I wondered if the incredible amount of tools and bits and pieces that I carry around in the boot are common to many HJ readers, or if (as I suspect) I am in fact a complete anorak:
Engine starter (one of those battery things with crocodile clips that is supposed to get you started in the event of a flat battery). I carry it because the battery is 5 years old and is bound to fail the day I decide to leave the device in the shed! I charge it every 2 months
Selection of bulbs and fuses
Foot pump and separate LCD gauge
2 litres of water
Tool kit with screwdrivers, sockets, insulating tape, pliers etc etc
Jump leads
WD40
Inspection light
Full gown that came with Duckhams Hyper Grade oil about 20 years ago. This fits head-to-Toe and the idea is that you wear it over your smart suit if you need to change a wheel
Ready mixed coolant (I have a weeping water pump)
Oil
Multimeter
5 metres of wire
12v inverter to 240v. Never used
Non-Tools:
Torch
Biscuits and drinking water in case we get stuck
4 x Tesco ?Rain Poncho and Emergency Foil Blankets? kits in case we have to hike in the howling rain or camp in the wilderness. (well?.)
First Aid Kit
Tablets
Disposable Camera, but film is probably well out of date now
Selection of household batteries and fuses
Gloves
Hat
Spare Coat (think I forgot mine once, so that sealed the fate that a spare cheapo would live in the car)
Picnic Blanket
Foldaway Chairs x 2 (the Motorway Services 2 for £10 ones)
Coins for car parks
One thing I note is lacking ? a towrope
Today I applied a little logic and at last removed the bottle of brake fluid from the car, as I check it every week - if the light suddenly came on whilst out and about I guess I would phone the RAC rather than just top it up!
Trouble is, if I ever throw something out I always subsequently need it, so it appears I have applied the same logic over the years with the amount of bits and pieces that I ?need? to cart around
Anyone else carry this amount with them? Over the top?
What have I used over the years? Well the spare bulbs and fuses have been useful, the WD40, the multimeter, the coins and the footpump. The household batteries and fuses have been useful when away from home
Cheers
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My goodness , you'r better then aa or RAC van...
Edited by Webmaster on 21/12/2009 at 01:27
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I don't have much in the car at all. Notepad, pen, first aid kit, mat to lean on if i need to use the spare wheel since its mounted underneath the car, foot pump, road maps. And that's about it.
PBB - You must have a large car to be able to keep all that stuff in the car at all times.
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OP I don't think you are an anorak.
You're a magpie ;-)
Sounds like you've accumulated stuff over a number of years... "that's a good idea - I'll keep that in the car"... and when it comes time to get rid of stuff you rationalise why it's better to keep it.
I bet you a jaffa cake you have tons of stuff filling the nooks and crannies of your home that you never seem to be able to get rid of.
The other possibility is that you actually LIVE in your car ;-)
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Apart from the jack and wheelbrace one of those Leatherman lookalike multitools and a torch. Goodness knows what use the multi would be on a Mondeo diesel, but you never know.
Edited by Webmaster on 21/12/2009 at 01:27
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Apart from a torch a good coat a good qual brolly and some basic tools i've chucked into the cars tool kit, nothing else that comes to mind, unless i'm on a rescue trip then i'll take whatever is needed....always carry a good towing strap in the pick up though.
Oh and spare hosiery (for swmbo)...good tip there fellers, nothing ruins a trip out more than when your good lady ruins her legwear and has no spares...knights to the rescue and all that;-)
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Similar to Robin in as much as the Leatherman and torch are there. On longer runs in winter I add a Snickers bar and a bottle of water. Apart from that, a charger cable for the BlackBerry and an AA membership card about covers it.
In the event of a breakdown I'd probably phone the AA, eat the Snickers, drink the water and whittle something while emailing my apologies for lateness until the truck arrived.
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Trouble is, if I ever throw something out I always subsequently need it,
>>
SWMBO?
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I haven't got much more than that in my garage.
Edited by Old Navy on 20/12/2009 at 20:48
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1998 Honda Civic, original battery and FSH.
I carry full sized spare, jack, wheel brace, torch and pair of gloves. I think there is a kit of spare bulbs and a disposable camera. That's about it, well apart from emergency CD's, you never know when you will run out of rock music
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Is it perhaps worth pointing out to the OP that if he left that lot at home he'd probably get an extra 10 mpg out of the car? ;-)
My fleet's "equipment";
Car; Ice scrapers, windscreen cover, couple of pound coins for supermarket trollies, re-usable bags for same.
Pick-up; Few small tools (double-ended screwdriver, pliers, couple of AF spanners) insulating tape, home-made test lamp, wire, couple of zip-ties, length of dowel 'cos fuel gauge is duff, wheelbrace, two ratchet straps for holding down loads of timber.
"New" Harley; nothing. Not that I trust it 100% but if it breaks down there'd be very little I could do to it at the roadside anyway.
Old Harley(s); as per pickup truck excepting wood ,wheelbrace and straps, special tools according to model. If on the WLC I always carry a wooden clothes peg clipped to the front brake cable and I'll offer a virtual pint to the first BR-er who can correctly tell me why! ;-)
Edited by Harleyman on 20/12/2009 at 22:33
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If on the WLC I always carry a wooden clothes peg clipped to thefront brake cable and I'll offer a virtual pint to the first BR-er who can correctly tell me why! ;-)
I know nothing of bikes, but i suggest that if it gets forced off the inner cable has travelled too far and suggests somethings wrong...or a simple spare clip for an outer cable.
hangs head in embarassment...;)
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I've got an ice-scraper and errr...
...well thats about it other than the standard jack and wheel brace that my car came with. Other than that I have my phone in my pocket and my RAC card in my wallet.
Do I really need anything else in this day and age?
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Usual stuff but some very specialist items as well.....
Kitchen Roll
Bottle of Navy Rum
3ft wrecking bar
Travel Rug
Caravan stabiliser blade.
Pair of size 3 Lady's sandals
Delia's Christmas Recipes
Magnifying glass
A cushion
A red wool hiking sock
Don't ask me why !
Ted
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Sig bottle of water.
Doggie kit:-
Towel,
Lead
Kitchen roll
Bowl
Pooh bags
Wipes
Camera (digi)
Ice scraper,
Lens wipes
Tissues
Misc. Charging leads
Shopping Bags
Does Delia have a recipe for the the sock ? Marinated in the rum maybe ?
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nothing at all.
well maybe a mobile phone if i remember.
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>Does Delia have a recipe for the the sock ? Marinated in the rum maybe ? A rare Christmas treat, Pug. Sat in a snowdrift sucking the goodness out of a hiking sock !I Think you'd need the rum after that....I'm not even going to raise conjecture over your treat....
Poo bags and water indeed !
Ted
Edit...Just found a scart lead as well ! Handy as a short tow rope.
Edited by 1400ted on 21/12/2009 at 15:37
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I know nothing of bikes but i suggest that if it gets forced off the inner cable has travelled too far and suggests somethings wrong...or a simple spare clip for an outer cable. hangs head in embarassment...;)
Nothing to be embarassed about GB, at least you had a go; I presume the bikers on this forum are far too sophisticated to lower themselves to tractor trivia! ;-)
The reason is that the fuel tap is of the plunger type, and when slightly worn the reserve does not stay open unless said clothes peg is attached to it.
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The reason is that the fuel tap is of the plunger type and when slightly worn the reserve does not stay open unless said clothes peg is attached to it.
Blast not even warm, told you i knew naff all about bikes, and there's me virtually gagging for a pint and a mellow Whisky Mack to follow..;)
Been horrible sitting here at home with the lovely swmbo in the warm whilst my mates have struggled their cotton socks off...heh heh.
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Five fluorescent jackets (required by law)
Spare bulb and fuse set (required by law)
Two reflective triangles (required by law)
Skinny spare tyre
Wheel brace and jack
Torch
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I carried as much kit as the first poster when I ran a Discovery... it was so reliable I never needed any of it though. Now I just have a reflective jacket, tiny torch, gaffer tape, 10m baler twine and RAC membership card.
Edited by M.M on 21/12/2009 at 11:57
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My snap on tool chest with roll cab attached to trailer & a complete mass of spares.
Seriously a mobile phone & charger & AA card in walet you just can't have everything can you.
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3' bar and some sockets
Tool kit - sundry screwdrivers, pliers, etc. etc. Very useful for impressing girlfriends' mothers when visiting and asked to refix wisteria etc. etc.
Wind-up torch
Foot pump and gauge
2 litres water minimum
Picnic knife and paper napkins (no longer a sharp kitchen knife following recent knife legislation)
set of bulbs/fuses
umbrella
Warning triangle
Reflective vest
Coat
Road atlas - one Philips Navigator which is about 1:100,000 of the whole county; very useful.
Chocolate bar (if lucky)
Large box for wellies. Wellies.
This time of year: Shovel, extra warm clothing
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I carry a shovel, some stout rope, a crowbar, some heavy duty tarpaulin and some gaffer tape.
Have I given too much away there...?
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We know your ex-boss is not your best mate right now but do think hard about any rash actions !
;-)
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Have I given too much away there...? Are you a grave robber?
some gaffer tape. No idea why you wolud need that though.! lol..........
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Wow, the nearest we have got to a First Aid kit on here is gaffer tape.
Dont you guys carry one? I have a good comprehensive useful first aid kit in the car, that not only incudes the normal bandages and plasters, but a space blanket, piriton, sterile eye wash, etc. Its designed for human and dog use. (been used quite a bit too on the dog for torn pads, various wounds and swollen nose (she has a habit of sticking her nose where is shouldnt go))
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anyone who carries a warning triangle and is prepared to use it should also carry a first aid kit, cructhes, spinal board and probably an organ donor card
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It's not a car tool, but one thing I always kept in my car when I was travelling a lot was a radiator bleed key.
The number of times I stayed in freezing "hotel" rooms due to the radiator being full of air is unbelievable. These days I usually stay is somewhat classier establishments. :)
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Spare credit card hidden in a cunning place. Once managed to drive to Germany without my wallet and the spare flexible friend saved the day. Lost my wallet in Aberdeen once too and it came in handy then.
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. Lost my wallet in Aberdeenonce too and it came in handy then.
That explains the mysterious epidemic of the Greater Wallet moth normally only found in Cheshire, Aberdeen's never recovered.
.;)
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Well you know what they say, if you want to know how deserted our cities would be after a nuclear war just visit Aberdeen on a flag day !
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First Aid Kit.
De-icer.
Tool kit that came with car.
On person Swiss Army knife: the one Swiss soldiers used till 2008..plus mobile with camera for crash scenes.
err Fire extinguisher.
That's it.
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I carry a shovel some stout rope a crowbar some heavy duty tarpaulin and some gaffer tape. Have I given too much away there...?
im still not sure, your either a burglar or a serial killer?
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