Your motor has sat in the garage for months, festering indoors like a rusted anachronism. The exhaust has packed in, the seats are flea-bitten and the steering wheel is about as reliable as Bambi on an ice rink. It looks like someone’s tried to put Herbier out of his misery, but just clipped his wing mirrors instead.
But let’s not consign your rusty banger to the scrapheap quite yet. Even under the most ravaged hood there sits an engine begging to be revved back into life.
Whether it’s a boxy Vauxhall Nova, a burnt-out beamer or a clapped-out Corvette, we’ve assembled a few tips to put some speed back into your vehicle.
Magic that sticks
While you might always associate cars with needing a lick of paint, their interiors usually need nothing more than a lick of decent glue.
When the cushioning in your seating is more ragged than a ragdoll put through a threshing machine, high-quality polystyrene adhesive can be all you need to glue it back together again.
Other heat resistant adhesives can also be used to hold together non-essential bits of your car. But always check to make sure they won’t have a negative chemical reaction when you start your engine. No one needs their vehicle falling apart on the highway thanks to incompatible adhesives.
A dashing dashboard
There’s something inherently satisfying about seeing a well laid-out dashboard. All those options, switches, LED screens and the kind of tech that would be a nerd’s wet dream – it’s like having the entire world at your fingertips.
If your dashboard is looking a little past its best, upgrading it is simple. A cheap plastic dash can be replaced with mahogany or sleek chrome. Your dodgy tape deck can be upgraded to a CD player and digital radio. And your monochrome LED screen can be given a 21st century overhaul.
Once you’ve done this, you’ll be able to hop into your car and have thousands of options laid out before you.
Put a stop to poor brake pads
Replacing your brake pads is more than an aesthetic decision – it could make or break the safety of your vehicle.
Knowing when to replace your brake pads is a simple task. While most are durable, you’ll begin to hear a grinding sound when you hit your brake, meaning the rotor needs replaced.
Changing these vital parts of your car is a simple task requiring a jack, torque wrench, tire iron and a c-clamp. But if you’re not feeling up to the task, get your local mechanic to apply them.
