OK all, how about a thread on little car care tips you have to make running/maintaining your car easier?

Couple of my faves both use coke bottles.

First, they make great funnels for topping up/filling engine oil. I expect most people have slopped oil over the side of their engine, especially when using a new 5L bottle of oil. Cut the bottom off a 2L coke/soft drink bottle with a pair of scissors (get your mum to help you with the scissors....), then you have a perfect funnel for topping up. Just below the coke bottle cap is a little lip which sits nicely against the inside of the oil fill hole in the rocker cover, so you can leave it in there to drain for a couple of minutes. When finished I screw on the bottle cap and jam the funnel in a corner of the garage behine the oil bottle. If any cr*p falls in it, just wipe it out with kitchen towel.

Next, I always keep about three 2L bottles in the garage full of windscreen washer. Buy the concentrated stuff, then use water filter in house (if you have one) to top em all up, and mix the concentrate with each one. It just so happens that the washer bottle in my 2nd Gen holds exactly 2 litres. I top mine up about once a week, don't like to let em run dry as they can dry out and form gunk that block the nozzles.

Any other tips anyone?

The 2L juice bottles work much better, they screw into the oil cap hole.

Another hint is rather then hold the bottle up normally, place the bottle flat and pour that way, it allows air back into the bottle and wont splash up, just a steady stream of fluid.

Another hint is rather then hold the bottle up normally, place the bottle flat and pour that way, it allows air back into the bottle and wont splash up, just a steady stream of fluid.

this works a charm.

also, the 3rd gen washer bottles are 3.9L. It has it stamped on the top. Still, it doesnt stop Pam from running out of fluid and using the wipers on a dry window!:rant:

A few hints;
*Do not use the car wash brushes on your car. or else you leave hideous swirls and have to end up polishing cars...isnt that right Micjiay/Boozer :P
*If you are going to "polish" your car, Use a clay bar first, As Lucifer and Turbo_Charade can attest to, both cars came out silky smooth after a treatment
Thats all i have :\

Another hint is rather then hold the bottle up normally, place the bottle flat and pour that way, it allows air back into the bottle and wont splash up, just a steady stream of fluid.
better yet turn the bottle upside down so the opening is on the top then as you get less and less turn on its side to finish with the opening on the bottom

Ensure that you always start your car before putting it into reverse, releasing the handbrake, looking over your shoulder, rolling down your driveway, applying brake, saying "my brakes aren't working" to one of your 3 mates, realising the car is not actually running. This can result in severe embarrassment and ongoing repeated jokes at your expense.

a simple one (im suprised that no1 has mentioned it yet)

do a check on all the cars fluids at least once a month - once a week is best.
including Oil, AUTO Transmission (if applicable - cheers auspest), Power steering, coolant and importantly - TYRE PRESSURES!

a little preventative care i guess you could say.

a simple one (im suprised that no1 has mentioned it yet)

do a check on all the cars fluids at least once a month - once a week is best.
including Oil, Transmission (if applicable), Power steering, coolant and importantly - TYRE PRESSURES!

a little preventative care i guess you could say.

Agreed. People spend a lot of money on new tyres, then neglect to keep them inflated. This will seriously shorten their life span. I always run mine a couple of psi higher than it says - seem to last a lot longer that way. If a tyre is wearing in the middle, it means they are over inflated, if they are wearing at the edges, it means they are under-inflated (or your tracking's out). Neglect can be costly.

I bought a cheap 40L air compresser from bunnings. Was $150. I have air tools, but I reckon it's worth it just to keep your tyres inflated.

a simple one (im suprised that no1 has mentioned it yet)

do a check on all the cars fluids at least once a month - once a week is best.
including Oil, Transmission (if applicable), Power steering, coolant and importantly - TYRE PRESSURES!

a little preventative care i guess you could say.

Transmission (if applicable). thought they all had one :nuts:

Transmission (if applicable). thought they all had one :nuts:

ok - i should have specified - AUTO :P

1) For cleaning carpets/interior that spray on foam that you scrub off works a treat! For about $8 for a can that will clean the car prob twice fully, or many many times for just spot cleaning it's well worth it.

2) Use clean cloths to clean windows!! Otherwise it just makes them dirtyer!! (well obviosly duh)

3) After checking water/coolant levels, check all the heater hoses and any hoses really for leaks, even a little drip, every 2 weeks. Especially all the crap tangled behind the engine! check under the hoses too to see if you can see any pools of water/coolant, then it must be leaking from somewhere. My car leaks too much :(

4)Don't let people treat your car like crap (just cos its a magna its still a car and has feelings...). people used to always leave rubbish in my car on the floor and on seats and stuff (ie maccas stuff...) and it smells if you dont take it out straigt away... esp on a hot summers day! your car is not a rubbish bin!! but yeah I kinda told em not to and most people comply with my strict in-car rules now.

5) If you're gonna cut and polish your car, you may as well wax it too.

6) Drive through car washes are crap! Nothing beats the satisfaction of giving your car a good clean the old fashioned way (well for me anyway) and noticing how much better it turns out than at the car wash... and it's cheaper! ok it may cos more to buy the stuff initially... but after 4 or 5 washed it pays for itself, and looks much cleaner!

Something simple incase some people dont know, and sometimes quite annoying..

Re-aiming washer jets, the small 'eyeball' section can be turned if you push it around with a small pin or screwdriver (or similar). It'll take a few tries to get it set right. Just turn, and test.

http://www.mx5parts.co.uk/images/si488.jpg



Also, if your wiper refills have been replaced and are still noisy, or still wipe poorly. Try replacing the complete wiper blade. The pins that join it together wear out and become loose over time. They're not overly expensive, and in most cases are as simple as one clip to remove and refit.

http://www.germes-online.com/direct/dbimage/50283650/Wiper_Blades.jpg


Another tip thats good common practise, every service or two, lubricate all door/boot lock barrels, and the ignition barrel to keep it free from binding. Don't use graphite powder for this; some locksmiths actually sell a molybdenum based dry lube for lock barrels.