10 Useful Tips Every Car Owner Should Know
American culture is car-centric —over 90% of American households own at least one car. There are many different types of cars, from meticulously maintained classics to modern electric vehicles and luxury cruisers equipped with cutting-edge technology. Regardless of what car you drive, getting the most out of it requires regular maintenance and a smart driving style, but you can also slightly improve the performance of any vehicle with these versatile car hacks.
Place some anti-seize grease in the trunk.
If you’ve driven even a little, you know that flats happen at the most inopportune moments. Sunny days with plenty of time? These tires are impervious. A severe snowstorm and you’re rushing to an interview? A flat is guaranteed—and you’ll find your lug nuts are jammed and completely impossible to remove.
One way to prevent this is to judiciously apply a small amount of anti-seize lubricant , designed to prevent rust and other corrosion. To be fair, mechanics debate this point—some experts believe that using anti-seize lubricant on lug nuts alters the required tightening torque, which can lead to loosening over time. However, many people have used a small amount of anti-seize lubricant to significantly ease tire changes or rotations without any negative consequences. The key is to use a very small amount, just enough to protect the threads.
Apply silicone grease to the door seals.
The seals around your car’s doors help insulate the interior. Over time, these seals can harden and begin to deteriorate, making your car unsightly and less comfortable to drive. This can be prevented with a simple hack: take some silicone lubricant and apply a thin layer to the rubber seals around the doors, trunk, and windows. This will save you some time on maintenance in the future and prevent your doors from freezing in the winter. (A commonly used variation of this hack is Vaseline, which works in a pinch, but over time can cause the rubber to wear out, something silicone lubricants don’t do.)
Monitor tire tread wear with a quarter.
Tire tread wear is critical to the safe and efficient operation of your vehicle. Bald tires not only increase the likelihood of hydroplaning or loss of control, but also force the vehicle to use more fuel to overcome rolling resistance , reducing fuel efficiency.
Tire tread depth is measured in 32nds of an inch—new tires typically have 10/32 or 11/32 inches—and tires should be replaced when the tread depth is reduced to approximately 4/32 of an inch or less. This is easily tested using a quarter : find the most worn spot on the tire and insert the quarter upside down into the tread. If you can see the top of Washington’s head, the tire should be replaced. You can also use a penny to check if the top of Lincoln’s head is visible, but this means the tread depth is 2/32 of an inch, meaning the tire should be replaced immediately . The quarter test alerts you to the need for tire replacement before a dangerous situation arises.
Prevent small cracks in windows from spreading with nail polish.
A cracked windshield is unsightly, and even a tiny crack will likely slowly but inexorably spread until you have no choice but to replace the entire windshield. If your windshield has a noticeable crack, it should be replaced—but if that’s not possible right away, there’s a temporary fix: nail polish.
This isn’t a permanent repair, but it will buy you some time by slowing the crack’s progression. Thoroughly clean the damaged area, then coat the outside and inside of the crack with clear nail polish. Let it dry and then go about your business. You’ll still need to replace the windshield (or do a more extensive repair) eventually, but this method allows you to plan ahead rather than deal with the problem in an emergency.
Prevent foreign objects from getting between your seats with pipe insulation.
Have you ever lost your keys, phone, or anything else between the seats in your car? If so, you know that getting your stuff back is like Mission Impossible. Those places just aren’t meant for people to get into.
A simple way to prevent this from happening is to seal the cracks (this will also prevent crumbs and other debris from filling them). Pipe insulation is ideal for this: cut a piece to the required length and tuck it between the seats (or between the seats and the console), and you’ll never lose anything again. In a pinch, a snorkel, which is always handy, can also be used. Alternatively, you can purchase special storage organizers that fit into these cracks, solving the problem and providing additional storage space.
To remove small dents, use a plunger.
A dent in your car is a nuisance, and repairs can be expensive. To fix minor cosmetic damage, you don’t need special tools or professional help. All you need is a heat source and a simple plunger.
As a heat source, you can boil water, pour it onto the dent, and then use a plunger to remove it . A heat gun or a regular hair dryer can also be used, although water may help the plunger adhere better to the car body.
Place socks on your windshield wipers.
There’s nothing more exhilarating than trudging through the freezing cold to your car only to find your wiper blades frozen to the windshield. Sure, the car will eventually warm up enough to release the blades, but if you don’t want to wait for that miracle, keep an old pair of socks in the glove compartment. On cold nights, when frozen wipers are more likely, cover them with the socks. This will protect them from damage and 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 find hard to believe, but it actually works: To save on gas, always turn right unless a left turn is absolutely necessary—yes, even if it adds length to your trip.
UPS has implemented this policy into its route-planning software, instructing drivers to avoid left turns as much as the algorithm allows, and claims to save approximately 10 million gallons of gasoline annually as a result. Furthermore, our main source of scientific knowledge, MythBusters , once showed a video proving that they used approximately 3% less fuel by avoiding as many left turns as possible while driving a fictional delivery truck.
Please note, this doesn’t mean you should never turn left. It does mean that when planning your route, you should prioritize right turns, even if it increases the travel time. Whether the extra time is worth the gas savings is another matter entirely.
Wipe frozen locks with hand sanitizer.
Another nuisance on a cold winter morning? Frozen car locks and doors. Although most modern cars are equipped with keyless entry, it’s still possible to have a frozen door, and if the battery has died due to the cold, you might need a physical key to open the car. In this case, an easy solution is to reach for some hand sanitizer, which you probably keep in your jacket pocket. Spray a small amount of the sanitizer on the lock (or lubricate the physical key before inserting it) or on the edge of the door. Within a few seconds, the alcohol in the sanitizer will melt the ice, allowing you to open the door with ease.
Get a glove compartment organizer to maximize your storage space.
No one has used the car glove compartment for gloves for a long time. Most of us simply stuff things in there, hoping we’ll need them someday, and then forget what’s in there and don’t open it for ten or twenty years.
Instead, use a glove compartment organizer. You can find plastic organizers designed specifically for specific models (like this one for the Toyota Tacoma or this one for the Tesla Model 3), or wallet-style organizers that will keep documents and other items neatly organized, making the glove compartment truly useful.