Latest news with #carhacks
Motor 1
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
‘Buy the Replacements on Amazon for $7:' Mechanic Tells Woman to Change the Cabin Filter After Her Oil Change. Should She Do It?
A woman reveals how she usually gets away with not replacing her vehicle's cabin air filter during her regular oil change before revealing that she actually succumbed to mechanic pressure this time around. TikTok user @girlmomnursekkb posted a video with her life hack on Saturday. She is in the lobby of the oil change place, waiting for her vehicle, and on-screen text reads, 'Getting my oil changed and waiting for them to come in and tell me my cabin air filter needs to be changed and for me to say I need to talk to my husband first.' However, in the caption, she reveals, 'They got me this time though.' Viewers Say It's a Common Upsell Tactic In the comments section, many viewers advised against letting the oil change shop change your cabin air filter because they said it's more cost-effective to do it yourself. 'I buy the replacements on Amazon for $7 and do it myself,' wrote one person. 'Just pop out the glove box and replace it. So simple.' A second user wrote, 'Change it before your oil changes. That way if they say it needs replacement you know they are just upselling all their customers and you need to find a new shop.' A third user said that's exactly how they found out they were being upsold at the quick oil change place. 'I changed mine myself, and my car had to go in that same weekend,' they wrote. 'Those people tried to tell me that I needed a new cabin air filter. And they wanted to charge me $75 for what I bought on Amazon for $14.' Someone else said, 'I change all my filters and wiper blades for my cars before I go there so they don't bother me with it. You can get it much cheaper at Walmart or AutoZone.' Another person wrote, 'People religiously change the filter in their house, but want to act like it's snake oil to change the filter that does literally the same thing in their car.' @girlmomnursekkb replied, 'Good point. I got it changed this time because it did look rough.' How Much Does a Cabin Air Filter Cost to Replace? Of course, the price varies by the brand and make and model of your vehicle, but in general, you can indeed purchase a cabin air filter on Amazon from anywhere between $10 and $35. Walmart and AutoZone also carry them in stock at similar price points. So, How Often Should You Change Your Cabin Air Filter? It depends on several factors . How are you maintaining and storing your vehicle? Are you putting a lot of miles on it? And are you driving it through a ton of debris? All those variables—plus a few more, including the season—contribute to how frequently you need to change your filter. So, maybe asking a mechanic's advice isn't the worst idea after all. Motor1 reached out to @girlmomnursekkb via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. Photo by: TikTok Now Trending 'Here's What I Thought I Was Booking:' Woman Books Trip at RV Park. Then They Arrive 'All I Get Is Old Men:' Man Buys Classic Chevrolet to Get Attention From Women. It Backfires Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
The Sun
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Overlooked car button that no one ever uses will cool down your cabin WITHOUT any air con – and it saves on fuel
AS the soaring temperatures continue, you may find yourself blasting your car's air con. However, an overlooked button on your dashboard can help to instantly cool your vehicle without even turning on your AC. 2 This simple hack could prove to be your summertime saviour as the scorching heatwave continues. While it may be tempting to reach for your car's air conditioning dial, another feature can be just as effective without costing you as much money to run. Look for a button marked with a little arrow pointing back on itself, often accompanied by a car symbol. Recirculate air This "recirculate air" button is designed to cool down your vehicle's interior even when the air con is off. Rather than drawing in hot air from outside, this button recirculates the air already inside the car. By cutting off the hot air outside, it helps to cool the cabin as quickly as possible. This is an ideal technique when the air outside the car is hotter than the air inside. If you want to ensure this is the case, blow the air con for a couple of minutes and then hit the recirculate button. Or you could even avoid the air con altogether, helping to save on fuel. How it works "No more waiting for the air conditioning to kick in – the air recirculation button has your back," a spokesman for UK Car Discount told the Express. World's favourite car Tesla rebooted According to the pro, this helps in "ensuring you experience a swift and soothing transition from the outside heat". "It works by recirculating the cool air you get from your A/C when you first turn it on," the expert explained. "The longer it's on for, the cooler your vehicle will get! If you don't use it, the car will use the air from the outside that is a lot warmer, and your AC will work harder and continuously to cool the hot air.' And while the temperature continues to rise, so do fuel prices, making this a handy hack to have in your back pocket. There are other tricks you can use to cool down your car's interior this summer. How to keep cool in a heatwave Most of us welcome hot weather, but when it's too hot, there are health risks. Here are three ways to keep cool according to the NHS... Keep out of the heat if you can. If you have to go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11am and 3pm, wear sunscreen, a hat and light clothes, and avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter. Cool yourself down. Have cold food and drinks, avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks, and have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes. Keep your living space cool. Close windows during the day and open them at night when the temperature outside has gone down. Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35 degrees. Check the temperature of rooms, especially where people at higher risk live and sleep. More car hacks for hot weather The RAC agrees has offered another tip to drivers who are looking to save cash on hot days. 'Start driving, but keep the car windows open for a minute or two to let all the hot air escape, do this until the air from the vents feels cooler than the outside temperature," they said. "Once the air conditioning is blowing cold, close all the windows and switch to (pre-cooled) recirculated air." Or if you still prefer to use your car's AC, use this budget buy to elevate it further. And avoid keeping these six items in your car during the soaring summer temperatures. Another kitchen staple can also help to keep your car cool in a heatwave. Plus, how to look out for symptoms of your body overheating this summer. 2
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
BBC star reveals how to instantly cool down a 'boiling car' in a heatwave, saying tip is: 'better than air-con'
Anyone who's ever returned to a holiday hire car that's been left in the full glare of a scorching sun will know that frying an egg on the bonnet is an entirely realistic scenario - alongside scalding seatbelt buckles, burning hot seats and 'hairdryer' air. While blasting icy air-con is effective, it takes a while to kick in - but scientist and BBC presenter Hannah Fry has a clever trick up her sleeve for ridding a vehicle of hot air in seconds. The presenter, who has 1.3million followers on Instagram, shared the science-based hack ahead of this weekend's heatwave, with temperatures expected to soar to in the UK to 34C. Yesterday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued the alert to cover five regions of England - the East Midlands, South East, South West, East and London. A yellow health alert has also been issued for the Yorkshire and Humber and West Midlands regions. Both alerts begin at 12pm tomorrow and end at 6pm next Tuesday. It's a similar picture across the Med too, with much of Southern Spain expecting 38C on Sunday and parts of Southern Italy set to rise to 37C. Fry, 41, who has a PHD in fluid dynamics, the study of how liquids and gases flow, said a few simple moves could help dramatically cool a car in seconds. In the video, she says 'Don't bother putting on the air-con, that would take about five minutes - it's not worth it'. Hannah is then seen opening the rear passenger left hand side window - but says any window on the opposite side to the driver's will do. The next move, she admits, might make people 'look like a bit of an idiot' and involves very quickly opening and closing the driver's door - but, she says, the hack starts to immediately cool the car. How does it work? Hannah explains: 'When you open and close the door, and you do it quickly, the door, as it's moving outwards, sweeps out all of the air that's in the way, creating this area of low pressure.' The science whizz continues: 'That creates something called bulk flow, which means all of the hot, sweaty, horrible air inside the car is drawn outwards.' Pointing at the open window on the other side of the car, Hannah says: 'And the only way to re-fill it is with nice, fresh, easy air from over that side.' She adds: 'It only takes two or three goes and suddenly it's beautifully temperate'. The hack has sparked plenty of responses, with BBC radio star Zoe Ball posting: 'Trying this NOW'. One person, from Australia, said there was no shame in looking silly if it made for a cooler car, saying: 'I will try that and no one in Australia would ever be embarrassed trying anything to cool down our cars before we get in. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hannah Fry (@fryrsquared) The scientist, who has PHD in flow dynamics, explained how simply opening a window on one side of the car, and then rapidly opening and closing a car door on the other side can kick-start bulk flow, which sees hot air displaced with cooler air 'Most times we can't even touch the steering wheel or the belt buckle in the summer.' Another impressed follower added: 'This may be the best reel I have ever seen.' One person said it might take a little more than flow dynamics to outwit a Sunshine State summer, saying: 'I mean this DOES work, but "temperate" might be a pretty bigvstretch for those of us in Florida. Lol. I have a burn scar on my thigh from my seat belt.' In the UK in the coming days, the Government agency has warned that significant impacts are likely across health and social care services, including an increase in demand, during the alert period. The UK's hottest day of the year so far was recorded last Saturday when Charlwood in Surrey reached 33.2C (91.8F) – but this could be beaten over the coming days.
