Whats a good tool set for the car ??

[cvcman]

I got a boat load of tools in my roller cab in garage, and a small carry box in my van,,,but id like a set in my car too...I see the Craftsman 130 pc sets for 100.00 or so,,,screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, hammer etc...fold u plastic set...

I have AAA but still wan tools with me just in case

 

[Parrothead]

I got a boat load of tools in my roller cab in garage, and a small carry box in my van,,,but id like a set in my car too...I see the Craftsman 130 pc sets for 100.00 or so,,,screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, hammer etc...fold u plastic set...

I have AAA but still wan tools with me just in case

Since you have AAA, an backup cell phone battery? In all honesty, I keep a breaker bar and a socket and that’s pretty much it anymore. What can you honestly fix along the road, most likely without the proper parts? Maybe a handful of sockets specific to your car and a Harbor Freight dual reversible 1/4 and 3/8 ratchet. The tools I keep in the car would fit inside my shoe...that’s not an all bad idea.

 

[ike]

tire pump, plug kit, pair of 5" vise grips, set of jumper cables.

 

[cvcman]

Since you have AAA, an backup cell phone battery? In all honesty, I keep a breaker bar and a socket and that’s pretty much it anymore. What can you honestly fix along the road, most likely without the proper parts? Maybe a handful of sockets specific to your car and a Harbor Freight dual reversible 1/4 and 3/8 ratchet. The tools I keep in the car would fit inside my shoe...that’s not an all bad idea.

Well on my other cars...ive replaced the fuel pump, starter, fixed brake caliper, chgd starter, chgd alternator,replaced heater hose, replaced radiator hose...
AAA sometimes takes longer to show up and tow me someplace its easier to do it myself...
I carry a jump box with a compressor....

 

[PJNJ]

Make a car specific tool set instead. Check the nut and bolt sizes on the engine, headlights, exterior bulbs, lugnuts, battery and interior fasteners. Put those size wrenches and sockets in a bag or box along with a ratchets, extensions, a medium vise grips, 8 or ten inch pliers, prybar, tools necessary to change the drivebelt(s), hose clamp pliers, battery clamp remover, medium ball pein hammer, some electrical tape, duct tape, wire nuts, fuses, tire plug kit, led headlight flashlight, and razor knife. You already have a jump pack and jumper cables so put them next to the bag along with a HF 1/2 breaker bar with the appropriate lug nut socket on it next to the bag.

 

[Vantastic]

Yea, I drive around with an 80 pound tool box in the back of my car and I have AAA. I know it kills my gas mileage but I have used them plenty of times so they stay in the car.

 

[kctyphoon]

Plan more for the most likely events - flat tire / dead battery.

I carry what I need to deal with that. a small self contained socket set and a zippered "envelope" with a few pliers and 6 in one screwdriver, some other small things.. not sure what it's like where you live, but I personally don't prepare to change water pumps and transmissions on the side of the road, cause I will never do that.

Jump pack or jumper cables, compressor, tire plug kit, fix a flat, HF extending 1/2" drive ratchet, flip lug socket set. Gloves, utility knife, flashlight and the above mentioned. I'm not into the tool box thing for cars. I don't bother with wrenches cause you can make do with pliers and sockets normally.

 

[Fedwrench]

I'm in the small but, versatile group. There's really no reason to lug 50 lbs of tools in your commuter car. Think things to get you out of trouble, a bright lite, a pocket multi tool, fusion tape, some wire, a few zip ties, a small pair of vice grips, 6 in one screwdriver, maybe an 6-8 inch crescent wrench. I like the breaker bar with matching lug nut socket just to make changing a tire easier.
I'm in a warm climate so, I always have water and a pair of gloves in the car.
Lastly, I would recommend that you keep your car in the best shape mechanically as you can to prevent from having roadside emergencies in the first place. By the way, when was the last time you checked the air pressure in that compact spare tire buried under all of that stuff in your trunk

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I'm in the small but, versatile group. There's really no reason to lug 50 lbs of tools in your commuter car.

I agree. I work in roadside assistance (AAA equivalent in the UK.) and the only tools i carry in my own car are a mini battery booster, a temporary puncture repair kit, tyre pump, flashlight, breaker bar for the wheel bolts and a rigid tow pole.

I spend every day doing roadside repairs and carry basically no "general hand tools" in my own car. No need for it, if it breaks down i'll call my company to come rescue me.

 

[ssdave]

Why would you carry around a huge tool set in your car, unless you intend to fix everybody else's stuff that dies along the road?

I'd put together a set of every combination wrench that fits the fasteners on your car. Probably about 6 or 7 of them. A pair of needlenose pliers. A 3/8" or 1/4" socket set with a couple of extensions. A roll of electrical tape. A pair of slip joint parrot head pliers. A ratcheting screwdriver set with bits. A couple of flat screwdrivers. Breaker bar and deep socket to fit your lug nuts. 6 or 8 inch crescent wrench. Small ball peen hammer. Extra fuses.

 

[KnurledNut]

Im with PJNJ. Piece together a set with what you need and avoid the space wasting filler tools and blow molded cases.

As hard as the concept is for some, not everyone has cellphone service where they travel. AAA is only as good as your ability to contact them. And if you are that isolated, good luck with them getting someone there in reasonable time.

My toolkit saved my vehicle and my **** in a rainstorm when a window regulator broke, leaving my window wide open. I was able to find cover, and take the door apart to get the glass up, until i could get to my destination and replace it.

Ive replaced a starter (twice) on the side of the road. Had a buddy grab it at the parts store. I returned the favor when his brakes went out and helped him.

There was one occasion my fuel pump went out and i had the car towed to the dealer. They quoted me an exorbitant price to replace it. I bought the part and put it in myself right in their parking lot. Haha!

Once, i was called to help an older couple that were friends of the family who had a flat tire.

I was able to save another friend a handful of money and time by getting his truck going after it broke down from a mechanic not doing his job right. I couldnt have made the adjustment without a 14mm wrench.

Sometimes just having a T10 or phillips to replace a headlight at the parts store can save you a buck.

I "fixed" a Ford diesel shifter selector not too long ago, because i had the tools and zip ties.
The temp fix will probably outlast the genuine plastic part.

In my experience, tools come in handy to help others more than yourself.

Not everyone has a garage 5 miles away.
Not everyone drives a brand new vehicle.
Im happy for those that do.

 

[cvcman]

Im with PJNJ. Piece together a set with what you need and avoid the space wasting filler tools and blow molded cases.

As hard as the concept is for some, not everyone has cellphone service where they travel. AAA is only as good as your ability to contact them. And if you are that isolated, good luck with them getting someone there in reasonable time.

My toolkit saved my vehicle and my **** in a rainstorm when a window regulator broke, leaving my window wide open. I was able to find cover, and take the door apart to get the glass up, until i could get to my destination and replace it.

Ive replaced a starter (twice) on the side of the road. Had a buddy grab it at the parts store. I returned the favor when his brakes went out and helped him.

There was one occasion my fuel pump went out and i had the car towed to the dealer. They quoted me an exorbitant price to replace it. I bought the part and put it in myself right in their parking lot. Haha!

Once, i was called to help an older couple that were friends of the family who had a flat tire.

I was able to save another friend a handful of money and time by getting his truck going after it broke down from a mechanic not doing his job right. I couldnt have made the adjustment without a 14mm wrench.

Sometimes just having a T10 or phillips to replace a headlight at the parts store can save you a buck.

I "fixed" a Ford diesel shifter selector not too long ago, because i had the tools and zip ties.
The temp fix will probably outlast the genuine plastic part.

In my experience, tools come in handy to help others more than yourself.

Not everyone has a garage 5 miles away.
Not everyone drives a brand new vehicle.
Im happy for those that do.

Yup my point exactly

, not talking about carrying a roller box or "huge" tool kit or even an 80 pound tool kit,,,more like a 130pc Craftsman set with wrenches,hammer,pliers, bits and drivers etc...may weigh all of 20 pounds and get me home at night

 

[KnurledNut]

Yup my point exactly

, not talking about carrying a roller box or "huge" tool kit or even an 80 pound tool kit,,,more like a 130pc Craftsman set with wrenches,hammer,pliers, bits and drivers etc...may weigh all of 20 pounds and get me home at night

Mine comes in around 40lbs.

 

[Parrothead]

Well on my other cars...ive replaced the fuel pump, starter, fixed brake caliper, chgd starter, chgd alternator,replaced heater hose, replaced radiator hose...
AAA sometimes takes longer to show up and tow me someplace its easier to do it myself...
I carry a jump box with a compressor....

That’s an impressive list, but it raises two questions...One, where and how did you get the parts in that situation, and two, couldn’t some preventative maintenance avoided some of these repairs?

 

[cvcman]

That’s an impressive list, but it raises two questions...One, where and how did you get the parts in that situation, and two, couldn’t some preventative maintenance avoided some of these repairs?

Humm preventative maintenance for a starter, alternator or fuel pump..Ha NOPE....and parts,,,well without listing every time the fuel pump was in a parking lot near a NAPA,,,the starter was near a Dunn tire and the guy let me use his car to drive up the street to Advanced Auto....
I drive used older cars,,very well maintained but current car has 200k miles ...all previous have had over 150k so once in awhile you have issues...so id rather carry some tools then sit on the road side with a Leatherman and wait hours for AAA when I can fix it myself and make it home
And I have also used my tools to help many others both with cars, tractors and home repairs on the road

 

[Twisty]

I went through this a year or two ago. I have a Jeep that I take 4 wheeling and have a truck and trailer that I tow it around with. The Jeep is essentially a tube buggy with very few stock parts. The truck is a 1996 powerstroke with 245k miles. I wanted a complete set of tools to use to fix the truck/trailer/Jeep. Sometimes a part might not be broken, but in the process of failing. It’s not uncommon for auto parts stores to have parts you need on the shelf.

To start, I bought the Milwaukee 2763 impact to make changing a tire quick. I found a BOGO for the Sunex 1/2 master sets, so I have the SAE and metric sets in the truck. I also bought the 3/8 Gearwrench master set and got the 1/4 free. I bought a 24” dual 80 1/2 drive flex ratchet from eBay for $130. In my tool bag I have a set of Tekton SAE and metric wrenches in the wrench rolls. I have a set of craftsman screwdrivers and picks, craftsman pliers (tongue and groove, slip joint, needle nose), small craftsman engineer’s hammer, a craftsman deadblow hammer, and an 8oz ballpeen hammer. I have a pair of Milwaukee locking pliers, Bondhus gorilla grip torx/Allen. I have filled a few pockets of my tool bag with punches/chisels/files that I bought a yard sales. I also keep a tire plug kit, valve core tool, a tube of RTV, zip ties, electrical tape, tire gauge, and a magnetic pick up stick in the bag too.

For me, having everything in blow mold cases was a huge plus because it meant that everything will stay organized and I can manage my tool inventory easier. I use this tool set a lot and have helped fix quite a few vehicles with it too.

In my daily driver car I keep nothing. It’s too new for me to worry about it breaking and I can use the included tire tools to change a flat.

 

[cvcman]

I went through this a year or two ago. I have a Jeep that I take 4 wheeling and have a truck and trailer that I tow it around with. The Jeep is essentially a tube buggy with very few stock parts. The truck is a 1996 powerstroke with 245k miles. I wanted a complete set of tools to use to fix the truck/trailer/Jeep. Sometimes a part might not be broken, but in the process of failing. It’s not uncommon for auto parts stores to have parts you need on the shelf.

To start, I bought the Milwaukee 2763 impact to make changing a tire quick. I found a BOGO for the Sunex 1/2 master sets, so I have the SAE and metric sets in the truck. I also bought the 3/8 Gearwrench master set and got the 1/4 free. I bought a 24” dual 80 1/2 drive flex ratchet from eBay for $130. In my tool bag I have a set of Tekton SAE and metric wrenches in the wrench rolls. I have a set of craftsman screwdrivers and picks, craftsman pliers (tongue and groove, slip joint, needle nose), small craftsman engineer’s hammer, a craftsman deadblow hammer, and an 8oz ballpeen hammer. I have a pair of Milwaukee locking pliers, Bondhus gorilla grip torx/Allen. I have filled a few pockets of my tool bag with punches/chisels/files that I bought a yard sales. I also keep a tire plug kit, valve core tool, a tube of RTV, zip ties, electrical tape, tire gauge, and a magnetic pick up stick in the bag too.

For me, having everything in blow mold cases was a huge plus because it meant that everything will stay organized and I can manage my tool inventory easier. I use this tool set a lot and have helped fix quite a few vehicles with it too.

In my daily driver car I keep nothing. It’s too new for me to worry about it breaking and I can use the included tire tools to change a flat.

I had a 2 week old pickup with 900 miles on it fuel pump **** out..lucky I was near a town and had GM roadside and they towed me in to a dealer quick

 

[thickhead]

Mechanics wire. Gorilla tape. 4 in 1 screwdriver. Pliers of choice. Good knife or razor. Rubbing alcohol. Bandages.

Cell phone and AAA are my go to.

 

[potato]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0767NGBP8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[patchap]

I keep enough in there that I can change lights, minor repairs etc.
3/8 socket set, cheap wrench set up to 19mm, breaker bar with wheel socket.
Comes in handy and only fills a small tool bag in the trunk

 

[M6erfan]

Tire plug kit, 12v compressor, LIon Jump Pack, breaker bar, set of flip lug sockets, flashlight/headlamp, pliers, scissors, utility knife, multi-screwdriver, Rescue tape, bailing wire, zip ties, gloves, 50ga drum liner, disposable Tyvek coveralls.

 

[Rustypigeon]

I don't like packaged "kits" that you can buy. Most of them have both SAE and metric making half the sockets doing nothing but adding weight and taking up space for 99% of the drivers out there.

I buy one of those $20 Husky tool bags and put in an assortment of metric sockets, a couple ratchet, pliers, screwdrivers, multimeter and a cheap OBD codereader. I make sure I have enough tools to change a drive belt, fix minor wiring problems and do basic repairs.

 

[Maui]

At the very least, bring a tool kit that allows you to easily disconnect the battery terminals. You should also have a volt meter. The cheap one from Harbor Freight actually works pretty well - https://www.harborfreight.com/7-function-multimeter-98025.html. Have some coarse sandpaper on hand for cleaning the battery posts and connectors, as well as any ground connections. Corroded battery connections that prevent the car from starting is the most frequent problem that I have encountered over the years. You probably won't even need to call AAA to fix this problem if you have these simple tools on hand.

Maui

 

[Parrothead]

Tire plug kit, 12v compressor, LIon Jump Pack, breaker bar, set of flip lug sockets, flashlight/headlamp, pliers, scissors, utility knife, multi-screwdriver, Rescue tape, bailing wire, zip ties, gloves, 50ga drum liner, disposable Tyvek coveralls.

If you’re going to put together a small kit, this is pretty good!!!

I’d switch out the set of flip sockets for one specific to the car. The free Harbor Freight blue flashlights work well as they’re pretty bright and have a magnet. Just be sure to swap out the batteries first for some Alkaline. I’d also swap the pliers for locking pliers. I might put in a socket or two depending on what you really think is possible along the side of the road. A socket for hose clamps might make the cut. A socket to fit the battery is a good idea too. I also might switch the tire repair kit and mini compressor for a can of fix a flat. Tea lights and a coffee can would be a good idea too! Heat while waiting for a tow truck. I’d also probably switch the scissors for the Craftsman tool below. I keep this tool in the car to open plastic packaging, and it’s stronger than regular scissors.

I’d have the Harbor Freight ratchet - https://m.harborfreight.com/14-in-3...t-67993.html?utm_referrer=direct/not provided. Mostly because you overpay for a ratchet you don’t really want or it’s so cheap it breaks when using it. This is a slim ratchet and works very well.

If you have a Menards local you can pick up a 19mm 1/2 deep socket for $3.68 and a breaker bar for $6 - both made in Taiwan

https://www.menards.com/main/tools-...ep-6-point-socket/cdds78n/p-1444428563569.htm

https://www.menards.com/main/tools-...314-c-9159.htm?tid=4502179352448494550&ipos=3

Craftsman multi tool
http://m.sears.com/craftsman-cm-10in1-mini/p-00938839000P

I still think that AAA and a backup battery for the cell phone is the best kit and the safest.

 

[mr.lemons]

I think this is a very individual thing depending on what car you have, what repairs you are willing to attempt, how far away from civilisation you find yourself, what jobs your friends and family ask you to help with, what hobbies you have etc.

 

[Parrothead]

Humm preventative maintenance for a starter, alternator or fuel pump..Ha NOPE....and parts,,,well without listing every time the fuel pump was in a parking lot near a NAPA,,,the starter was near a Dunn tire and the guy let me use his car to drive up the street to Advanced Auto....
I drive used older cars,,very well maintained but current car has 200k miles ...all previous have had over 150k so once in awhile you have issues...so id rather carry some tools then sit on the road side with a Leatherman and wait hours for AAA when I can fix it myself and make it home
And I have also used my tools to help many others both with cars, tractors and home repairs on the road

Hey, I hear you on the older car thing, former dd has 250k+ (haven’t sold it yet) and my current is 170k. I’ve had the alternator, fuel pump and starter all go out on various cars and all gave warning. Maybe I was just lucky? I blew a hose on the highway on a 1,000 mile round trip. That was my fault as I hadn’t switched out the hoses in over 100k. I got it to a Honda dealer (lucky!) and for less than $150 I had all new hoses, coolant and a thermostat. I did spring for a hotel, which I wasn’t planning on but alas. I actually had tools in the car for that trip for other reasons, but it was cold and rainy and I was On I-70. Um no! Also parts stores were closed as it was very late. I was spending the night regardless.

I think the chances of having it be a repairable fix that isn’t really simple and requiring parts is limited. But to each their own!

 

[gregpack]

I actually will stop and help stranded motorists if I have time. So far most breakdowns I encounter seem to be mainly tires or fuel related(out of gas). I have added water to a dry radiator system before.

People that are involved in minor traffic accidents often have body parts that want to drag on the road and could also benefit from Duct tape, zip ties, or mechanics wire to hold those loose parts up until they get home. Another good addition is some sort of tool to cut off some dragging parts that are damaged beyond repair. Here's an example. One time a Lady had a very minor fender bender in a parking lot in her new Jaguar. She had a front anti collision sensor about 1" in diameter that broke loose and recessed into her front bumper about an inch. As a result, the car went into limp mode and wouldn't go over 15 miles an hour. If I had it with me I could have take super glue or clear packing tape and solved her problem.

For my own vehicle- I have AAA and would certainly call for a tow for anything that couldn't be fixed in an hour. On the roadside I would be willing to change a serpentine belt, jump start or change a battery, plug or change a tire, and change my CPS in my diesel, which just requires a single socket,extension, and ratchet. I would also be willing to patch a radiator hose to get me home too. I carry a spare serpentine belt, camshaft position sensor, and fuel filter for my truck

So for most people a very basic set of tools, wrenches for your battery, jumper cables, a couple of hose clamps, zip ties, duct tape, a small empty gas can, maybe an emergency hose repair kit, tire plug kit and a way to inflate and you're good to go.

 

[Citation]

Yet another vote against still type of socket set. When I think of the problems I've had with my daily drivers almost none could have been solved with a socket set on the side of the road. Most of the time I either needed parts or a tool that wouldn't be on my basic kit. As such I keep just a few tools in the car. Multimeter because the HF ones are free. A few combination wrenches that would let me pull the battery. The most useful tools are the mini compressor and tire plug kit.

 

[jgromada]

This is an excellent thread, i do have a few additions though. I have AAA but i do carry a small set of tools and some incidentals. For one thing if you break down on a toll road (like NJ Turnpike) it is hard to get a service vehicle to come.

My experiences have kind of show that i would rather be somewhat prepared than wait the time it takes for help to come.

1. I was driving an old VW and at highway speed the accelerator cable came off and i managed to coast to the side in heavy traffic. Luckily i had an old bread bag twist tie to lock the cable end to the mount for the cable. A zip tie would have been preferred if i had one.
2. Hose bandage is great for temporarily keeping a hole in a hose from completely spraying your engine with coolant. The tape sticks to itself very well and manages to hold under pressure.
3. On I-95 once i had to run over a thick plastic feed bag that was on the roadway. The bag kicked up and wrapped itself around the drive shaft of my BMW. I pulled off to the side and luckily had a small knife to cut the bag away. The plastic was very tough and it took a while to take care of this and the bag partially adhered itself to the center resonator where it had melted a bit. No harm done but the smell of burning plastic was with me for weeks until it all burned off.
4. I ran over some debris in my BMW (bottom covers were missing at the time) and it actually hit the fan. The broken fan pieces actually punctured my brand new all-aluminum radiator, but luckily i had extra premixed coolant and a small wood screw to temporarily patch the radiator (later had to get it welded).

So you many never know when you have to MacGyver a repair to get you home. No AAA during most of those events. I think it has been mentioned but a pair of work gloves is essential as is a good flash light (i like the HF free ones in every car) and something like a old blanket (first to lie on if you want to get underneath your vehicle and more importantly if you are ever stranded could save your life)

After i replace them I like to keep old radiator hoses and belts in my trunk. In a pinch if i were to break down at least i would have the correct part available to replace a failed belt or hose.

 

[B.S.A. (ret.)]

One thing that everyone seems to agree on is a dependable flashlight in the car or kit. Let me add that I know from personal experience that the weakest link are the batteries in your light. It's only a matter of time when alkalines (a.k.a. "Alka-Leaks) will fail and ruin your source of illumination.I keep AA - Powered flashlights in all of our vehicles (2AA Maglites mostly) and make sure that they're equipped with Eveready Lithium batteries. Long shelf life and hold the charge better in the cold

 

[jsmeece]

I too keep a 2AA cell Maglites with Lithium batteries in all three of my vehicles. Been there down that with weak and dying batteries.

 

[joe_pinehill1]

I keep
NOCO booster, ( I've used it helping others, never had to jump or boost my cars)
regular jumpers,
a breaker bar with 3/4 socket,
Needle nose pliers
6 in one screw driver
road flares
Larry Light
12 V compressor

The last road side repair I did was on my 1991 Volvo 240, ~15 years ago, driving home from work the thermostat failed. I called my wife, she got the tools I asked for, and she got to the NAPA store before they closed, meet me in a parking lot. New thermostat installed and I was on my way. But I think those days are over

IMHO With modern cars there aren't that many road side repairs that you can do. Also, I honestly think cars and parts are more reliable, growing up, taking a road trip with my parents I remember always seeing cars with the hood up on the side of the road. Today, hoses are better, thermostats are better made, belts, alternators, relays, tires are better, all the common road side repairs. I think if you stay on top of Preventative maintenance you need a lot less tools.

 

[Aaron_W]

I keep a small canvas zip top tool bag in the trunk, weighs maybe 10 lbs, and is a little smaller than a bowling bag. It snugs in nicely by the full size spare tire.

Home Depot 46 piece 1/4" drive socket set including screw bits, ratchet, ratcheting driver handle and a stubby crescent wrench.

Standard and Phillips screw drivers

8" Crescent wrench

Pliers

Wire cutters

Small AA powered LED light with a hook

LED Mini Maglight

Oil filter wrench

Spare bulbs

Roll of Gorilla tape

Small coil of bailing wire

Couple feet of 16 gauge electrical wire

Assortment of zip ties

12 foot tape measure

Small retracting knife

Sharpie marker


Also keep a couple quarts of oil, about 1/2 gallon of coolant (what was left over after the last flush and refill), and the old set of radiator hoses from the last replacement. Full size spare, star lug wrench, lug wrench / tire tool, tire jack and jumper cables.

Most are just cheapo no name tools from Home Depot. The whole kit including the bag cost less than $100.


I use it for more than just emergency roadside repairs. Too many times I've been somewhere and needed a few simple tools. It is amazing how many people don't even own a screwdriver.

 

[KnurledNut]

This thread needs tool kit pictures....

 

[Climatecreator]

This is one of the kits I keep in my Jeep. http://amzn.to/2EsxUdT I won it in a raffle and surprisingly it has come in handy many times, including once when I needed to change a coil pack on VA on a misfiring cylinder during a road trip from CT to FL.

Fun fun. Glad I had that kit under the seat.

 

[plc268]

I keep a small kit in my trunk. I repurposed an old power tool bag and use that.

-18" breaker bar (haven't had any issue breaking my lugnuts torqued to 150 ft-lb with this).
-Wheel lock keys + 22mm socket
-Flip lug sockets (in case I need to help someone else out)
-Lithium battery jump starter
-Viair 88p compressor
-Knipex 10" cobras
-Stubby ratcheting bit screwdriver

That's about all I'll ever need. There's not a whole lot I could fix on the side of the road, even if I had the tools. In that event, it'll just get towed.

 

[Tonyuk]

In my car i have;

- Breaker bar + Socket
- Water
- Breakfast bars
- Warm coat + work gloves
- Sleeping bag
- Flashlight
- Small air compressor
- Can of tyre foam
- Jump leads, 10mm spanner

Anything needing more than that likely needs a workshop, so i also have an AA membership.

 

[tanukiboy]

I'm not a mechanic, so...

• Smartphone and JAC (same as AAA) membership
• LED flashlight
• Lithium battery for jumping (also charges phones etc.)
• Jumper cables
• Small electric tire pump
• Space blanket (can also be used as a tarp)
• Rolled up Polartec blanket
• Bright yellow nylon poncho
• Unopened plastic dispenser of moist hand wipes
• Roll of paper towels
• The jack and minimal toolkit that came with the car

 

[Tallpilot]

Two points:

I agree that most of the prepackaged kits are filled with too much fluff to be a useful base. Plus a large blow molded case is usually harder to secure properly than a few smaller items and a wrench roll.

These tools aren’t in the vehicle just in case one decides to drop the transmission and put in a new clutch pack on the side of the road (unlikely event). They are also there for the inevitable instances at (insert relative or friend who doesn’t have decent tools)’s house where an unexpected project occurs. Now instead of trying to do the job with a crescent wrench and a framing hammer a quick trip to the vehicle results in an adequate albeit incomplete set of proper tools.