Looking for the ultimate car hacks with the power to change the driving game? You’ve come to the right place. Here you’ll find tricks, cheats and fixes to all of your in-car and on-the-road struggles – each one requiring minimal effort and having maximum impact. Let’s go.

1. Mesh Bungee Coat Rack

Need somewhere to keep your coat, but don’t have space inside your car for a standard wardrobe? That makes sense. In times of coat abundance, you’ll be amazed to hear you don’t need to cram an actual coat rack into the car – a simple mesh bungee will do.

2. Shoe Cup Holder

So you’ve got a nice hot/cold beverage but need both hands on the wheel – that one’s tricky if your car isn’t fitted with a designated cup holder. Luckily for you, the average shoe serves as an ideal replacement for the real thing and will demonstrate to passengers that you’re one resourceful shoeless individual.

3. Hacked DIY Car Charger

Battery low and on the move? Easy.

You’ll need a USB cable for your device, a 5-volt car cigarette lighter adapter, a knife and some tape (don’t try this one at home).

Cut the USB end of the cable and strip the insulation (you’ll be using the black and red wires to connect to your adapter). Cut the end off your lighter adapter which doesn’t plug into the lighter itself. Strip the insulation with a knife to reveal the black and red wires. Twist the red wires together and the black wires together, then wrap tape around the joins to insulate them. Plug it in and you’re good to go.

4. East-Facing Defrost

Got a car covered in damn snow? Even in British summer time, this is still a legitimate possibility. Park your car facing East and that bad boy will have thoroughly defrosted by morning. This one saves a ton of time and we’re convinced could prevent hundreds if not thousands of de-icer related mental breakdowns.

5. Hairdryer Dent Removal

Sick of your life because your car’s got a nasty dent? We understand – and luckily for all the hair dryer owners out there, this nifty little gadget can put an end to their dent drama. Want the full story? Check out how compressed air fixes car dents right here.

6. Hypermiling

‘Hypermiling’ is a driving technique that can maximise your fuel efficiency for life and save you a heap of money while on the move. Through simple tricks like leaving extra space between you and the car in front (allowing you to coast to a stop) and accelerating more slowly and gradually to use less fuel. And there’s more.

7. Heated Seats Pizza Warmer

Got heated seats? As if you weren’t already lucky enough, now you can have hot pizza too. This one’s pretty much self explanatory – if you’ve bought a nice, sizzling hot meat feast and want it to stay that way on the ride home, let the pizza ride shotgun.

8. Toothpaste Headlight-Cleaning

Regular blue toothpaste is, amazingly enough, the ideal solution for cleaning your car’s headlights – avoid white or minty toothpastes though, as they could have the adverse effect. Simply apply with a dry soft cloth and rub in circular motions until clean – then rinse with water and wipe with a wet cloth until you can see your face in it.

9. Makeshift MP3 Jack

If your car doesn’t come with an AUX input as standard, don’t worry – with a little customisation we can fix that. This will almost certainly void your warranty, but it’s quick fix guaranteed to improve your driving experience for good. Warning: this car hack requires a soldering iron.

10. Cooking Spray Anti-Freeze

We’ve already covered how to get rid of ice once it’s there – but this handy little hack will prevent your car from freezing shut in the first place. Use ordinary cooking spray on the rubber gaskets inside your car doors and gently wipe with a paper towel. That way you’ll be able to get inside the car even when it’s proper cold.

11. Nail Polish Scratch Solution

Here’s another nice easy one. If your car’s scratched but you’ve got no paint, you’ll be relieved to hear that if you are a woman in possession of the right nail polish shade (or a man who knows a woman in possession of the right nail polish shade), this will serve as a perfectly adequate replacement. Enough said.

12. Instant Car Cooling

Last but by no means least, this innovative solution to a hot, sticky car is a hack with a difference. Roll down one of your windows all the way, walk round the other side of the car and open and close the door five or ten times. This creates a circulating airflow, forcing trapped hot air out of the car – and can lower the in-car temperature by as much as ten degrees.

Happy hacking.

Got a car so terrible none of these amazing car hacks can help? There’s still hope. With the help of the Car Loan Warehouse, you can find the funds for a shiny new ride ripe for the hacking, whatever your credit score. Try our online loan calculator to find your rate, or apply now if you can’t wait any longer.