Prevent Sliding Car RampsTo prevent your car ramps from sliding across the concrete garage floor while trying to drive up the ramps (to change the oil, etc.), try drilling a half inch hole in the concrete in front of each ramp and inserting a large nail; no more sliding ramps!
"Drivers urged to hunt for cheaper gas"We have noticed a wide range of gas prices in our area. Up to 10 cents difference for the same grade at different gas stations. Be sure to shop around...
High Gas Prices and Your CommuteThis summer's commute is going to be one of our most expensive in history. It's good time to consider all transportations alternatives.
What Other People are Paying for GasOur fuel prices are high, but check these out. These are prices paid in some other countries (and these do not include recent increases due to world-wide demand). It could be worse...
Frugal Windshield Repair?I got pulled over recently and was warned by the officer that I needed to replace my windshield. It has a pretty substantial crack in it. So I go down to the windshield repair shop and they want 600 dollars to do it... the car might be worth twice that. Anyone have any advice for getting this done for cheaper? Thank you, Val
Cleaning Sap off Car?I have tree sap from a blue spruce on my car. What can I use to clean it off and what possible damage can happen to the paint?
Get Paid To Drive Does anyone have any name or web addresses of companies that offer "Get Paid To Drive" services. Where does one go to find these places?
Winter Driving - Keep Cat Litter in Your TrunkHere's a tip for drivers in snow country who have rear wheel drive cars. Next time you go to the supermarket, pick up a box of cat box filler, the larger the better. Keep the bag in the trunk for added weight over the drive wheels; should you get stuck, open the bag and sprinkle a few handfuls of the granules around the rear wheels for better traction.
Hope you don't get stuck but better safe than sorry.
By joesgirl
High Octane Gas Saves Money (?)This might sound goofy, but it works. When you gas up, use the highest octane gasoline available. I use Sunoco 94 octane. I have found my gas budget goes farther, because I am able to run longer on the higher octane gasoline! It costs more at the beginning but at the end of my budget, I have money left over!
By Carlabw
Keeping Things ON the DashboardIf you would like to set small items on your car dashboard without having them fall off when you make a turn, use a leftover piece of the rubberized shelf liner used in kitchen cabinets. It works great, and it's just the right size for a cell phone, sunglasses, etc. Plus, if you buy it in the kitchen section at discount stores, it's usually cheaper than a similar roll in the auto or RV area.
By Tori
Velcro Your Cellphone To The DashboardI've seen so many Velcro tips that I just had to submit mine. This is only for people who drive cars with a carpet-like dashboard cover. In Australia they are quite popular and keep the car's dash from cracking.
Cold Weather Preparation For Your CarIn winter months, carry an extra change of warm clothes, blankets, flashlight, some nonperishable food, matches, a small breakdown shovel, etc. You never know when you might slide into a snowy ditch. It's better to be prepared, than to wish you'd been prepared! Let someone know your estimated time of arrival, so if you don't show up, someone will know to come looking for you.
A Heavy Duty Battery For Cold WeatherA tiny spare tire isn't the only way in which car manufacturers are sneaking weight and raw material from new models. Puny batteries are another concession to mileage improvement and cost cutting.
Is It A Safe Car? Call and check before you buy.Before you buy a car, new or used, you might benefit from a call to the toll-free Auto Safety Hotline sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Make Note Of Your Yearly MileageWrite down the mileage on your vehicle on Jan. 1 of each year, then if you can count mileage on your income tax, you will have this record.
Use your check register for the year to write it on and you have a permanent record.
By Beverly in TN
Keep Boots or Sneakers In Your TrunkLadies, be sure to carry a pair of boots or sneakers in your trunk in case you should breakdown. Dress shoes are not good for walking in an emergency situation. An old warm coat and gloves left in the trunk is also handy to have.
Repairing a Vinyl Tarp?I have a vinyl tarp that covers my truck bed. Someone in a parking garage at work must have thought it a good idea to scrape a line about 3-4 inches. any ideas on ther best way to patch this up or ideas on any companies that are good at repairs?
Thanks in advance,
Debbie
Unusual Things To Keep In Your CarHere are some oftentimes forgotten -- or otherwise overlooked -- items that you should ALWAYS keep in your car...
How do I buy a used car?My car needs to be replaced and I am going to need to purchase a moderately priced used car. To buy a car in my price range, I will probably have to buy one through the "want ads". Does anyone have any tips for getting the right car at the right price? I am a single mom who doesn't know much about cars.
Research Gas Prices OnlineTired of paying high prices for gasoline? Just log onto http://www.gasbuddy.com or http://www.gaspricewatch.com and enter your zip code to find the lowest-priced pump near you.
By Kathy
Learn to Change Your OilSave money by learning to change your own oil in your car. To have it changed at a Lube place it runs $30.00, three times a year averaging $90.00. Four quarts of oil runs about $9.00, which works out to $27.00 a year, savings of $63.00 a year.
By Bobbie
Using Rain-X On Your WindshieldI highly recommend using Rainx on your windshield. The first time it rained after I had applied the rainx I was able to see so clearly it looked as if wasn't even raining.
News About Gas PricesBelow we will post the latest news about gas prices. If you have any news to share or links to post, feel free to post them below.
Review of The Dodge Grand CaravanThis tip is to sing the praises of our Dodge Grand Caravan. This is the second Dodge van we have had and we just have to say that we LOVE them! There is nothing more comfortable to ride in.
Dashboard?Does anyone know why they call a dashboard a dashboard?
Store a Phone Book in Your TrunkKeep an extra phone book in the trunk of your car, so that you'll have any number you need in case of emergency. Locksmith, directions to hard to find stores, anything & anyone you might need to contact from the road will be at your fingertips.
By Doggy
Parts For a 48 Ford Two Door Sedan?Does anyone have anything for a 48 ford two door sedan? Does anyone know where I can find any parts for one?
Stain from Blouse on Car Seats?I need help! I just bought a new car. Who would of thought that the black cotton blouse I was wearing that day would stain my beige color leather car seats! I tried using a clorox wipe, that didn't work. Now WHAT?
Don't Let Your Car Run Out Of GasDon't ever let your car run out of gasoline as it will burn up the fuel pump that's inside your gas tank. If you do, it'll cost about $300.00 to $400.00 minimum to get it fixed.
Check Your Wiper BladesCheck your wiper blades on your vehicle periodically. If you don't watch, they'll separate and the next time you turn them on, they'll scratch your windshield.
Gas and Oil AdditivesTo get better fuel mileage on your vehicle, use a gas additive.
How Much Is a Flat Bed Tow Truck?I have a questions about tow trucks. Does anyone know how much it is for a new/used flat bed tow truck?
What is The Fastest Car?I have a research paper and am wondering if anyone knows what the fastest car is. Thank You,
Looking for Parts for a 95 Isuzu?I'm looking for any parts that can go to a 95 Isuzu. If anyone can help would me great.
Fuel Injector Problems With A 2000 Buick Regal?I have a 2000 BUICK REGAL that is having fuel injector problems. Can I safely add fuel injector cleaning fluid to the gas tank?
Parking Beside the Cart HoldersI have parked beside the cart holders in the parking lot for years for several reasons. At first I did it because I had an infant carrier, and rather than carry it into the store and then get the cart, I put it on the cart and pushed the whole thing inside. Now I use it so that I cut my risk of a door ding in half, and I can put the kids in the van and put the cart away without leaving them!
The Value of Cell Phones When TravellingMy son and I learned a valuable lesson about cell phones in a car this fall. We left to make a trip to Frankfort (which is probably 100 or more miles away) to obtain a birth certificate copy. Outside Lexington we hit a construction area and picked up a nail having a flat.
Soap Dried On Car Carpet?The previous owner of my Blazer must have taken it to a cheap-o detail shop when they were trying to sell it. As a result, I have a TON of soap dried into the carpet in the back. I don't mean residue, it looks like they spilled soap. AND it is kind of in the "shadow" of the spare tire, so I didn't notice it till now, when I have owned it for 6 months!
Absorbing Odors In Your Car's AshtrayTo freshen a car's ashtray, try filling it with baking soda. It will absorb all the smells.
How To Know When Your Car Is In The Garage Far EnoughTie a foam ball to a string from the ceiling long enough to touch the windshield of the car and when your car hits the ball, you are inside far enough.
Scratch on Acrylic Car Window?is there anything I can use to remove a scratch off an acrylic window on my caravan?
Shop For The Best Trade In OfferWhen looking for a new car don't just look for the best offers on the new cars you look at, but also look for the best trade in offers from the dealerships as well.
Transportation Dilemma?I would like to know if anybody can help me out in getting a car. I am about to graduate and need a car to get back and forth to college and work. I do not have a job because I don't have a car.
Keep a Copy of Your License and Insurance HandyIn case of leaving the house in a hurry for one reason or another and you do not have your purse, clip a twenty to the inside of the sub visor and a xerox copy of your licenses and insurance in the glove box for those terrible panic stops by your local law enforcements, it helps to keep you free of a ticket, if the explanation is reasonable enough.
Tire Recommendations for a 2003 BMW Mini Cooper S?I own a 2003 Mini Cooper S. I am considering changing from 17" wheels run flats and 205/45 tires to 16" wheels and performance tires. I want to cover as much of the same wheel well area as the 17" 205/45/17 tires did.
Paint on Truck Seat?My husband recently bought a new Dodge Ram pickup. I accidently spilled paint on the front seat. Any ideas for removing it?
Removing Your License PlateIf you've ever gone to the DMV to trade in your car tag and forgot to take a screwdriver (as I have), a penny will do the trick. Just align it with the slot and turn (clockwise.)
Keep Baby Wipes in the Carven though I have no babies, I carry a cheap package of baby wipes in the car. I always have them for a quick clean up of my hands after thrift store shopping, wipe a spill in the car, or wipe down the dash while waiting in traffic or at lights.
Volvo Car Manuals?My son and daughter-in-law were good enough to buy me a 1990 Volvo - freedom is wonderful! The car did not come with an owner's manual, however. Does anyone know where I could obtain one? I have tried "Car Talk" and ebay.
Removing Eggs From a Cars Finish?I have a 1998 Ford Mustang that had eggs thrown on it last night. Please tell me how to remove the eggs and restore the car back to it's original luster without runining the paint. We have washed it with soap and water and with a high pressure car wash hose.
Removing School Name from the Side of a School Bus?My wife and I purchased a bus and we want to remove the school name from the side of the bus. Does anybody have any idea how to do this without destroying the paint under it?
Fill Up Gas Tank Before WeekendAlways fill up your gas tank on Thursdays because they always hike up the prices on Fridays for the weekend because that is when most people travel.
Sticky Ignition In a Car?When starting my car, the ignition switch slightly sticks when returning to it's normal position. I'm tempted to give it a shot of WD-40 or tuner cleaner. But, I don't want to cause any electrical problems. Any advice would be welcome.
Keeping Away From My Car?Every day I have to park my car near a dairy farm. If you've ever been around a dairy then you would know about the overwhelming number of flies. These flies land and perch out on vehicles by the hundreds every day, leaving behind their feces. This is very hard to wash off. Does anyone know how to keep these flies off of your vehicle?
Removing Tint Glitter From Car Windows?How do you get tint glitter off of car windows? The tint is off but left the windows with a glitter look.
2002 Chrysler Town & Country?When do you need to flush a transmission on a 2002 Town & Country?
Rattle in Top End Valve?I just changed my head gasket and got everything timed. It starts fine and runs ok but has a rattle in top end valve. Lash is ok. Is there something that I can do? I need to go to work.
Don't Drive Through Flood WatersTo save yourself a bunch of heartache, headache, possibly your life and the life of your automobile, do not drive through flood waters. You could be thinking that it's not very deep, when the road could possibly be washed out.
Disc Brakes Are Too Hard?I recently had someone replace the shoes pads on my Chrysler 300M. It has 4 disc brake. Anyway, he replaced the pads but now the brakes are very hard, harder than they used to be. The car stops fine but I think this person might not have done something right.
Chocolate Milk on Car Upholstery?My daughter's sippy cup leaked chocolate milk all over my brand new car! Does anyone know how to get the stain out? I'm afraid to make it worse by trying a bunch of things and would really appreciate the advice.
Fuel Efficient Used Cars?I have about 3,000 dollars to spend on a new commuter car to get me to and from work. I have been driving my truck and the gas mileage is horrible. Can anyone suggest a good car that is fuel efficient and likely to be in that price range?
Lost Radio Code for a Rover 45?I have recently had a new battery on my Rover 45. Unfortunately the radio does not now work and I do not have the code. What do I do?
Buying Used Rental Cars?I have seen some good deals on used rental cars. They seem to be in great shape and usually have about 20,000 miles on them. Does anyone have any experience with buying used rental cars?
Preventing Your Car From Rolling OverWhen driving, if you were to drop off the blacktop and there is no shoulder on the roadway, try not jerk the vehicle back onto the roadway...
Discolored Plastic Headlight Covers?I am looking for a way to remove the discoloration on plastic head light covers on a 1998 Chrysler van. It is ruff looking and stops a lot of the light from coming through from the head light. The light has become very opaque and not crystal clear like it was when it was new.
Renting ToolsMy husband loves Auto Zone because they not only have reasonable prices on everything they carry, but they also have a "Rent-a-Tool" program where...
Painting a Graphic on My Car?I have a vinyl graphic on both sides of my BMW but I want to mark it out with tape, then take the actual vinyl off and spray it on. I would like advice on the best way to do this as I do not wish to mess it up. Please let me know the best way to go about it and what is the best paint to use.
Acetone as a Gasoline Additive2 ozs. of Acetone to 10 gallons or more of gasoline or diesel gives you better fuel mileage and more horsepower. Acetone can be found in the paint department of most stores...
Sticky Car DoorIf you have a car door that doesn't want to close right, use WD40. If you have a sticky door lock and no graphite (The two don't mix, use one or the other. Graphite is preferable.) WD40 will work in a pinch!
Buying Formerly Leased CarsWhen looking for a used car, look into "leased" cars. We bought one that was 1 year old, with only 2,300 miles! It went from "covered" home to "covered" work! We're in the desert so covered is important.
Cleaning the Leather Interior in a Convertible?I have a brand new convertible with leather interior. I left the top down and it rained inside. I also park under an oak tree and wet seed pods got into the car. They left a yellow stain on light taupe leather. I have tried everything I can think of to remove it. Does anyone know anything that might work?
Saving on Gas in Australia?I am looking for ideas for saving on gas in Australia. Anything would be great. I saw the poll results and wished that the results were the same here in Australia.
Dyeing the Carpet in My Car?Can you tell me an easy way to dye the carpet in my car?
Brandy Stains on a Car's Seat?How do you remove Brandy stains from car seat?
Dull Instrument Panels In My Vehicle?I was wondering if anyone knew how to remove the dull effect that is on my instrument panels in my vehicle? I think that Armour All had gotten on it and made it look dull. This is some type of plastic.
Reading the Car ManualReading the Car Manual. I have been blessed with a new vehicle with a daunting array of buttons and gizmos on the dashboard. The owner's manual is quite thick and proved daunting to me to just sit and read initially. . .
Cheapest Gas in St. Joseph, MO?I am looking for the cheapest gas prices in St. Joseph, MO.
Protecting My Car's Dash?I wanted to know if there is a home product that is safe to use on the dash of my car that won't crack the dash over time. I have heard that Armor All does cause your dash to crack when used over time.
Soaked Car Seat?My husband forgot to put my window up in my car after he used it. We had terrible thunder showers and it rained cats and dogs. Yup, my window was still down. How can I get the drivers side seat to dry? It is really soaked.
Burnt Smell in a Car After a FireHow do you get the burnt smell out of autos after they have been on fire?
20% Down on New CarsWhen buying a new or used car from a dealer, make a down payment of at least 20%. That will be a enough to cover taxes and most of the vehicles first year depreciation.
Moving a Window Decal to a Different Window?If I remove a kid's sports decal from the car window, can I reapply it to another car window?
Removing a Tire from a Rim?I collect aluminum for cash, mostly aluminum cans. I have recently found in the garbage a tire from a car on an aluminum rim. I have no use for the rim, but need to remove the tire in order to cash in the aluminum rim.
Car Bangs When Shifting Into Overdrive?Why does my 1997 Buick Lasabre shift into overdrive with a bang?
"Ford 8 Inch Rebuild/Gear Setup" Instructions?I am looking for written instructions for "Ford 8 Inch Rebuild/Gear Setup". I have found nine inch and this does not work. Looking for suggestions where to look, who to contact. Thanks for helping me rebuild my 48 Ford.
Inexpensive Car Alarm?What can I do for a car alarm on a very tight budget?
Spots on Car Windows?How can spots on car windows be removed? The windows do not look clean after cleaning.
Caution About Ribbon Auto MagnetsCaution About Ribbon Auto Magnets. Around our town, a lot of people have those big (5 to 7 inch) patriotic (or other colored) ribbon shaped magnets on their vehicles.
Oil Dipstick Broke?My oil dipstick broke off in the engine, snapped right off at the cheap plastic handle and what's left of it down in the tube is the other half of the plastic handle, wedged in tightly, about 1/2 to 3/4" down with nothing to grip it by, so I now can't even pull the stick out to check my oil.
Fix Window Dings Before They Become CracksWinter temperatures are tough on vehicle windshields. You can save yourself from having to replace your car windshield down the road by getting dings repaired in a timely matter.
Selling a Mercury Mystique?Does anyone have any idea what a good asking price would be for a 2000 mercury mystique with 94,000 miles on it. It needs a new transmission and possibly a new fuel line.
Link For Cheapest Gas StationsNow that gas prices are going up again, you might want to check out listings of lowest gas prices per zip code.
Getting a Fair Price on a Car?How do you get a car salesman to give you a fair price? I can NEVER get them to give me more than 500 off the sticker price. And then they add it back with fees or some other generic type charge. They call it paperwork, etc.
Frugal Snack Box For DrivingBuy granola bars and other individually packaged snacks on sale, with coupons or at the dollar store. Then find a lunch box and put a couple of each kind inside.
Mothballs To Boost Mileage?Old school drag racers can tell you - to boost your gas mileage and power by adding 1-3 mothballs, which are pure ether, to your gas tank!
Boycott Gas On May 15thHi, I was reading the gasoline tips and thought I would pass this along. Did you know if just 7 million people did not buy gas on one selected day, it would cost the oil companies $20 billion dollars on the average, based on the cost of filling up your tank at $30.00.
Buy Gas MidweekI have heard more than once that gasoline prices are lower in the middle of the week (Tues., Wed.) than on the weekend.
Carpet Adhesive on Car Paint?Does anyone have any ideas how to remove carpet adhesive from the paint work of Car without ruining the colour and paint on the car? I was driving into a mall the other day when I ran over a can which turned out to be a aerosol can of carpet adhesive! It sprayed over the side of my car and now I'm wondering how to remove it!
Installing a Review Mirror in a Buick Regal?I am looking for information on how to install a review mirror in a Buick Regal.
Cleaning White Glue Off A Car?Some jerk threw a large amount of white glue (you know the Elmer's school glue) onto my car. Does anyone know how to remove dried white glue from a car without destroying the paint.
Finder Fee For Auto Dealer ReferralsI'm not sure if most people know this or not, but this is a tip if you buy your new vehicle from a dealership. Afterwards, send your friends and/or family members to the same dealership and salesman and have them purchase a vehicle.
Removing Adhesive From a Car?How do I get dried adhesive from a Christian fish off my car?
