[GrammarNazi]

Over the years that I've been on traveller forums, here are a few reasonably good but some quite weird/quirky tips I've seen regular travellers follow. I haven't practiced most of these as I don't unnecessarily fidget unless needed.

Boroline on some the rubber hoses in the engine bay to keep them supple. Done immediately after having the engine bay detailed.

Talcum Powder on door rubber beadings to help keep them from becoming brittle.

Over years after regular driving on the highways, despite regular washing the windscreen develops a film because of the emissions from truck traffic. This leads to a situation where even new wiper blades leaves streaks across the glass. While many products are available to clean the glass, rubbing the leaves of commonly available Jatropha/Congress plant massively helps. This was claimed by many seasoned car travellers & once confirmed with a taxi driver.

Peppermint scented spray on the wiring harnesses within the engine bay to prevent rodent attacks.

Mixing 100-200ml Petrol when topping up diesel fuel tank at high altitudes where night temperatures go below 0°. This was recommended by someone whose diesel would freeze overnight in the fuel tank. This is because modern fuel tanks are made with plastic, this was the most viable suggestion to keep diesel from freezing.

Keeping cars parked facing the fence. Helped keep the fuel liquid in the fuel lines & thereby quicker morning start ups if temperatures went below 0° & it was windy outside.

15% Diesel mixed into the old oil for engine flush. When engine oil was being changed, they drained ~300oil & replaced that with ~400ml of diesel. This helped clean out a lot of the sludge that previous oil changes didn't fully clean. This was done on a 50k km odometer (mostly city run) car which followed regular scheduled oil changes & despite my advise not to bother with such unnecessary stunts. Nothing happened, but I still opine that while it should be OK in theory, IMHO it's fairly unnecessary if engine oil is changed on schedule especially in a fairly young 50k run engine.

Using brake fluid to cover bumper paint scratches. Brake fluid is very corrosive on paint & I don't recommend this as will surely corrode the clear coat. Still, if you are desparate to make sure the paint scratch on the bumper needs to be removed, this can be a temporary solution.

One thing that I do ensure is that each time my cars engine oil is changed, I replace the crush washer on the drain plug. Call it whatever, but that ensures the drain plug seals the oil sump well.

[condor]

Interesting and useful points .. thank you !

Originally Posted by GrammarNazi

.. rubbing the leaves of commonly available Jatropha/Congress plant massively helps. .

Only point I will add to this is - congress plant can cause allergic reaction to a lot of people. So please check before you try this. At least, be careful that it doesnt touch skin beyond the palms.

[Electromotive]

Here are the things I do if leaving vehicle for a month or so:

1. Fill tyres with nitrogen and pressurize to over recommended limit.
2. Empty fuel tank, glove-box, under-seat storage
3. Wipe touch points with alcohol wipes/isopropyl alcohol
4. Remove any car perfume/air freshner and air-out the car
5. Put freshly dehydrated silica gel packs inside the car ~ 3 -5 Kgs
6. Keep spare tyre outside the car
7. Disconnect battery

If leaving for more than a month I will probably leave vehicle with a trusted friend or family so they can keep the vehicle in use.

Originally Posted by GrammarNazi

Boroline on some the rubber hoses in the engine bay to keep them supple. Done immediately after having the engine bay detailed.

Talcum Powder on door rubber beadings to help keep them from becoming brittle.

Careful with applying any kind of cosmetic product to rubber seals, tube etc. Talcum powder available for cosmetic use contains other additives which can cause rubber to dissolve and turn sticky. Boroline also contains organic solvents that can probably dissolve rubber.

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by Deeps

Many Indians I know across several age groups believe one should always drive in a forward motion first after starting a car even if they have to reverse out of a parking slot for example. I am unsure if this is based on some superstitions but i haven't come across any mechanically inclined explanation for this.

Classic example of a superstition taking birth. Was taught to me without any reason. Superstition. Always good to start a journey forward. But even if you want to disregard it, most mass market (japanese?) cars force you thanks to the non syncho reverse gear.
I am a happy practitioner of this. Even if it is automatic or there is just a few centimetres gap in front.

Originally Posted by IP_Man

In Bahrain, it is my observation, all Bahrainis always start car by keeping driver side door open. I don't know, is this superstition or some scientific reason behind this?

My dad who spend decades in Saudi Arabia, does the same. Starts the car and then proceeds to close the door. Asked him about it right now and he is like, "Do I?"

But when I think about it, it must be an unconscious action stemming from a desire to have some respite from the baked interiors in the Arabian summers. Noticed the same when watching walkaround videos from USA. Noticed it as 80s cars will give all ugly buzzers, chimes when starting the car with doors open and seatbelts OFF.

[svsantosh]

This thread has its ancestry in 2,3 or 4 lemons, 3 green chillies, 1 coconut, 1 pumpkin, 20 gms of camphor, 1 flowery garland and a box of ladoos or pedas.

What else can top that?

[Rodo_Faita]

Have observed that those who started out driving cars with no power steering rarely 'dry steer' their cars, unless at a very tight spot.

[Vysakh]

Originally Posted by Deeps

Many Indians I know across several age groups believe one should always drive in a forward motion first after starting a car even if they have to reverse out of a parking slot for example. I am unsure if this is based on some superstitions but i haven't come across any mechanically inclined explanation for this.

Nothing superstitious or mechanical about this for me. Mostly just convenience. Can leave the place faster if the vehicle is already parked that way. The overall time taken to get in to the parking spot and leave would be the same. Might as well do the most time consuming thing first so that I can leave sooner if there's some reason for me to reach the destination faster.


If i'm reaching the place late, I just park it straight and do the reversing when I leave.

[Pedalmasher_20]

I don't know if it this thread is suitable one for posting the below practice that I have seen is carried out by many. Mods, please delete this if needed.

People in my near vicinity, usually park their cars in 1st or reverse gear and disengage the hand brake, when the car is to be parked for longer durations. Upon asking, I got to know that due to hand brake being engaged for such a long period, they get stuck/jammed at their position. So even after the hand brake lever is released in the car, the brakes are still engaged on the wheels. This locks up the wheel and people need to drive their car a few meters ahead while their rear tyres are stuck & screeching on the ground, so that the brakes on the wheels get disengaged.

Also, I have observed that most cars have hand brake on the rear set of wheels. Can someone confirm this?

[Atul Kolekar]

Originally Posted by Deeps

Many Indians I know across several age groups believe one should always drive in a forward motion first after starting a car even if they have to reverse out of a parking slot for example. I am unsure if this is based on some superstitions but i haven't come across any mechanically inclined explanation for this.

One probable explanation: This might be a residual necessary habit from sliding / constant mesh gear boxes of past. Earlier synchromesh gearboxes had synchro rings only on forward gears helping them engage smoothly. Reverse on the other hand had no such luxury. So drivers engaged first to spin up shafts which helped with lubrication a bit and then engaged revers. Later generations observed this and mortified it into superstition!

[PearlJam]

When I stayed a few days with a relative a few years ago in a small town, his Maruti 800 started making weird clickety-clackety engine sound at idle. The FNG inspected it, and he just poured a mug of water over the V-belt while it idled. Within seconds, the noise was gone!

Apparently Maruti 800 used the V-belt that is prone to getting dry, so he suggested doing this every time the sound cropped up in future. Came away impressed by this handy gujaad for a rarely used car, in a remote place .

[condor]

Originally Posted by Pedalmasher_20

..I have observed that most cars have hand brake on the rear set of wheels. Can someone confirm this?

Most cars have drum brakes on the rear, and the hand brake is connected to these brakes. Hand brakes getting jammed is also seen often, esp when the car is parked for too long.

[saikarthik]

- What I have seen on commercial vehicles and taxis is that they use newspapers to clean the glass area. They say, it's the best to get clear glass.

- Old habits die hard, people from old diesel vehicles rev the engine before turning off the ignition even if they are driving NA petrols now.

- Earlier in tier 2/3 cities there was the trend of using saliva to detect minor leaks from the tire valve or a puncture. This is now almost obsolete.

- My dad used to turn things off systematically, like A/C button off then blower controls to off. This habit hasn't changed even when I explained that you turn the blower off, A/C compressor is automatically cut-off. He says, that might not be a good procedure.

[Pedalmasher_20]

Originally Posted by saikarthik

- Old habits die hard, people from old diesel vehicles rev the engine before turning off the ignition even if they are driving NA petrols now.

Why do they used to rev the engine before turning off the engine? And was it specific to old diesel engines only or was it practiced on the old petrol engines as well?

[sushanthys]

Interesting thread. Lot of tips.

I take the car slightly forward before applying the reverse gear(on starting the car). I had seen the bus drivers in TN do this religiously. So assumed it must be for the car's benefit.

One Interesting thing I have noticed. Whenever I park the car in my hospital parking, I reverse and park the car. I feel it is a hassle and want to finish it off so that when I start my car for the return home, it is much more easier. Just start and drive off. Most of my colleagues do this.

I have a few lady colleagues. They do the opposite. All of them park the car facing the wall and reverse it for the return journey! I have seen this in many other places also. Men park after reversing. Women park directly and reverse for departure. No gender discrimination intended. Merely making an observation.

[Aravind_M92]

Few of the things I follow religiously
- Always keep the fuel level above ½ tank level. Not sure of this practice but remember reading somewhere that below that level, the oil pump needs to work more to keep the pressure and prevent any residue being sucked up.
- Clean the wiper rubber with Isopropyl alcohol and apply WD 40 on them and allow to dry completely before using. This has become a routine every time I wash the car. Not sure how, but my wiper blades (3M pro) have served me well and have been working seemlessly over the past 4 years
- Fill up the wiper fluid with distilled water and a packet of plain Shampoo.
- Avoid using nitrogen and keep the air levels topped off every week
- Slot into neutral (mine is a CVT) while waiting rather than keeping in D and keeping the brake engaged