What exactly is "abuse" to an automobile?

Can running a car with Race oriented parts hard actually be called abuse? or just Average driving?

I never quite understood the term "abuse"

I always thought of it as someone who neglects thier car like never changing the oil or lubing components, changing belts ETC....

Not the guy who drops in a bullet proof clutch and valve train and runs his car to 140 then brings it back to the garage and babies it...what ecxactly is abuse?

If you've built your car up with heavy duty parts are you really abusing it when you run hard?

 

Abuse is hard starts, running in cold weather, trans drops, jumping curbs, etc. Running a car to 140 isn't abuse at all. These cars won't break a sweat.

 

That's a great question, but is too subjective for one or even two or three answers.

Alot of my friends say I abuse, beat the crap out of, beat on (whatever you wanna call it) my car. Yes I do drive my car hard, really hard sometimes. But I can guarantee that when all is said and done, I take better care of my car than most others, including my friends who say I beat the crap out of it. Not to mention, I hold myself accountable for anything that breaks (which isn't too bad since I can fix most of them).

Spinner hit it pretty good. These cars are meant to be driven hard, but in the realm of acceleration, braking, handling, etc. It's when you start talking about not changing your fluids w/ in a reasonable time (ALL FLUIDS, not just engine oil), or what Spinner talked about.

 

neglect is not taking car of your car, not changing fluids, etc...
abuse is pushing your car past its limit. 6K clutch drops on a stock 10 bolt
now if your car is built for that, thats not abuse....

jesse

btw this isnt LT1 tech

 

I just hate it when you do a burnout or something run your car hard and folks say your abusing it....welll ummmm why the hell did I slap al lthose $$$ parts in there?