A mechanic has revealed a simple trick that could "double the life of your engine".

Scotty Kilmer, a mechanic with 50 years of experience, has suggested that a popular feature in modern cars might actually be harmful to their performance.

In a video on his YouTube channel, he advised motorists to switch off the automatic start/stop function on their vehicles.

Despite the growing popularity of start/stop features for their potential to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, Scotty remains unconvinced, arguing that this technology only speeds up engine wear.

He declared: "[Turning it off] is a smart thing to do. Start/stop technology is the dumbest thing that's come out in years. 97% of the wear happens when you start the car so do you want to keep starting and stopping it? Not if you want your car to last longer."

The stop/start feature can be turned off using a toggle button usually found on the dashboard, often marked by an 'A' with a circular arrow around it.

A small light typically indicates when the setting is deactivated.

Scotty's advice left social media users stunned, reports Birmingham Live. One remarked: "I recently was driving a rental with this feature and after realizing it wasn't the car stalling at every red light I realized what was going on.

"I thought this was... worse for the engine than just idling."

Another added: "I test-drove a car once with that function and I found it annoying."

In a related development, a leading car manufacturer has unveiled innovative seatbelt technology that it believes could significantly enhance safety measures.

Meanwhile, a 40 year old Peugeot 205 with a mere 10,000 miles on the clock has hit the market with an eye-watering price tag of £300,000.