Car Wash Tip of the Day

Most car washes aren't open below freezing, but even if you find one that is, don't go when it's only 9 degrees! Your car turns into one big ice ball.

-Aus

Gas Tip of the Day

There are reports that some gas stations in Lexington are listing their gas prices at one price on the sign, but then at the pump are actually charging a different price. The Swifty station on New Circle Rd. actually got shut down for this for a period of time at the send of September.

Car Buying Tip of the Day

How to Buy a Car in 6 minutes:

Warning: Picture of rude gesture for 15 seconds

E-Break Tip of the Day

Have you ever wondered what pulling your emergency break would do while traveling at a high rate of speed? Well don't, it's not good. In 100% of the cases we studied (totaling 2) we found that boyfriends and girlfriends broke-up not too long after the incident if both were in the car during the event.

The E-Brake, "a great way to put a quick stop on your relationship!"

Battery Tip of the Day

Car batteries can range from $50 to $200. But how much power do you really need? Consumer Reports has a handu car battery buying guide.

The single best tip from the guide: "The time to think about buying a new auto battery is before the old one fails."

Car Talk Tip of the Day

More great Fuel Economy Tips from Car Talk

Pedestrian Tip of the Day

OK, memo to Kentucky drivers. Last time I checked, in our fracking commonwealth, pedestrians have the right of way. So try your best not to hit me when you attempt to beat me to the punch making a left turn onto a cross street. I, and runners/walkers of Kentucky really enjoy stopping dead in our tracks to avoid being mauled over while you pretend like you're entitled to do that. Just because you haven't exercised in several years doesn't mean the rest of us should be denied the privilege.

Not to quote Kentucky law or anything, but:

Drivers must yield to pedestrians under the following conditions:

• When pedestrians are at a marked or unmarked crosswalk and there is no traffic light
• When turning a corner and pedestrians are crossing with the light
• In any situation that could threaten the pedestrian’s safety

I think that pretty much covers my bases. That is all.

Steering Tip of the Day

If you happen to purchase a steering wheel cover, you might want to wait to apply it until you're NOT driving. Otherwise, you could accidentally cause your car to swerve out of control, risking your life and the lives of others.

Car Buying Tip of the Day

I learned something very valuable when "dickering" around with the salespeople when buying my car. While we all know salespeople prey on customer's inherent "niceness," there are ways to combat this without having to be mean. I call it "being direct," something I'm getting a bit better at.

What slimy salespeople will try to do is squeeze the absolute most out of you, hiding numbers in your trade-in value, etc. They'll say things like, "OK, the manager said you're gonna have to work with me. Can't we do another $200?" In your head you're thinking, "Sure I could do $200, but I don't want to, nor do I feel like I should pay that much for the car, and sure it's only a 'little more money,' but you already talked me into 'a little more money'." But, I've learned, you don't give them anything to go with. When they say, "Can't you do just $200 more?," just look at them, dead in the eye, and say, "No." Say NOTHING else. That simply "NO" will get you anywhere you want to go. If they respond with another question, say "No." If you say, "well, it's out of my price range," you'll get "well, what IS your price range?" and you'll be dickering all day. Just say no.

Oil Tip of the Day

If you are going to get your oil changed at Valvoline Instant Oil Change, don't unless you have a coupon. They charge 50% more then other oil change providers.

Gas Tip of the Weekend

For reasons unbeknownst to Tip of the Day staff, gas prices are the cheapest on Sundays, according to an unnamed Speedway/SuperAmerica employee, who also didn't know the reason. Still, they would know, and reliable sources say, get your gas on Sunday!

Car Tip of the Day

If you're ever in the process of making an offer on, and buying a car, there is one thing that is for certain. If your salesperson gets up to "talk to the manager" and comes back, smirking, and begins his/her sentence with, "Ok, now hear me out--I have an idea..." you KNOW you are in for it. Just stop him/her right there. What you are about to hear will be a far worse idea than you could ever imagine, and will probably involve them trying to thwart an additional several thousand bucks on you. Additionally, after said comment, if the sun suddenly breaks trough the clouds and your salesperson says, "Look, it's a sign!," you should immediately disregard it as well.

Jump Tip of the Day

Really, just go buy jumper cables already. I know you've been putting it off, but you will be glad you have some one day. They're relatively easy to use, and you can get them for as little as $10.

Or maybe that was just me who was putting them off.

London Tip of the Day Part 3

No, in Germany, they don't drive on the left side of the road, but yes in England they do. Foot traffic is even opposite. Have no fear though, there are signs everywhere not only to remind you which side of the hall (in the subway stations) to walk on, but also where to look for traffic!

Elderly Tip of the Day

(via one of those viral emails)

If your kids take away your drivers license, try this…

Save Moo-lah Tip of the Day, Part 3

9. Refill and Reuse Cups
"Many of us get take our coffee in the morning and were using plastic and cardboard cups," said Plenty Magazine Managing Editor Deb Snoonian. "Bring your own mug. You can leave one at work; you can even often times bring a reusable mug as you're commuting in your car. It can be refilled over and over again. Wash it at home it's a nice habit to get into that saves you one cup a day (Ah Ms. Snoonian, I've missed you since last week. What would I do without your wisdom in my life?).

10. Pay Your Bills Online
It's not only quicker and easier to pay by computer, it also puts a major dent in the paper waste pile.

11. Become Battery Smart
Stretch your battery use. A battery too drained to power a flashlight might be perfect to operate your TV remote. Before you pitch it - switch it!

12. Car Air Conditioning
It's practically standard on modern cars. Use it wisely. At higher speeds, open windows create drag and lower your mileage. Roll them up and use the air and recirculation. At slower speeds and around town, roll down your windows and catch a cool breeze.

13. Drive Thru
Avoid the drive thru. Instead of idling in line with your engine running for several minutes, save the gas by parking and going inside for your order.

14. B.Y.O.B.
Bring Your Own Bag. Some grocery stores give you cash toward your next purchase for every bag you bring in to use again. It saves them and you money. "In the U.S., we use five hundred billion plastic bags every single year and only three percent of those get recycled," said Deb Snoonian, Managing Editor of Plenty Magazine. "You can also buy permanent bags with designer colors." (It never even occurred to me to grab from the pile of plastic Wal-mart bags before I headed back to said store. Although I’m a little nervous about the look the cashier is going to give me when I tell her I’ve brought my own.)

Submarine Tip of the Day V

Or known as "Pimp my Sub." The industry of "sub pimping" is far under-developed. And why not have some pride in your ride? After all, it's a bunch of guys driving a sweet-A boat round the ocean! Since testosterone is at a fairly alarming rate, we recommend a few items to turn that hooptie sub into a "Shaggin' Waggin'." Well, maybe not a shaggin' waggin' due to the lack of ladeeez up in the crib. BTW, I love how they define "crib" as "domicile..." Anway, the first thing we'd recommend is your very own set of "bulls balls," or "bumpernuts" to hang on the propellor on the back of the sub. You know, the things that redneck men in Nicholasville love to put on their '82 F-250s to compensate? Yeah, those. Other things we'd recommend are dualies, chrome, a low-restriction air filter, and one of those dancing hula girls on the sub's dashboard. Wait, do subs have dashboards?

Parking Tip of the Day

As a female, it can be dangerous parking in public areas, especially at night. We've all seen at baby stores how they have parking spots for pregnant women. Well, in Germany, they've taken our safety to the next level. In most parking garages, including the structure at the airport, they have special parking for all women. It is close to the exit and in a more well-lit area! You'd better believe next time I have to pick someone up in Frankfurt I'll be taking advantage of this tip! Just look for this sign!

Sweetea Tip of the Day

We all know that sweet tea from Chick-Fil-A is the best on the planet. Just be careful when consuming it in the car. Before placing your cup o' tea in the cup holder, do a quick sweep to make sure no pointed objects are in the cup holder, say for example, a pen or pencil. If so, you'll come to a stop-light, go to take a refreshing swig, and think at first, "hmm, this feels light--have I seriously drunk this much sweetea?" After you pull the cup up and feel it "piddling" on you, you'll realize, "OH SHIZZLE, we've sprung a leak." And trust me, it's not fun cleaning sweetea out of a cupholder. :-(

Dating Tip of the Day

Most people are somewhat leary of giving their phone number to complete strangers. But there's one situation in which ANYONE will give their phone number to ANYONE. That's when they're trying to sell their car. We've all seen it, the rusty junker barreling down Nicholasville Road that screams "For Sale, 555-1212."

If you happen to see a hot girl in such a car, do NOT attempt to ask her out by calling the number on her for-sale car, that is, unless you're as interested in the car as you are in her. (In which case, I'd say, "go for it!") You see, there are a whole slew of terrible things that could happen if you do this. Here are several of those. First, keep in mind, you don't know her name. So, what are you REALLY going to say? "Um, I'm looking for the hot girl selling the car...?" Or, what if it's her DAD'S car that's for sale? Then, just say "wrong number!" Another horrible scenario would be that she uses her innate "hotness" to persuade you to buy a car you don't want/need. Then what happens in 3 months when it's a LEMON and leaves you sit on Circle 4? Plus, if you DO end up dating her, with her old junker, she'll HATE riding in the car she was TRYING to get rid of! CONFLICT. See, while it may seem like an easy way to get a girl's digits, this plan is riddled with deceit, conflict, and broken cars.

Conditioning Tip of the Day

For those of you who's cars' interiors happen to be enveloped in the hide of a once bellowing, cud-chewing bovine, this tip applies to you. We all know that overtime that once soft, plush leather tends to weather and crack. To prevent this unfortunate circumstance we are told by car manuals, dealerships, and car loving fanatic message boards and websites around the world to be sure to condition the leather every so often with some sort of expensive, slippery compound that would have worked great at sending us careening that much faster down the Slip 'N' Slide® in the days when our physique didn't play a crucial role in the bathing suit we bought or how often we wanted to put it on. However, as many of us lead very busy lives and don't have time to lotion the car, this simple tip will actually allow you to kill two birds with one stone. Next time the need to feed yourself strikes, immediately locate the establishment with the greasiest food possible. Go to the drive through and order your next heart stopping meal to go. Here's the catch: don't ask for napkins. After downing your curly fries and double quarter whatever sandwich, simply smear your slimy phalanges around the steering wheel, shift knob cover, or the seat next to you (just make sure no one happens to be sitting there). Oh, and also make sure you can actually maintain control of the vehicle once the wheel has been thoroughly lubricated.

-Matt