Two years ago, I lost my car cigarette lighter and never bothered to find it since I am not a smoker. Today, I was thinking about the different methods of lighting fires. I have never heard or read anyone talk about the auto cigarette lighter. Is it because it is soooo obvious ??

Maybe I was wrong to waste that lighter that could save my life if stranded in cold weather.

Some of the newer cars don't have a lighter. They just have this plastic plug with a no smoking sign on it!
I wonder if it is possible to buy a replacement lighter in auto stores? Anyone knows?

Yes, it is. In fact, it's pretty common to have to buy replacements because the heating elements in them wear out after a while. I'm not a smoker, but my father was (quit about a year ago).

yes, they can be bought pretty much anywhere. IIRC from playing with one years ago they won't light much, I'm guessing that cig paper is very flamable, we couldn't get anything we tried to burn. It was much like the magnifying glass in the sun, it would make some things smoke a bit but nothing would ever catch fire.

I can testify about it not lighting things on fire. When I was three I pushed it in and when it popped out I thought the glowing red light was pretty. My Mom asked me why I was playing in the car and I hid the lighter hot end down on my knee! All it did was smoke, I can tell you now that at 35 I still have the scar on my knee.

"IIRC"?

you can light a fire with it but its all about finding the right starter and experimenting with it. I have done it but not in years (I was kind of a pyro in my youth)

Yes, you can buy them in just about any auto parts store. And if your vehicle does not have a cig lighter socket you should buy one of those too, and either install it yourself, or have someone do it for you. They can be used to power all kinds of fun things, like portable CB radios, GPS, cell phone charger, etc....

I don't have a scar, but I have one of my lifes first memories doing the same thing when I was no older than 3. It is the only memory I have from the first house we lived in because we moved while I was 3.

IIRC = "If I recall correctly" or "if I remember correctly".