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With spring just days away, this is a good time to clean off the winter muck and get your car back into shape.

However, when it comes to maintaining your car, misconceptions abound. And even the best intentions can lead you to spend more money than necessary, possibly cause damage, or even compromise your safety.

Below are a few common car-care myths our auto experts have debunked that can do more harm than good. Also, watch our car-care video to learn the reality about more car-care myths.

Myth: If regular-grade fuel is good, premium must be better.
Reality: Most vehicles run just fine on regular-grade (87 octane) fuel. Using premium in these cars won't hurt, but it won't improve performance, either. A higher-octane number simply means that the fuel is less prone to pre-ignition problems, so it's often specified for hotter running, high-compression engines. So if your car is designed for 87-octane fuel, don't waste money on premium. Only use premium if your car’s owner’s manual says “required.”

Myth: Let your engine warm up for several minutes before driving.
Reality: That might have been good advice for yesteryear's cars but is less so today. Modern engines warm up more quickly when they're driven. And the sooner they warm up, the sooner they reach maximum efficiency and deliver the best fuel economy and performance. But don't rev the engine high over the first few miles while it's warming up.

Myth: A dealership must perform regular maintenance to keep your car's factory warranty valid.
Reality: As long as the maintenance items specified in the vehicle owner's manual are performed on schedule, the work can be done at any auto-repair shop. If you're knowledgeable, you can even do the work yourself. Just keep accurate records and receipts to back you up in case of a warranty dispute on a future repair.

For more information on car care, maintenance and repairs, see our guide to car maintenance. Talk with others about car maintenance and repair in John's Tool Box forum.

Filed under: Cars on March 17th, 2010