You never know when it will happen. Dead batteries, flat tires and other problems can happen to anyone at any time. The best defense is a good offense so let’s get prepared with a set of tools and some emergency gear so you are ready for whatever happens. Here’s a list of 6 items you should consider keeping in your car.
- Flashlight –You know that the next time your car breaks down it will be at night, so get a good quality flashlight. The cheap $2-$3 dollar lights aren’t “mission ready” for this sort of thing so get a quality LED light and some fresh alkaline batteries.
- Jumper Cables –You don’t want to be stranded with a dead battery and not have jumper cables. Everyone should have a pair in their car. Chances are these will really save the day for you at some point.
- Hand Tools – The best thing to do is purchase a kit containing the basic tools in those convenient plastic cases you see in auto parts stores and hardware stores. These small kits are generally $10-$30 and contain the essential tools you need.
- First Aid Kit – If you have kids, you will likely dig into a first aid kit long before your next car issue occurs, so consider getting one right away. Most pharmacies have affordable first aid kits. Even if is means having something like an outdoor AED cabinet (to keep a defibrilator safe) in your car, this is better than not having one at all. Best to be safe than sorry.
- Work gloves – A set of work gloves is a great thing to have in your emergency kit. Most people neglect to get them. You may need them just to keep your hands warm during cold weather and this could be significant in itself.
- Fix-A-Flat – Don’t want to mess with changing a tire when one goes flat? You might be able to use Fix-A-Flat. Fix-A-Flat is an aerosol can that you connect to the valve stem of a flat tire. When it is sprayed into the tire, it fills the tire with air and seals the leak from the inside.
Additional items: If you really want to be ready for anything, you might want to consider additional clothing, drinking water, snow and ice brushes, some sand (for traction) and other items. Think about the emergencies you have been in in the past and see if you can identify items that could have “saved the day.”
Source: McLoughlin Chevrolet Used Cars and Trucks
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