For all the joys that come with owning a car – and the number is almost impossible to measure – there are also problems that make you curse the high-heavens and wonder why you ever wanted to own a car in the first place. It gets even worse when you get hit by a problem that leaves you staring at a bill that extends into the hundreds. Urgh.
Luckily for you, we have pulled together a list of hacks that can be solved with minimal expense, a touch of elbow grease and a little slice of innovation. Just to confirm, we’re talking about helpful hacks, not cars that are hackable. Anyway, not only will these tips help you, but you may find you enjoy yourself too. How about that.
Light It Up
Nothing can make a car look older than its years than some dirty lights that look as though the world’s fog has accumulated behind the lens’. Not to mention some traffic cops may pull you over and slap you with a ticket. But, instead of spending money on some new lenses, all you need to do is apply some toothpaste and a little effort and, voila, the road will have never looked so bright.
Locked Out
Nothing is worse than that feeling of, “shucks,” when you realise you have just looked the keys inside your car. Okay, maybe that was a little dramatic but if you’re locked out of your car then it’s not like rainbows and unicorns start springing to mind. Nope. What you start to think about is cost, whether it is even possible and what your boss is going to say. The good news is you can sometimes break in using something as simple as a tennis ball or even a shoelace. That’s right, it could be that simple.
Dreadful Dents
Whether you dinged your car yourself or came back from a meeting to find a gaping dent and no note from the culprit, your heart tends to sink a little bit. That’s where the golden oldie that is “The Plunger Trick” can come to your rescue while also making you smile a little. Yup, all you have to do is get a plunge and start going out it like there is no tomorrow. To save yourself some embarrassment it is worth knowing that this will only work on smaller dents. That means don’t try and show off to someone using anything too hefty.
Fear Of The Freeze
Winter’s first big freeze is surely just around the corner and that means mornings where your windscreen is beautifully opaque and your locks are frozen over are about to ruin your life. Until now. You see, there are a couple of nifty hacks that can help. First off, by parking your car so that it faces east you will get the sun from the moment it rises meaning the windscreen will be dealt with hours before you make your way outside with your packed lunch in hand. As for the locks, a little bit hand sanitizer will do the trick. That’s because the alcohol in it will melt the ice almost instantly.
