Ten Heroic Duct Tape Car Repairs

10. Dodge Dart

What's The Duct Tape For? 87CapriceEstate's mom's 1970 Dart (not pictured) had the rare duct-tape fender option. For as long as the family can remember, the right front fender was not so much a part of the car as a place to keep the duct tape. Now that they're a car owner, 87CapriceEstate's love affair with the stuff continues — he uses it to hold up wiring in his current vehicle.

9. 1980 Fiat Spider 2000

What's The Duct Tape For? Usually, when the infamous guibo (driveline flex) joint on the average Fiat throws in the towel, the next logical next step is to call a tow truck. Not so for our man Kerc. Whipping out his trusty roll of duct tape and a socket that was roughly the correct size, he transformed the part on his Fiat (not pictured) into something resembling an "extraterrestrial cantaloupe." It was enough to limp the car some 20 miles home.

8. 1999 Hyundai Tiburon

What's The Duct Tape For? After an intimate meeting with a Volkswagen Cabriolet, Tibbychick1's Tiburon needed a new hood. While waiting for the insurance cash to come her way, she had it wired shut and continued driving. The car, on the other hand, was already done with the hood. It flew off one day on the highway and landed in the median. After having some friends come and haul it home, it was duct tape to the rescue! Six months later, a new hood arrived, and the tape was put out to pasture.

7. Volkswagen Jetta

What's The Duct Tape For? "Jettabumperitis" is a real cause for concern among Jetta owners. With no known cure, it takes the lives of thousands of Volkswagen bumpers every year. When lbreevesii experienced the pain and suffering of a friend's Jetta first-hand, there was only one course of action. A quick duct-tape fix got the car home, with more tape and a few zip ties added later to get the car back on the highway "safely." Won't you help the many Jettas that suffer from this horrible disease?

6. 1978 Volvo 245 DL

What's The Duct Tape For? Noticing that the Volvo wagon he was driving had a rust problem on the door, wheatieboy did what any self-respecting 17-year-old would: He pulled out the grinder and went to town. The rust was gone in a matter of moments, but it had been replaced by a three-inch hole in the side of the door. With the addition of a Tupperware container, duct tape, some Bondo for sealing purposes, and a spot of orange primer, the repair was complete.

"My car looked like it had skin cancer," he said, wrapping up his tale in the comments. "Rather, my mom's car looked like it had skin cancer."

5. Mysterious Geo-yota BeigeMobile

What's The Duct Tape For? Scandinavian Flick didn't leave us with many details, but the thoroughness of this repair gave it a spot on today's top ten. Just look at that craftsmanship — that had to have taken the better part of a roll! Note how the seemingly impenetrable wall of tape across the nose takes a moment's break at each headlight, and the fan technique just ahead of the wheel well. All in all, it's an inspiring piece of work.

4. Mysterious Door Handle

What's The Duct Tape For? Bonus points for originality go to the perpetrator of the repair in Boxer_4's photo. Simply wrapping duct tape around the exterior handle wasn't enough for this enterprising backyard repairperson. No, they needed the secure grip that only a small stick can provide. I can only imagine the noise of that thing thwacking against the side of the car at highway speed, though...

3. Toyota Yaris

What's The Duct Tape For? Hearing of a coworker's icy misfortune, G8Powered did what any good business associate would: He grabbed his duct tape and went to work. The coworker's Yaris had been in a fight with a chunk of ice and lost, splitting the car's bumper in two. A third of a roll later, the guy was back on the road. An entire year went by, and G8Powered asked his friend if he'd replaced the bumper yet. The answer was no — and why should he, when the repair was still holding up just fine? G8Powered almost shed a tear.

2. Limited Slip Differential

What's The Duct Tape For? This takes "do it yourself" to a whole new level. It would appear that AceGT decided to construct (reconstruct?) a limited-slip differential with duct tape. This repair surely didn't last long, but it probably made for one hell of a story.

1. Ford Escort

What's The Duct Tape For? After purchasing a $100 Ford Escort and driving it for a few years in Newfoundland, Maymar's car looked less than showroom perfect. After treatment with cardboard duct taped in place and then Bondoed, followed by a topcoat of blue spray paint, the car looked much better.

The first time I looked at this photo, I didn't see anything wrong. It's one heck of a repair job, and it apparently held up the rest of the time that the car was in Maymar's possession. Well done.