Awesome Hacks Every Car Lover Needs To Know
Posted by admin at 8 June 2017, at 09 : 55 AM
For all the negative side-effects of the internet, the instant access we now have to epic life hacks and super-information are not one of them. We say this because we were at an awesome car show the other day and got talking to a few members of different owner clubs about their favorite car hacks. One thing became apparent pretty quickly; for all the car woes that have ever been, there is a genius that has come up with an innovative solution.
Of course, we did what any great blogger would do; we made a mental list of our absolute favorites to share with you. Hopefully, these fun little hacks will make your next car ride that much more, well, awesome (or at the very least more enjoyable!)
Dents Dealt With
One of the most annoying things any car owner can ever experience is walking out of their home, or out of work or the shops, and get to their car to find someone has reversed into the passenger door or something. No note or anything, just a great big dent. Well, instead of accepting it and letting your car become a banger well before its time, apparently you can remove these dents with dry ice. The extreme cold does something magic and basically pops it out. That’s what one of the genius chaps told us he did. He popped down to his local store, bought some (and some gloves) and then just applied to his dent over and over until it was completely dealt with. Amazing.
Pinching Pennies By Hypermiling
Fuel prices just seem to be going up and up and up, and given we’re not exactly making any more of it, well, we can’t see it coming back down to a few cents a liter. That’s where hypermiling comes in. This is the new buzzword for maximizing your fuel economy; it’s one for the thrifty drivers. It’s simple things like not accelerating too fast, or leaving a healthy distance between you and the car in front so that you can coast on through to a stop. Another one is, if you know you are going to be stopped somewhere for a few minutes or more, it’s a great idea to turn your engine off. Oh, and if you have cruise control, then, bingo, you can maintain your speed way better and save a ton more fuel.
More Fun For Less
We were talking to someone who had done a defensive driving course with Drive Rite driving school, and they couldn’t get over how amazing it was. They were taught all these driving techniques, including accident prevention techniques, which they hadn’t learned when they were a teenager, and in return, their insurance premium was reduced 16%. Apparently, 10% is typically the minimum. Not only that but if you have points on your license and do this course, you automatically eligible to have up four points taken off. The way they put it was, ummm; they got to have more fun driving for a lot less money.
No More Frozen Locks
Up there with the most annoying is when you go out to your car on a winter’s morning, before work, and find the lock has frozen over. What’s even worse is that you can see your de-icer on the inside but you can’t get to it. Well, instead of waiting for the sun to come out and relieve you, a little waterless hand sanitizer squirted onto your lock will melt away the ice and let you get to work without anyone knowing the drama that almost unfolded. Phew.
Spotless Engine
Who doesn’t love a spotless engine; one that gleams and shimmers when you open the hood. It fills us with goosebumps. But that isn’t all it is good for. Having a spotless engine also makes it way easier to service. So, get a few plastic bags to cover the more sensitive areas – battery, electrics, air intake etc. – and then get a bucket of water mixed with dishwasher detergent and start gently scrubbing. Just a soft rag will do the trick, as will a scrub and rinse, scrub and rinse routine, and there we have it; a shiny new engine just like the one you always dreamed of.
Your Windscreen Needs A Shave
Yes, you read that right. Your windscreen could do with a shave. The reason for this is all that horrid sticky stuff on your windscreen that your wipers and washer simply can’t get off no matter how many times they go back and forth. We’re talking dead bugs, bird poo, sap and just about every other type of gunk you can think of. That’s where your razor blade can work wonders. It’ll scrape it off no issue. Just make sure you shave responsibly, okay. We don’t want any injuries.