeoffs, slamming on the brakes, and redlining the RPM every chance you get. Revving a cold engine, racing before it’s properly warmed up, and treating the gas pedal like an on/off switch is a recipe for a swift mechanical death. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows that American drivers average 13,500 miles a year—but if you’re aggressive enough behind the wheel, you can make that engine feel like it’s been through a hundred thousand miles of combat. Congratulations, you’ve just aged your car a decade in a month.
So if you’re looking to drain your bank account with a replacement engine or experience the thrill of total vehicle failure in the center lane of I-95, now you know what to do. Skip the oil changes, ignore your coolant system, and drive like physics don’t apply to you. Just don’t be surprised when your mechanic starts referring to your car as “the ticking time bomb.”
But hey, you do you. Just don’t say you weren’t warned when the engine light blinks its final SOS.
How to improve your automobile’s health and get back on track
AM Auto Parts prides itself on providing an easy-to-use platform to find quality used engines, used transmissions, and other used auto parts from the nation’s most reputable sources. If you’re ready to stop neglecting your car, truck, or SUV start by completing the FREE Parts Form below.