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America is a car-centric culture.more than 90% Families in the US have at least one car. There are many different cars, from old classics to supported with loveto luxurious new electric rides or luxurious cruisers equipped with cutting-edge technology. Whatever type of vehicle you drive, you can get the most out of it. regular maintenance and smart driving, but you can also get a little more out of any car with these versatile car hacks.
Throw anti-seize lubricant into the trunk.
If you've driven a car for any length of time, you know that flat tires only happen at the most inopportune times. Sunny days when you have a lot of time? These tires are perfect. White weather and you're rushing to an interview? Guaranteed to be level and you will find that your lug nuts have melted and become completely impossible to move.
One way to prevent this is to judiciously use small amounts extreme pressure lubricantwhich is designed to prevent rust and other types of corrosion. Mechanics, to be fair, debate this point: some pros believe that using anti-seize nuts changes the required torque, which can weaken them over time. But many people have used a small amount of anti-seize lubricant to make tire changes or rotations easier without any ill effects. The key is to use a very small amount – just enough to protect the threads.
Add silicone grease to door gaskets.
Your car's door seals help insulate the interior. Over time, these seals can become stiff and begin to fall apart, making your car unsightly and less comfortable to drive. You can prevent this with a simple trick: take some silicone lubricant and apply a thin layer to the rubber gaskets around the doors, trunk and windows. This will save you from tedious maintenance in the future and prevent your doors from freezing in the winter. (An often-repeated version of this trick is to use Vaseline, which is fine in a pinch, but can cause the rubber to break down over time in a way that silicone lubricants cannot.)
Monitor your tire tread wear with a quarter wheel
Tire tread is essential to the safe and efficient operation of your vehicle. Bald tires not only make you more likely to hydroplane or otherwise lose control of your vehicle, but they also cause your vehicle to burn more fuel to overcome obstacles. rolling resistancereducing your vehicle's fuel efficiency.
Tire tread is measured in 32 inches – new tires typically have a tread depth of 10/32 inches or 11/32 inches, and you should replace your tires when the tread has worn down to about 4/32 inches or less. You can easily track this using a quarter– Find the most worn place on the tire, insert the inverted quarter into the tread. If you see the top of Washington's head, you should replace your tire. You can also use a penny to see if you can see the top of the Lincoln, but this means the tire has 2/32 of an inch of tread, which means you should replace the tire. immediately. The Quarter Test alerts you to replace your tire before a dangerous situation occurs.
Prevent small window cracks from spreading by using nail polish.
A cracked windshield is unsightly, and even a tiny crack will likely spread slowly but inexorably until you have no choice but to replace the glass entirely. If you have a noticeable crack in your windshield, you should replace it, but if that's not possible right away, you can use a short-term fix: nail polish.
This is not a permanent repair, but it will buy you some time by slowing down the spread of the crack. Clean the damaged area thoroughly, then coat the outer surface And Cover the inside of the cracked area with clear nail polish. Let it dry and go about your business. You'll still need to replace your windshield eventually (or make a more permanent repair), but this hack will allow you to plan for the job instead of treating it like an emergency.
Prevent things from falling between seats with pipe insulation
Have you ever lost your keys, phone or anything else between the seats in your car? If yes, then you know it's like “Mission: Can't Get Your Property Back.” These spaces were simply not designed for people to enter.
The easiest way to prevent this from happening is to seal these gaps (this also prevents crumbs and other dirt from filling these spaces). Pipe insulation is the perfect material for this: cut a piece to the length you need and stick it between the seats (or seats and console) and never lose anything again. In a pinch, you can use the always healthy pool noodles. Alternatively, you can buy storage organizers designed to fill these gaps, which solves the problem by giving you extra storage space.
Use a plunger to remove small dents
A dent in your car is annoying and can be costly to repair. Repairing small cosmetic dents does not require special tools or professional help. All you need is a heat source and a regular bathroom plunger.
As a heat source, you can boil water, pour it onto the dent, and then use a plunger to pull out the dent. You can also use a heat gun or hair dryer, although water may help the plunger seal tightly against the body of the car.
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Put socks on your windshield wiper blades
There's nothing more fun than trudging through the cold to your car only to find that your windshield wiper blades are frozen to the windshield. Of course, your car will eventually warm up enough to release the wipers, but if you'd rather not wait for that miracle to happen, keep an old pair of tube socks in the glove compartment. On cold nights when there is a high risk of your windshield wipers freezing, cover them with socks. This will protect them from damage and also prevent them from freezing to the windshield.
Try to always turn right to save on gas.
It's one of those amazing tricks that people have a hard time believing, but it actually works: To save on gas, always turn right unless turning left is absolutely necessary—yes, even if it makes your trip longer.
UPS has implemented this policy in its vehicle routing software, instructing its drivers to avoid left turns as much as possible algorithmically, and claims to use about 10 million gallons less gas as a result every year. In fact, our greatest repository of scientific knowledge, MythbustersI did it once segment proving they used about 3% less fuel by avoiding as many left turns as possible. driving a fake truck.
Please note this does not mean never making a left turn. This means you should prioritize right turns when planning your route, even if it makes your trip longer. Whether taking the extra time to do this is worth saving some money on gas is another question entirely.
Use hand sanitizer on frozen locks
Another nuisance on a cold winter morning? Frozen car locks and doors. Although most new cars these days have keyless entry, you may still end up with a frozen door, and if your battery is dead due to the cold, you may need to use a physical key to gain access to the car. In this case, a simple tip you can use is to reach for some hand sanitizer, which you probably have in your coat pocket. Squeeze a small amount into the lock (or apply to the physical key before inserting it) or along the edge of the door. After a few seconds, the alcohol in the sanitizer will melt the ice, making it easy to open everything.
Invest in a glove box organizer to maximize your storage space.
It's been a long time since anyone used a car's glove compartment to store gloves. Most of us stuff things in there thinking we might need them someday, then forget what's in there and go a decade or two without opening it.
Instead, take up that space with an organizer. You can find molded plastic organizers designed for specific models (eg. This one for Toyota Tacoma or This one for Tesla Model 3s), or you can find wallet style organizers to keep your paperwork and other items neatly stored, making the glove box really useful for variety.
