Never Drive Your Project Car Without a Pack of Zip-Ties Onboard
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There’s a reason zip-ties are the go-to quick-fix tools for every DIYer. They can clamp hoses, secure bodywork, and I've even use them to replace belts in a pinch. Anyone who works on their own car or drives a run-down beater should have a pack in their trunk at all times.
If you’ve ever worked on a car before, you’ll know what a zip-tie is. Also known as a cable tie, it’s a strip of thin plastic that, thanks to some clever trickery, can be turned into an impressively strong fastener. Inside the head of every zip-tie sits a tongue that latches onto the serrations found on the rest of the strip, securing it from backing out. All you have to do is make a loop, pull the zip-tie’s tip through the head, and voila, you have a secure, sturdy fastener.
I’ve lost count of how many times zip-ties have helped me out of sticky situations. I’ve used them to secure virtually everything that’s not bolted down in my project cars, from wires, to brake lines, to fuel lines, to plastic trim pieces, to interior items. There’s a zip-tie holding my E30’s fan shroud to the radiator right now simply because I was too lazy to source the right plastic clip for the job. I’ve even used them to hold bumpers and wheel liners in place, often for long periods of time.
One particularly ridiculous instance where I’ve used a zip-tie to get a car back on the road was during a repair job I helped carry out on my colleague Aaron Brown’s old BMW 325i. The shifter linkage was going back in the car, and for some reason we didn’t have the part to hold the trailing end of the linkage to the chassis. Instead of leaving the car on the lift, I decided to use a few zip ties to secure it in place. It held for months and thousands of miles before finally giving out.
To that point, I wouldn’t recommend relying on zip-ties for your car’s critical functions, obviously. If you can source and install parts properly, do that instead. But when you’re stuck on the side of the road, they can be a godsend to have; the difference between calling a tow truck or making it home.
The best part about zip-ties is that you can get them in any size or shape that you’d ever need. There are many sizes available at every auto parts store across the country. And because they’re just pieces of plastic, packs are extremely cheap. If you’d rather get them shipped to your house, Amazon has plenty of sizes available. A 200-pack of 12-inch ties will run you just under $15. If you plan to do a lot of electrical work, we recommend having a pack of tiny 4-inch zip-ties by your side. Conversely, if you know you’re going to be securing bigger, heavier things, Amazon also has this pack of two-foot zip ties available.
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