Automatics have become the most popular choice in the Australian car market, but when you’re considering that auto Skoda Fabia wagon for sale, you may not be aware that incorrect use could cause costly damage. While automatic transmissions have evolved a great deal in recent years, it can still be expensive to repair, so here are some top tips to help you drive an auto correctly.

Come to a Complete Stop Before Selecting Park

There is nothing quite as damaging to the automatic transmission of your Skoda Fabia wagon than putting it into Park before you’ve come to a complete stop. This is where you need to use your brakes, as using the parking pawl of your transmission to try to stop a moving vehicle can cause it to break from the mechanism, allowing broken fragments to circulate through the transmission causing untold damage. Instead, you should use the foot brake to stop the vehicle, set the handbrake and then select Park on the transmission.

Park Isn’t a Parking Brake

There is a reason why your vehicle is equipped with a handbrake. This will stop the wheels from turning and prevent your Fabia from rolling. Your transmission parking pawl is not designed for this stress; it would be like trying to rest the weight of your car on your finger. Your vehicle is equipped with powerful brakes, so use them.

Don’t Change Direction Before You Completely Stop

You should only shift between Drive and Reverse after coming to a complete stop. Relying on your transmission to use an opposing ratio can cause damage to the clutches and bands, creating costly damage. Always use your brakes to stop completely and then select the new ratio, or you could risk disabling your car.

Don’t Shift to Neutral at Lights

If your approaching lights, there really is no reason to shift to neutral. Your torque converter will halt the engine drive, so there is no need to do it manually. Leaving your car in drive also creates less pressure and force to activate the torque converter when you want to move off. Additionally, avoid coasting in Neutral. Some drivers attempt this to save fuel, but it can be highly dangerous. It removes the ability to quickly speed up and may even cause brake fade.

Feed Your Throttle

When you’re moving from a standstill, you should use light throttle pressure to get your Fabia rolling. Avoid applying sudden pressure as it can cause damage. Don’t rev the engine in Neutral, instead select Drive and feed the throttle for steady and safe progress.

If you’re thinking about a Skoda Fabia Wagon for sale in Perth, you should visit us. We have an impressive choice of new and quality pre-owned models including the Skoda Fabia Wagon. Our sales team would be delighted to answer any queries or arrange a test drive of the new Skoda Fabia Wagon for sale.