Driving is a fact of life for most of us, but it doesn't have to be just another chore. Make the most of your driving time with these ten tips for streamlining your time in the car.


Photo by 96dpi.



10. De-ice your windshield with home-made solutions


We really dug the Dollar Stretcher blog's recipe for DIY de-icer—simply 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water in a spray bottle, applied before a cold and wet night. But our commenters have a few of their own solutions for cold-weather cars. Among their suggestions: A cup of cold water and a good scraper; simply covering your windshield with cardboard; and even using the A/C and heat simultaneously. While you're assembling your anti-ice weapons, keep a little water-free hand sanitizer handy—it can de-ice a lock.

DIY Window De-Icer On-the-Cheap For many of us, along with winter comes an endless expanse of mornings spent freezing our fingers… Read more

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9. Get better sound from your iPod


Those whose factory stereo decks lack a frontal input for an iPod or other MP3 player know that FM transmitters are no substitution for a simple wire. But you can limit the number of audio break-ins from radio stations and other cars' devices with Sirius' FM Channel Finder, which finds the most empty radio spots in your ZIP code. On the other hand, if you're not afraid to yank the stereo out of the dash and add your own stereo inputs, it's actually pretty simple; we've previously pointed to two solutions, one with soldering, the other without (scroll down to "Wire Your Car Stereo for an iPod"). If none of that takes, you've always got the "nuclear option," at least if you've got an easily removable exterior antenna—just yank it out and fire up the newly empowered FM transmitter.

Make your FM transmitter car kit work Web site Mac OS X hints has an interesting tip for improving the performance of FM transmitter car… Read more


8. Put together a quality emergency car kit

You'll hopefully never need to pull out your emergency kit in a real life-or-death situation. Any time you're in your car and not going anywhere, though, you'll be glad you're prepared. Edmunds.com has a extensive, always-prepared kit list, which seems a little OCD until you've ever tried to call a tow truck company in unknown country, finally getting an answer of "later this afternoon" (seriously). Our tech-savvy, road-ready readers also have a lot of great suggestions for travelers with all kinds of needs.


Make an emergency car kit Summer's the best time for road trips - and it's a good idea to have an emergency car kit along for Read more

7. Keep a level head, re-think your commuting strategy


You can't control traffic and road conditions across your entire commute, but you can control the way your mind takes it in and deals with it. We're not talking about a vague, everything's-gonna-be-just-fine sense, either—there are some simple, thought-by-thought improvements you can make, as explained by driving expert Tom Vanderbilt. One of the key changes is releasing your anger at "late mergers," and curtalining your own rapid lane-changing:

And changing lanes is counter-productive. It increases the risk of an accident, makes a driver more stressed and doesn't make much difference. When tested in Canada, the driver that changed lanes at every opportunity only made four minutes in an 80-minute drive.


Photo by Nicholas_T.

6. Don't get pressured into 3,000-mile oil changes


Yahoo Autos/Greencar.com wrote it first, and we agree—you probably don't need an oil change every 3,000 miles. Crack open your the owner's manual for your vehicle—no, seriously, reach into the glove box for it—and you'll often find inside a recommendation for changes every 5,000, 7,000, or, in some cases, every 10,000 miles. Giving into social/corporate pressure just pulls cash from your pocket, and gives the environment more dispensed oil to deal with. Be brave instead and drive right past the 15-minute quick-lube joints with your little "secret." Photo by vanlaar.

5. Stay awake on long drives


For those long, multi-state hauls or the (sober) drive home after a late night, you might think a quick nap in a parking lot or rest stop might be the best thing for droopy eyelids. Not so, according to French researchers, as caffeine wins out over naps for every age group, but especially among those 30 and older. Of course, there's a middle ground for nap lovers and French roast drinkers—the clever caffeine nap, which requires drinking a cup of java right before a nap no longer than 15 minutes. You'll wake up with the dual benefits of a recharging nap and alertness-boosting caffeine, and you're ready to stare past another set of mile markers.

Coffee Better Than Napping for the Sleepy Driver The New York Times looks into which option is better to help sleepy drivers stay alert: a nap or a… Read more


4. Use your fuel efficiently


It's always great when one of our differently-obsessed sibling blogs stops by to drop some science, and Jalopnik's visit during the days of super-expensive gas proved no different, offering up five ways to use less fuel and still get where you're going. Here's the simplest, no-tools-required tip:

Fill up your vehicle during the coolest part of the day. With older pumps that don't have a temperature-compensating flow meter, fuel is denser when it's cool, so you actually get more for your money when you pump gas in the early AM instead of filling up at 5:30PM on your way home from work.


Gas may not cost more per gallon than a value meal these days—well, depending on your chain of choice—but it's still not cheap, so use it wisely.

3. Learn the secrets of parallel parking


If you secured your license without getting the hang of the wheel-cranking parallel parking routine, Ann's Driving School has some specific parallel parking tips for getting more comfortable with parking between cars. Nothing beats real-world practice, of course, but Ann's offers a systematic approach—and, as some readers pointed out, is based in San Francisco, where speedy street-parking is kind of a life necessity.

2. Get an honest mechanic (or at least avoid rip-offs)


Dentist, plumber, and mechanic—everybody needs one of each they can trust (though accountant wouldn't hurt, too). On the car front, ask your friends, co-workers, and neighbors for recommendations, and use a comparison site like the previously mentioned RepairPal to see how close to the mark your estimates are. Can't build up the courage to debate what your car really needs? Try simply bringing your maintenance manual to the shop and insisting on what's necessary. Finally, check out VideoJug's demonstration of five repairs a slightly shady shop may try to pressure you into:

Click to view

RepairPal Finds You an Honest Mechanic Web site RepairPal provides independent repair estimates to help you decide if your mechanic is… Read more


1. Handle a traffic stop, possibly skip a ticket


Nothing, aside from a time machine, can get you out of a traffic ticket every time, but there are ways to improve your handling of the whole situation. During the stop, for instance, don't try to impress by quickly grabbing your license, registration, and insurance paperwork—just sit with your hands on the wheel. It's one of five do's and five don'ts compiled by Car and Driver with the help of state troopers. Once you've got the ticket, don't grab the checkbook and stamps right away. Consider, for example, that we mentioned, even a trooper's messy handwriting can beat that traffic ticket.

How to beat a speeding ticket So you got a traffic ticket and you want to do everything you can to avoid paying it - and the… Read more


For more tips on making your car run better and turning it into a better place to be, check out our Top 10 DIY Car Hacks.

Top 10 DIY Car Hacks Click to viewTake a look at all the devices in your life, and which one seems the most resistant… Read more


What tweaks, hacks, or simple change of routines has made your driving life better? Share your road warrior wisdom with all of us below.