"zip ties always end up being the hero of these situations..."
Zip ties definitely help in a pinch, but honestly, relying on them long-term makes me a little nervous. Had an old VW Beetle and tried the zip tie fix for a loose exhaust pipe—worked great until I hit a pothole at highway speed. Let's just say, lesson learned. I get the convenience factor, but sometimes biting the bullet and replacing parts properly saves headaches down the road...literally.
Zip ties are handy, no doubt, but I wouldn't trust them for anything critical on a long haul. Had a buddy who swore by duct tape fixes—worked fine around town, but halfway through a road trip his radiator hose gave out again... middle of nowhere, of course. Makes me wonder, what's everyone's go-to emergency fix they actually trust enough to get them home safely?
"Had a buddy who swore by duct tape fixes—worked fine around town, but halfway through a road trip his radiator hose gave out again..."
Haha, been there! Honestly, my go-to is always a roll of self-fusing silicone tape. Had a cracked coolant hose once, wrapped it tight with that stuff and it held solid for another 200 miles home. It's not pretty, but beats waiting hours for roadside assistance in the middle of nowhere...
Silicone tape is definitely the better call for hoses—duct tape's adhesive just melts under heat and pressure. Had a similar issue once, but luckily caught it early. Honestly, quick roadside fixes are part of the vintage car charm... or maybe that's just what I tell myself to justify the headaches. Either way, good thinking on your feet getting home safe.
"Honestly, quick roadside fixes are part of the vintage car charm... or maybe that's just what I tell myself to justify the headaches."
I can definitely relate to that sentiment. Took our old family wagon on a road trip last summer, and halfway through, the radiator hose developed a nasty leak. All I had on hand was duct tape—big mistake. The adhesive melted into a sticky mess within minutes. Lesson learned. Curious though, does silicone tape hold up well enough for long-term fixes, or is it strictly temporary?
