Driving is one thing, but making good use of our cars is something that takes getting used to. We may spend hours per day in our vehicles, so why not make the most of it and employ the following hacks — you will be glad that you did.
1. Photograph your parking space. It happens. You go to the mall or to a parking garage and you cannot find your car. Every space and section looks the same. Your key fob can help you track your car, but the best thing to do is to take a photograph of your car and the surrounding landmarks. You’ll head to the right place without giving it another thought with your photo in hand.
2. Handle your own dents. As you head back to your car you notice a dent that wasn’t there before. Angered, you realize a note was not left by the person who did it. Now, you face a repair bill that will cost you hundreds of dollars. If the dent is small, you may be able to handle it yourself. Simply press a toilet plunger against the affected area and give it a pull. You just may pull out the dent.
3. Just chill out. Hot days can make the interior of your car feel like a sauna. Sure, you could start your car and turn on the air conditioning, but that’s not the only way to get it to cool down fast. Indeed, if you open a window on one side of the car and then open a door on the opposite side, the hot air will escape, especially if you open and close the door a half a dozen times.
4. Clean your headlights. Clouded headlights look terrible and will impede vision. Here, you can take most any blue toothpaste, apply it to a soft cloth and rub the headlights until they are clear. Instead of paying a professional to get the job done, you can achieve similar results on your own.
5. Remove that registration sticker. If you have the unfortunate experience of living where your state requires registration stickers on your windshield, then you know how difficult it is to remove them later. An easy fix is to soak the newspaper in warm water and then apply it to the sticker. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and then peel the sticker off in your hands.
6. Keep your food warm. You’ve gone through the drive through and will have another 15 minutes before you reach your home. The hot food you bought will soon turn cold, making the experience a downer. If you have heated seats, then simply turn on the heating element. It’ll do a very good job of keeping your sandwiches or pizza warm.
7. Touch up scratches on your own. If you have an older car and it is well off of its warranty, body work problems are for you to handle. Scratches can be buffed out, but if you have a persistent scratch or chip, there is one way to hide them: find the nail polish that is nearest your car’s color and handle the job yourself.
8. Face east, young man. Winter can take its toll on your car. You will end up dealing with frozen locks, iced over windshields and a lot of snow. On chilly mornings, park your car facing east. The natural rays of the sun will beat down and hurry the melting process. You should also leave your wipers erect to prevent them from adhering to your windshield.
9. Sticky pads are great! Older cars don’t have places to hold smart phones. That’s not problem for you as a sticky pad affixed to the dashboard can keep it in sight. You can also affix a pad to the windshield to hold your GPS unit.
10. Install your own USB charger. Retrofit a charger kit into your car and you will pay handsomely for the convenience. Avoid the added cost by opting for a cigarette lighter based USB plug-in. Furthermore, you will get two slots instead of one.
Car Hacks
Finding ways to make your car work better for you without spending a lot of money is where its at. And here’s a bonus hack for people with a leaking tire: simply remove the affected wheel from the axle and soak the tire in soapy dish water. If there is a hole in the tire, bubbles will show the precise spot for the hole. Fix it yourself or take it to one of your local tire stores to complete the repair..
