To ask for your car essentials

[WorriedMumofTeen16]

Learning to drive and test date imminent. Car arrived today and I'm trying to sort out what I need. If I put everything in that websites suggest, I'd need a bigger car lol. I work shifts so will be travelling early hours or late night with a small portion of country roads and about 20 miles dual carriageway.

It has a full sized spare tyre.

So far I have
Tyre inflator
Bottle of screenwash
Petrol can
Blanket
Phone charger
Powerbank
Manuals
Blue roll
De-icer and scraper
Water

To buy this week
Warning triangle
Multitool/small toolkit
Spare bulbs and fuses
Oil
Jump leads
Car fire extinguisher
1st aid kit

What else? A nosey online suggests tow rope, portable battery pack, duct tape, cable ties and a multitude of other stuff. Some of the kits they sell are the size of small luggage! It's only a Clio so not a massive boot and I don't want to be carrying more than reqd but equally don't want to miss something essential

Drinks, snacks,.glasses wipes etc would be carried in work bag as I take those in daily as my shifts cover a couple of meals and fridge space at work is limited. Obviously I'll sort insurance, break down info etc to live in glovebox.

Help me out please! Tyvm

If your travelling late night/ early morning I would carry de-icer and a scraper......and a membership with the AA or RAC.

I keep a few hair bands around the gear stick, cos I hate it when I have the window open and my hair is blowing in my face!

I keep a rolled up tote bag in the drivers side pocket in the door, so when I pop into the Tesco garage or wherever for a couple of bits, I don't need to faff about getting shopping bags out of the boot.

@pompei8309 buy on of these for leverage

www.eurocarparts.com/p/streetwize-strong-arm-breaker-bar-553998790

Hi vis is part of my work safety gear so that is standard, 1st aid kit on list.

Fully intend to know how to change a wheel, bulbs etc, no excuse not to just cos I'm female!

Loving the suggestions and also the giggles!

Good on you.

I will say though having the manual in your car is pretty much useless unless you have parts and tools

I guess it all comes to personal choice. As you get more familiar with the roads and build up confidence, you can add or remove some of the kit as you see fit.

It also depends on the age of your car. Not sure if that was stated?

Sunglasses, picnic blanket, sick bag, wipes, tissues, mints, think that’s it.
I’ve never bothered with any of that stuff on your list and I’ve driven some absolute bangers, rurally at all hours in all seasons.

I have an insulated aluminium foil blanket (like they give to marathon runners). If you ever break down on a motorway in inclement weather, and (as you should) get out of the car, you'll be glad of it.

I haven't read replies so apologies if this has been said, it's great how prepared you want to be, get whatever will make you feel comfortable BUT under no circumstances carry personal documents (insurance/breakdown cover etc) in your car. Please.
Most breakdown companies will send a little card to keep in your purse in the event your mobile dies/has no service and you need a public phone. But carrying personal identifying documents is an absolute no no.

Definitely a pen and paper in case you need to take a drivers registration down!!

In all seriousness, OP, I have been driving for 25+ years (cars, vans, trailers, horseboxes, agricultural vehicles etc - I've also got a Class 2 licence and have done some stints of commercial driving) and have probably clocked up hundreds of thousands of miles in that time, on all sorts of roads, in all sorts of conditions all over the UK and Europe.

I can honestly promise you that I have never needed any of what you describe, bar a mobile phone, a bottle of water and jump leads (back in the day when I used to drive buckets on wheels).

Yes, I agree that everybody should know how to change the tyres on their car - that's a given - but the single most important thing I would recommend is to buy good breakdown cover (ideally with home start, too).

The only thing I have started carrying recently is a high-viz vest, and I agree with PPs that a good windscreen cover is handy for early starts in the winter.

Keep your car well-maintained and your levels topped up and you'll be fine.

I wish you many years of safe and happy driving!

Well this is a very very specific scenario! Highly unlikely that the OP will encounter this!

Probably also not a good idea to be messing around with someone's exhaust....they get very hot!!

A portable stove etc, bottled water, knives and forks and plates and mugs, and tinned vegetables/meat etc

Fully intend to know how to change a wheel

Great in theory, very difficult in practice because wheel nuts are put on by air guns which tighten them to such a degree that it can be almost impossible to remove them without another air gun. As my 6’3, 16 stone DP found out when he was literally jumping on the end of a wheelbrace and the nut still wouldn’t undo. I would have zero chance of undoing them.

Tea, ,phone data, a backup phone and written list of emergency contacts

The most useful things in my car are a £1 coin for supermarket trolleys (Aldi still requires them) and several carrier bags for when I do an emergency shop on the way home.

In that case they were done up to tight. Most cars are around 110nm. not that tight at all

Visor tissue holder. Very handy for snotty kids but keeps them from overusing the supply or battering the box. Standard size tissue box for refills in the boot.

Yes, when I say breakdown and insurance info I mean phone numbers and policy numbers only, not the full gubbins.

Pen n paper would be in work bag with diary, a few have suggested that. Also missed a couple suggesting a space blanket, added to list.

For a little more context, the country lane I use was last year classified as the 2nd most dangerous in the county and I've seen loads of accidents and had a few near misses on the bike so I want to make sure if I'm unlucky enough to be involved I have what I need if stuck waiting for recovery aswell as being prepared for breakdowns.

08 plate for PP who asked, FSH and only 2 owner before me. My driving instructors husband has his own garage so already sorted for services, repairs etc. I keep absolutely 100% on top of anything needing doing with the motorbike and intend doing the same with the car

1 owner* before me, oh for an edit button

Good thread OP

Can I ask- what is the difference between a windscreen frost shield and an old bit of sheet (which is what my dad used to use )?

What bike do you ride?

Didnt mean to quote that post

My king-size sheets might be a bit big 😂I did buy a bike cover so will get a car one, defrosting the bike seat or scraping an inch of snow off taught me quickly that ut wasn't a pleasant ride home!

My work hivis is waterproof so its dual purpuse, but thankyou PP