MotorKwirks

As you know, or hopefully do know by now, I’m all about making driving easier, more accessible and cheaper. More people should be able to enjoy the joys of motoring for less. Sometimes this means coming up with some unusual solutions for problems that motorists may face from time to time. Cars, despite their increases in reliability, still need to be maintained every so often. As a result, I have three unusual car maintenance hacks that will keep the car in great condition for longer and make maintenance that little bit easier.

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Lemon Juice
There are many different uses for lemon juice. It’s great for getting rid of a cold, and it is also superb at turning a pancake into an addiction. But did you know that lemon juice is also excellent at tackling rust? Rust can affect the underbody of most vehicles. This is because they are the most exposed to the road salt and general elements that are constantly trying to eat away at a car’s structure.

It starts off as mere surface rust, but can progress to full rust if left untreated. This can be costly to repair and make the car dangerous to drive. However, lemon juice is a cheap but effective way of combatting this. The lemon juice itself dissolves the rust and return the metal to its former glory. To be perfectly honest, vinegar does much the same thing, but remember we have to live with the smell afterwards. And I would prefer the smell of lemons to that of my local fish and chip shop.

Elastic Bands
Before you ask, these elastic bands are not there to support the exhaust. There are special exhaust rubbers for that job, and I always recommend that these be used. No, my use for the elastic band concerns under bonnet maintenance. Sometimes screws can be a bit tight, and refuse to come out. We attack them with a screw driver, only to partly mess up the threads and not be able to get any purchase on the offending screw. So it stays where it is, and the cursing begins.

This is the exact problem that faced me just yesterday, when attempting to change the air filter in my car. Just three screws to undo. Should be a ten minute job at most. Maybe 15 on a bad day. But screw number 3 refused to budge. The solution? Place an elastic band in between the screwdriver and the screw that you’re trying to remove. Then slowly start turning. Lo and behold, out came the screw, and the new air filter was nicely in place about 3 minutes later. A really neat and cheap way of ensuring you can do more of your car’s maintenance at home and not go crying to the garage when things start to go wrong.

The Magnet Pick-Up Tool / Screwdriver
Seems almost too obvious to be true, but has anyone ever attempted vehicle maintenance at home? How often has a screw managed to fall down deep within the engine bay where hands can’t reach? This is the ultimate solution to a problem that really shouldn’t still exist. But it does, and the magnet can help you fish out those loose screws that have fallen into your engine bay. Save yourself acres of time, cuts on hands and general frustration. Everyone should have one of these. Or even better, just a magnetic screwdriver set, which kills all birds with one stone.

Conclusion
These are just three of the life saving, money saving, car maintenance hacks that have helped me over the years. And they continue to help me to this day. Do you have any unique tricks that make your maintenance life easier? Don’t forget to give us a call and see how we can help to find you a car or maintain your car more easily. Thanks for reading!