TorqueCars top tips for drivers.

"Things every driver should know"

Over the years we pick up little gems of information.

The sort of things that are not obvious until they are pointed out to you so here are our top tips.

Those little snippits of information that every driver should know.

They can save time, inconvenience and make interesting conversation point with friends.

Most of these tips were gleaned from our members in our forum, please join - TorqueCars are one of the friendliest and fastest growing car clubs around.

Here are the top 10 tips for drivers.

If you have trouble remembering which side of the car your fuel intake is have a look at the little pump in the fuel gauge. If the nozzle on the pump is on the right, then your fuel intake is on the right.

10 Things that every driver should know!

Car starting tips for low batteries.

Dipping the clutch as you start the engine means that the starter is not rotating the main gearbox drive shaft.

This can help if your battery is low and will avoid causing the car to lurch forward if the last person to use it left it in gear.

Also turn off all electrics, blowers heaters, lights, radio and give the battery the best chance it's got.

Saving fuel

Keeping the tire pressures to the correct levels can save you (depending on your mileage) £100 ($200) per year in lower tire wear and wasted fuel consumption.

We have lots more fuel saving tips on our MPG calculator

Windows steaming up in winter?

Use the air conditioning to warm the car up in winter as this is faster than waiting for the  heat from the engine to kick in.

It will also take moisture out of the air preventing windows from misting up.

Using the aircon in winter will also help to keep the compressor in good condition and prevent it from seizing up.

Rubbing ordinary hair shampoo (without conditioner - mild baby shampoos work best) onto the windows and rubbing it off again will prevent the car from misting up. (This also works on glasses and swim goggles.)

You only need a little and the aim is to leave an imperceptible film on the glass.

Removing white wax marks from plastic trim.

If you get white car wax on plastic trim you can remove it using a pencil eraser or peanut butter.

Spread on and lick it off or just wipe it off, the TorqueCars member who came up with that little gem suggests that you avoid the crunchy peanut butter.

Car stuck in mud?

If your car is stuck in mud remember to keep the speed low.

The more your wheels spin the deeper you will get stuck. Ride the clutch and try to rock the car backwards and forwards.

The rocking motion will usually be enough to get you free unless you have dug right in. If it is bad get one of your car mats and place this on the ground, rubber side up. Using a very slow engine speed and riding the clutch try to rock the car forwards and backwards.

Brake failure - how to stop.

If your brakes fail, use a lower gear and engine braking to slow up the car.

Then as the speed drops pump the hand brake on and off until you reach a stop.

On motorways when you are dealing with faster speeds and may not have the distance required use a barrier and push the nose of the car into the barrier at a shallow angle.

Stuck/stalled on railway crossings?

If your engine cuts out and you need to move forward, for example you are on railway crossing use the starter motor.

Put the car in gear and turn on the starter motor. If your battery is in good condition there should be just enough to get you out of harms way. (Expect to replace the starter motor though!)

Driving without a clutch!

If your clutch goes completely you can change gear if you match the engine/gearbox speed carefully.

Moving the gearstick to neutral and then slipping it into gear will usually work.

The higher the gear the easier this is to pull off without crunching the gearbox.

This way, as long as you keep the car moving you should be able to get the car to a garage.

Jump start a car remotely.

You only need a good battery to jump a car, there is no reason to try to drive up to the dead car in order to jump in. This is handy to remember in remote or difficult areas or if you only have short jump leads.

These tips were gleaned from our members - to get more tips and keep up to date use our forum - registration is completely free. If you have a tip to pass on please use the feedback form below or better still - drop us a line in the forum!

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3 Responses to “10 top car tips that every driver should know.”

  1. Travis says:

    The first tip is simply not true. The pump nuzzle on the icon by the fuel gauge is not a reliable indicator of which side of your vehicle the tank is on. If there is no arrow beside the icon properly indicating this, your best choice would be to check the exterior of your vehicle. I’ve driven vehicles that deconfirm that particular urban legend.

  2. Travis says:

    After reading the second “tip”, the thought occurs to me… Was this an April Fool’s Day submission? Several of the others seem plausible, and I’ve actually found myself without a clutch on a few occasions and knowing how to shift without it was convenient to say the very least. However, what vehicle uses a sound-based keyles entry? None I’ve ever heard of.

  3. Chris Strellis says:

    This tip isn’t correct either “If you have trouble remembering which side of the car your fuel intake is have a look at the little pump in the fuel gauge. If the nozzle on the pump is on the right, then your fuel intake is on the right.”

    But some cars now have a triangular arrow next to the fuel pump dashboard symbol pointing to the fuel door side.

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