10 Cheap Car Hacks That May Help You Deal With Day-to-Day Issues

Glad you've asked! While browsing the web for lists of budget car hacks, we inevitably came across the kind of hacks that may damage your vehicle. Other tips are simply impartical with modern vehicles, while a small portion would trigger the likes of Khaby Lame.

More on the bad hacks, later, though, because this particular story focuses on good examples. Certain hacks require a bit of DIY-ing, yet said DIY work is way simpler than replacing an exhaust or fitting a front lift kit.

Before going any further, it's extremely important to highlight that what you come across on social media platforms such as TikTok and X may not be entirely true. On that note, let's kick this off with an iconic spray can that may remove the lightest of paint scuffs and scratches.

Using WD-40 to remove light paint scuffs and scratches

Founded in 1953 as the Rocket Chemical Company, the WD-40 Company made a name for itself with – of course – the namesake penetrating oil. This hydrocarbon-based formula also acts as a moisture displacer, a lubricant, and even protects against rust and corrosion.

Some call it the liquid mechanic, and they're spot on because WD-40 certainly is the perfect example of a jack of all trades. You will find many videos of WD-40 being used to remove scuffs and scratches, but heavier ones cannot be fixed with this fellow. The most WD-40 does to heavier scratches (as in scratches that reached the base coat) is to beautify the area.

As long as the scuff/scratch is clear-coat deep, spray a generous amount directly on the scratch and let that WD-40 sit for about a minute. Use a microfiber cloth to work the product in said area, clean it off, then repeat if necessary. Scratch removal pastes and rubbing compounds are good ideas as well, albeit that little bit pricier than a spray can of good ol' WD-40.

Increasing the range of your key fob

Your vehicle's key fob contains a short-range transmitter. Once you press the lock or unlock button, it sends a signal to the receiver, which acts upon the locking mechanism.

As the distance between you and the vehicle increases, the strength of the signal decreases. If the distance is too great, try pressing the button while holding the key fob against your head or chin because the water in your body increases the amplitude of the radio waves.

Google dielectric resonator antenna to understand how the signal is boosted by the water in your skin tissue. Jeremy Clarkson famously tested this hack on Top Gear, back when JC used to daily an R230-gen Mercedes SL 55.

Using a plastic cereal storage container as a trash can

Automotive trash cans don't cost an arm and a leg. Be that as it may, said trash cans are often too small for larger items. Another disadvantage of going down this route is the smell, for automotive trash cans are not airtight.

For similar money to what you would pay for a quality trash can, you should consider a cereal storage container with an airtight lid. To keep it nice and clean, you should also put a little bag inside said cereal container.

Some vehicles – especially older cars and trucks – seem to have been designed by people who never consume food or liquids while driving for people who never consume food or liquids while driving. Think vehicles with no cupholders and little in the way of storage cubbies within the reach of the driver. In this case, consider a bagged cereal storage container between the front seats or behind the driver's seat.

Parking your car facing east for easy defrosting in the morning

Why is Toyota's home market called the Land of the Rising Sun? Why does the flag of Japan embody the Asian country's sobriquet? Obviously, because the star at the center of the Solar System rises from the east.

Putting it differently, Earth rotates on its axis towards the east, completing a full turn every 24 hours. During wintertime and in places that are cold by default, it's best to park your vehicle with the windshield facing eastward.

Sunlight will make it much easier to clean your windshield in the morning, but don't rely on the Sun entirely. In addition to the mandatory ice scraper, you should also spend a few bucks on a de-icing spray for your door locks.

Using a tennis ball as a parking guide

Hanging a tennis ball from the roof of your garage may seem peculiar, but remember that said tennis ball tells you where to stop the vehicle so that it clears the garage door or an obstacle in front that you can't see over the hood. In addition to a tennis ball, you will also need a drill, a couple of screw eyes, and some parachute cord or fishing line.

First, park the car in the desired location. Secondly, drill a small hole into the ball. Tie a figure-eight knot at one end of the paracord, with said knot to be shoved into the tennis ball. Center the ball on the windshield in the area between the driver-side wiper and steering wheel, mark the location on the ceiling, then install the first screw eye.

You could stop here, but installing a second screw eye and tying the other end of the paracord to the garage door will automate your parking guide. Cheaper still, use bright-colored duct tape right where the garage door hits the ground. Once in the garage, put the gear lever into reverse and check the rearview camera image on the center display to see if the vehicle clears the door. For obstacles in front of the vehicle, take measurements and apply bright-colored duct tape on the ground relative to the side mirror.

Removing bumper stickers with a hair dryer

Despite being fairly difficult to remove, bumper stickers are incredibly popular stateside. For starters, it's a fun way to express oneself. Fueling political polarization and being obnoxious with politically-charged bumper stickers, on the other hand, is a whole other can of worms that we're not going to open because we're car enthusiasts.

Turning our attention back to removing those darn stickers, using a hair dryer is the cheapest solution out there. This method will minimize glue residue. If there is any left on the bumper, use soapy water or diluted rubbing alcohol and a microfiber towel to remove that pesky glue.

A generous amount of WD-40 or regular glass cleaner should do the trick as well. As for the removal of stickers from windows, use your nails and fingers, a razor blade, or a scraper to remove the sticker, then rubbing alcohol to remove the glue. You can try a hair dryer as well, but – in certain cases – it may take quite a bit longer.

Using floor mats to get out of the snow

You can purchase set of traction mats for around 20 bucks, while traction boards will set you back at least 40 buckaroos. The problem with either traction-enhancing devices? They take up valuable cargo space in your vehicle.

Certain drivers aren't even aware of their existence, which brings us to your vehicle's floor mats. If you ever get stuck in the snow and you don't have traction mats/boards on hand, just use said floor mats. Place them as close to the driven wheels as possible, with an emphasis on the driven part. You can stop and move the mats to keep inching your way out of the snow.

It's best to clear the snow from around the driven wheels before placing the floor mats, and if your vehicle features a manual transmission, try using second gear. Also remember that certain vehicles come with snow mode, which moderates the throttle to keep the tires from slipping. If you have a tire pump handy, consider letting some air out of the tires to create larger contact patches.

Protecting car doors in tight garages with pool noodles

Some garages are tight, increasing the risk of denting the doors. A pair of pool noodles and some double-sided tape can help you in this case for less than 30 of your hard-earned dollars.

You can go even cheaper by using pipe insulation foam tubing or foam tubes for kitchen utensils. Foam sheets will not work as well as tubes or pool noodles at dispersing the impact's energy.

The presented solutions are even more useful if you have small children who aren't as careful while opening the doors as mom and dad are. That said, be sure to do test fitments before sticking the pool noodles/foam tubing to the garage walls.

Using lemons and baking soda to clean up cloudy headlights

The headlamp assemblies on modern vehicles feature plastic covers rather than glass. Though lighter and safer in the event of a crash, plastic will discolor and oxidize over time because said polycarbonate is a porous material.

OEM suppliers usually apply protection film to headlight covers to keep dirt and water out. Said film will inevitably degrade over time, thus leading to discoloration/oxidation. While you can spend $20 or thereabouts on a headlight cleaner and restorer kit, you can go cheaper by using half-cut lemons and some baking soda.

While this hack does work, bear in mind that it's not a permanent fix. You can use a buffing pad attachment on the end of a drill to finish it off nicely, or – better still – spend those $20 on headlight coating/headlight sealant.

Cheap trunk organizer alternatives

Online vendors offer a plethora of trunk organizers for wildly different prices. Think 10 dollars for a poor-quality trunk organizer to around 500 for the most premium of the bunch. A camper kit that includes a professional storage box easily surpasses the $1,000 mark.

Also, trunk organizers can also be way too large for the average user, thus taking too much cargo space. This brings us to woven nylon baskets, which come in many different sizes at better prices than dedicated trunk organizers. You can also get an over-the-door organizer, though it sure looks worse than a nylon or a plastic basket.

When hung off the back of the rear seats, most over-the-door organizers cannot take longer items such as an extendable snow brush due to their small pockets. To this effect, you're much better off purchasing a lidless nylon or plastic basket.

Bonus car hacks that do work

• Inflatable hail protector car covers are pretty expensive. They also require effort and time to prepare, as does the pool noodle hail protector thingy created by Sean Diepeveen of Fountain, Colorado. “It’s the cheapest way to go, and it’s effective," said Sean back in 2019. "We bought them at 94 cents each.”
• Pool noodles can also be used to prevent the windshield wipers from sticking to the windshield in sub-zero weather. Simply cut them to the length of the windshield wipers, split them down the middle, and that would be that.
• Ever hurt your fingers while adding or removing keys to a key ring? Next time, try using a staple remover because the staple remover's claws are  much harder than your nails. Just pinch the key ring in the middle to separate the rings.
• Attaching a carabiner to whichever rear-seat headrest pole you fancy allows you to move bulky items off the seats, floor mats, and trunk floor. In addition to grocery bags, purses, and backpacks, carabiners attached to the rear-seat headrest poles enable the attachment of pet accessories such as leashes and collapsible water bowls.
• Did you know that WD-40 can also help remove door card scuff marks? Unfortunately, WD-40 won't remove deep scuffs from plastic door cards. For that kind of battle scar, try using a hair dryer until the plastic becomes a bit shiny. Wait until the plastic cools, then repeat if necessary.

Cheap automotive hacks that don't actually work

• Rubbing a tennis ball against a scratch in the paint isn't going to buff that scratch out. Rather than fully correcting the problem area, the most a tennis ball can do is make the scratch less visible. Instead, use a scratch and swirl eraser kit from the likes of Meguiar's, Mothers, or 3D.
• Unlocking a vehicle's door with the help of a tennis ball is yet another cheap automotive hack that simply doesn't work. The method implies cutting a hole into the tennis ball and pressing the ball against the keyhole for the air pressure to force the locking mechanism open.
• Remember that car farmer hacks episode from Donut Media? The hack according to which an egg can seal a hole in the car's radiator long enough for you to get to the closest auto repair shop is complete and utter nonsense.
• Dimpling an engine's intake runners with a die grinder won't get you better airflow. Dimples make sense on a golf ball, yet small indentations on the interior wall of the intake runners will surely increase friction and turbulence. Had it actually worked on a streamlined shape rather than the blunt shape of a golf ball, airplanes and automobiles would also feature dimples.
• Hand sanitizer may be suggested as a solution to de-ice door locks in the winter, but we would rather stick to a specially-formulated spray. It is easier to apply, and it is intended for the job, without risking any damage due to the detergent and perfume found in hand sanitizers.