At Cecil's Automotive in Collierville, TN and Olive Branch, MS, we understand that driving style affects your vehicle’s performance and reliability. You probably know that frequent, hard acceleration is bad for your engine and transmission, but what about speed?
Really, it depends on your vehicle; how the drivetrain is geared, how well the car is engineered, and how powerful your engine is are all factors. Some cars are built for speed, and some aren’t. There are luxury sedans on the road that could sustain 120 miles per hour comfortably and easily (with proper tires), while your average ‘91 Dodge Omni might blow the engine before you ever reach 100. At any rate, there are some typically universal dynamics related to how speed affects any vehicle.
The engine will rev higher. Keeping your engine at high RPM will wear down moving parts faster. Once your transmission is in top gear, the faster you go, the harder your engine will be working.
Your tires are affected as well. They heat up considerably at high speed, and at a certain point will actually fail unless they’re specifically designed not to. Heat and excessive wear at high speeds will also wear them out faster.
Gas mileage is probably where you’ll notice the greatest effect. During the 1970s, speed limits weren’t 55 because cars were slower; they were lowered from 70 to 55 during the fuel crisis to spare fuel. As you increase your speed, not only does your engine work harder, but air resistance increases exponentially. As you increase speed over 70 mph, you can practically watch the gauge drop. While the difference in resistance from 25 mph to 55 isn’t huge, the difference between 70 and 100 is substantial, making a huge impact on your fuel consumption.
In summary, speeding wears your car out and wastes fuel. Consider enjoying the scenery a little longer next time you drive. For more advice, or if your vehicle simply needs maintenance or repair, don’t hesitate to drop by Cecil's Automotive anytime. From oil changes and brake jobs, to engine swaps and rebuilds, our expert mechanics have your back.
