10 April Fool’s Pranks for Car Lovers

by CarInsuranceQuotes.net Staff Writer on March 27, 2012

It's a little-known fact that car enthusiasts have notoriously bad senses of humor. Kidding, kidding. But if you know a car lover and you've got a gift for the giggles, consider April Fool's Day to be your newest playground. Whether you love cars or love someone who loves cars (or maybe you just want to pull some auto pranks around the office), we've come up with 10 great April Fool's pranks for the jokester and car lover in (or around) you. Happy pranking!

1. Collector Car Tax

   The Shelby American Automobiles Club pulled an Orson Welles on the American classic car lover. Their 2011 April Fool's gag announced in a four-page newsletter a new collector car tax. Most notable for their great mock-up of a New York Times front page, this prank had car collectors up in arms, from sea to shining sea.

2. Wrapping

   If you're a drunk college kid, or just one on the inside, wrapping someone's car is a great April Fool's gag. Especially if you're friends or lovers with a persnickety automotive purist, gift wrapping, shrink wrapping, or Saran wrapping is a way to play a joke that shouldn't ruffle too many feathers. Just gain access to the car (you don't need the keys for this one) late at night, and proceed to wrap at your leisure. It's like wrapping a house, only with less clean up. And you should use something more sinister than toilet paper. Be liberal in your application of the Saran wrap — the harder it is for them to clean up, the longer you have to point and laugh.

3. Post-It'd!

   It's no stapler in a Jell-O mold, but you can use office supplies for this fun trick. Try putting Post-Its all over the car. Everywhere. Even coat the undercarriage. As long as it takes you to put them on is nothing compared to the fun you'll have watching your driver have to take them off. Bonus points for fun shapes, or writing a message with differently colored Post-Its. Minus points for using Silly String instead of stickies — you're (hopefully) not in fourth grade anymore.

4. Full Blast

   If you've got access to the keys, this one's simple, quick, and fun. Take the keys to your car-loving friend's auto, and turn the radio up full blast. Bonus points for a Tejano station, especially if your friend likes to jam to rap and rock. Turn the air conditioner on cold and full blast (hence, the name). Also turn the front and back windshield wipers on, and maybe the hazards or brights for good measure. Take it to the limit by adjusting the steering wheel and seat base all the way up and forward, making it hard for the driver to enter the car. If you also put Vaseline on the steering wheel and gearshift, they'll think that's the end of the prank. The double whammy is great, as they'll already be frustrated (or laughing) when they turn on the car.

5. Cuppa Joe

   If you're a car lover that doesn't want to potentially wreck the interior of your car for the sake of a prank, try faking out all the other drivers on the road. Secure (read: duct tape) a venti cup of coffee to the roof of your car, and take a spin, ostentatiously making sharp turns on roads where plenty of people are able to see. Make certain that everyone's watching you and wondering how your master handling gets the cup to stay put, especially while you do donuts in a parking lot. Bonus points for doing this with a car seat and a doll while speeding down a highway with your flashers on. Double bonus points? Not getting pulled over.

6. Sticker Price

   Making fake magnetic bumper stickers might be costly, but you can really annoy your car freak friend. Especially if they care about the exterior of their car looking sharp, this prank is a sure bet to get some laughs (or growls). Get magnets printed up with cheesy slogans that are bumper sticker-sized. Place them all over the car in question, and wait for your reward. Bonus points if you get political. Minus points if you get too crass.

7. Cinder Blocks

   This one's particularly fitted for those of you that continually try to mask your white trash roots. Remove the tires from a car and prop 'er up on cinder blocks. Bonus points for doing this on the day that your victim has a big meeting, or is really nervous about any "big deal" event for which they're going to have to make a drive. Double bonus points if you hire a NASCAR pit crew to replace the tires in three minutes flat, so that your car enthusiast loved one won't be late. Minus points if you get them fired for not showing up to that board meeting on time.

8. Golf Balls To The Wall

   Best for compact cars (or people that have several thousand golf balls to unload), fill the car up with golf balls so that, upon opening the door, the balls roll out. This also works with beans, pennies, and styrofoam peanuts — the most economical, but least environmental of the bunch. Bonus points if you find a way to incorporate a gaggle of white turtledoves to also fly out of the car, gloriously punctuating your prank. Minus points if you kill the doves.

9. Junk In The Trunk

   One really fun and fairly simple April Fool's day gag is to line the trunk of someone's car in plastic, and then fill the trunk with water. Sealing plastics and drop cloths work best for this, as you want to be certain that you don't damage the car. The sight gag should be enough to drop some jaws. Be sure that you have an exit strategy, because remember: cars don't flush.

10. Love Notes

    This one's for pansies and anarchists. Whether you're too chicken to play a real prank, or you just like inserting a little chaos into the world, you've found a friend in the love note prank. Leave a long note on someone's car, explaining that you're terribly sorry and you'll pay for the damages. This prank only works, by the way, if you didn't actually hit them. An alternate message could read "I just got seen hitting your car, and I'm pretending to leave my info."