If you own a car in Pakistan, you must be aware of the hassle of taking it to the workshop every single month. And yes, that too, without driving carelessly or bumping into another vehicle. How Pakistani roads damage cars is something most owners experience daily—thanks to potholes, broken surfaces, waterlogged streets, and extreme weather conditions that slowly wear your vehicle down.
Things Killing Your Car (That You Probably Ignore)
It’s not usually one big crash that kills a car here; instead, there are a thousand cuts or bumps that impact your car badly.
1. Why Your Ride Feels Bumpy?
In Pakistan, we don’t just have potholes; we have sinkholes.
You know the feeling—you’re cruising at 60, everything is fine, and then suddenly your car hits a massive bump and gives you a heart attack.
Bumpy roads wear out your car’s wheels, and you don’t even realize it till they give up and force you to change them.
Suspension Suicide
Every time you hit a deep pothole, your shock absorbers and bushes scream. Over time, they give up. If your car feels like a boat swaying in the ocean every time you turn a corner, your suspension is impacted.
The Alignment Drift
Do you know that with even a single knock, the alignment of your vehicle can go out of whack? Next thing you know, your steering wheel is straight, but the car is drifting left towards a random cart on the road.
This eats up your expensive tires unevenly, costing you thousands in premature replacements.
2. The Dust & “Mitti” Factor
Dust is a normal thing in Pakistan that we are used to! But it affects your vehicle, making it look old and worn out just a few months after you buy it brand-new.
The “Kapra” Mistake
We all have that guy who washes the car in the morning. He takes a dry cloth and wipes the dust off. Stop him. He is basically rubbing sandpaper on your paint. That’s why you see those spiderweb swirls in the sunlight.
Your car wash routine needs to be consistent and follow the correct SOPs. Using good-quality car wash shampoo and a proper car cleaning brush properly will keep your car looking good for the longest possible time.
Choked Lungs
Just like you, your car’s engine also needs fresh air to breathe effortlessly.
With the amount of pollution and dust in our cities, the car’s air filter gets clogged much faster than the manual says.
A choked car drinks more petrol. In this economy? You can’t afford that.
3. The Heat Damage
Summers in Pakistan are harsh! They cause the engine to overheat, destroying its performance over time. It is a proven fact that cars that stay outdoors for a long time tend to start looking old pretty soon.
Battery Death
Heat kills batteries, not cold. The high temperatures in June and July cause the fluid inside the battery to evaporate. That’s why your battery always seems to die unexpectedly right when you’re late for a wedding.
The Melting Interior
Heat doesn’t only impact the exterior of your car; it does way more than that. If you have a parking spot outside your office with no shade and leave your vehicle there for most of the day, the leather on your car seats will soon dry out. The plastic will fade and get brittle with time.
4. Rush Hour Torture: The Clutch Killer
If you drive in Lahore, Karachi, or Islamabad during rush hour, you will always feel stressed and panicked whenever a car gets closer to yours.
The Left Leg Workout
For drivers of manual cars, the constant “clutch-brake-clutch” routine quickly wears down the clutch plate. Riding the clutch (keeping it half-pressed) in bumper-to-bumper traffic is the quickest way to burn it out.
The Fix: How to Keep Your Car Alive
You can’t fix the roads, but you can change how you deal with them. Here is the jugaad-free guide to keeping your car running.
Save Money by Developing These Habits
- Don’t wait for the car to pull to the left. Instead, get your wheel alignment and balancing done every 5,000 km or with every oil change. This may look like a hassle for you, but in the long run, it will work in your favor. It’s cheap insurance for your tires.
- Open the bonnet and check your air filter yourself once a month. If it looks like a vacuum cleaner bag, change it. You’ll see your fuel average improve over time.
- If your car comes with a maintainable battery (not a dry one), keep checking the water levels during the summer season. Make sure to top it up with distilled water, not tap water!
- When you see a massive speed breaker, please don’t take it head-on. Instead, tilt your wheel a bit and let one wheel lift, then go for the other one.
- The way you clean your car has a massive impact on its paint. Whenever you wipe dry dust away, a tiny part of your car’s paint dies. Tell the person washing your car never to wipe dry dust. A better option is to throw a mug of water on it first to rinse the grit, then wipe. It may take a bit longer than usual, but it will also keep your car’s paint intact for an extended period.
The Bottom Line: How Pakistani Driving Conditions Destroy Your Car
Daily, your car has to go through a lot! There is a lot of sympathy for the machine, which goes a long way. When you understand how Pakistani roads damage cars, you start listening for rattles, dodging craters, and slowing for bumps. Your car will last longer, and you’ll see your mechanic less often. Additionally, invest in high-quality products to keep your car clean and protected. If you can’t find them anywhere, check the options offered by Autostore.pk.