Are you aware that when cars were first launched, in 1886, they were considered a luxury item available mainly to the wealthy? But, did you realise that, more than a century later, there are more than 1.4 billion cars on the road; with one car for every seven people? There are more fascinating facts about cars, which are ideal for your next trivia night or holiday excursion. Buckle up your seatbelts and read on to find out what they are.

The Average Car is Made Up of Almost 30 000 Parts

A car has so many different parts that it's difficult for the average car owner to know them all. Some of the more common auto parts like the battery, engine, headlights, and brake pads may be familiar to you. Hundreds of pieces, such as the combination valve, distributor, spacer ring, fuel injector, and others, may be unfamiliar to you.

Car Repairs Cost Approximately R6 500 a Year 

For routine maintenance, diagnostics and other repairs, the average car owner should set aside about R6 500 per year. When compared to the expense of future repairs, that's a drop in the bucket! The average cost of a full house car repair is about R4 900; inclusive of parts, labour and taxes and the inconvenience!

In Russia, It Is Illegal To Drive Around In a Filthy Car

It's all too easy, especially in snowy winter climates like Russia, to let your car get a little dirty now and then. However, you should clean it as soon as possible because a provision in Russian driving law could result in a hefty punishment if your car is dirty.

Hitler Helped Design a Car 

Adolph Hitler is thought to have been involved in the original design and planning of the Volkswagen Beetle after directing Ferdinand Porsche to build a people's car.

Until 2011, Most Cars Had Cassette Players

CD players are no longer common in cars, but do you recall cassette players? They made it deep into the 21st century, until 2011 when new technologies like USB-enabled radios were adopted. 

Windshield Wipers Were the Brainchild of Mary Anderson

To make driving in the rain or snow more tolerable, Mary Anderson designed windshield wipers in 1905. Drivers had to constantly get out of their cars and clean the windshield by hand before windshield wipers were created.

Driving to the Moon Would Take Six Months

When looking up into the night sky, the moon can appear close enough to touch. It would only take six months of steady driving at approximately 100 kph to reach the moon if you got in your car and put the rules of physics on rest for a bit.

Brake Lights Were First Introduced in 1905

Before the invention of brake lights, many drivers used hand signals to let others know where they were going. This was especially problematic at night when the darkness made it impossible to distinguish hand movements. Vehicles now legally have to have brake lights as a key safety feature!

The First Reported Road Trip Took Place in August of 1888 

Bertha Benz and her two sons took a road trip from Mannheim to Pforzheim, Germany, to honour Karl Benz, the designer of the first practical car. The 106-kilometre journey took roughly 7 hours and was the first long-distance vehicle journey reported.

The Inventor of Cruise Control Was Blind 

Ralph Teetor was involved in a car accident that left him blind when he was five years old. However, the accident did not affect his curiosity! He eventually set out to devise a mechanism for maintaining a constant vehicle speed while conserving fuel. The original cruise control system was known as a "Speedostat."

Chevrolet Was the First to Introduce the Car Radio

Chevrolet introduced the first car radio in 1922. The American government attempted to ban the device since it regarded it as a source of distraction, but the ban was unsuccessful. Most cars had radios by 1963.

The Toyota Corolla is the Best-Selling Car of All Time

Toyota has sold nearly 43 million Toyota Corollas since 1966! This model is quite popular since it is widely available worldwide. It is continually updated and improved, it gets good mileage, and is well-known for being a dependable vehicle.

Only 14 Ferraris are Built Every Day

Each day, Ferrari only makes 14 cars. That's a huge difference from Toyota's daily production of 13 000 cars! Thus they are more exclusive and attractive to the rich due to the small number of cars produced.

The Global Record for the Most Vehicle Travel is more than 3 million kilometres

Irvin Gordon drove his 1966 Volvo 1800S for a little more than 3 million kilometres in 2014. That's the equivalent of 120 round-trip flights around the world! What's the secret of his success? The rest of the world may never know! Unless you want to establish a world record, you'll want to keep your vehicle's mileage as low as possible. 

We hope this article has given you some fascinating information to share with your friends and family about the fascinating world of cars. Keep in mind that car owners need to keep their vehicle running smoothly by regularly replacing parts like brake pads, tyres, oil filters, timing belts etc., so they can prolong its life span. If you're still on the fence when choosing a new car part supplier, or need help finding other products such as headlights or windshield wipers,  then contact us today! You'll be glad you did because we have been helping drivers across South Africa fix their rides since 2015.