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

Mine looks like a skip but I do always have

Ice scraper
Warm coat
Bottle of water
Protein bar
Locking wheel nut
Screen wash
Lead rope - the amount of times I've had to use it to catch a dog or horse!

If I dig further there is probably some de icer, An umbrella, wellies, 7 random coats, a load of work logo polo shirts, a headcollar, a numnah, some horse treats. Also some shampoo, which I'm not sure why is in the car. My dad despairs as he cleans his weekly and has an entire tool kit in his

Breakdown cover and my dads phone number covers the rest

Ive actually got a mate who is a.mobile tyre fitter so I'm going to get him to check everything over for me, inc balancing etc. Driving instructors DH owns a garage also so sorted for servicing!

Thanks, I'll have a look as breakdown is to be arranged when I buy insurance. Is this an add on? I've obviously not heard of it before

Duct tape, definitely, but I’m alarmed that you’re missing WD40 and I don’t see head torch listed in there. Or a tin of those yummy travel sweets in a tin, for emergencies!
I think your list is great; I have about half of that in my boot though in 15 years or so I have only used the bulb kit and WD and torch!
Well done on being prepared.

It's a add on to AA breakdown you say your car is a '08 car if it's a ford you may need it lol

www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/parts-and-garage-cover

From your list immediately I would add: Fluorescent jacket and I also have a tyre pump that plugs into th cigarette lighter. I have a slightly more expensive one that has a digital pressure meter in and it is much better than my previous Uber cheap one.

What do I keep as well?

Warning triangle and spare bulb set
Couple of cloths
Some water in case I need to sort lights out
Jump leads
Walking suitable shoes in case I'm not driving in practical shoes.

Torch was suggested upthread and added to list, I have just been looking at wind up torches. Wd40 added to list :) yes can't believe I forgot that

I usually have sweets, chocolate or similar in my work bag

duct tape and cable ties, made me think of a serial killer lol.
Tissues, toilet roll (oh yes) bottle of water.
I'd say have a good idea how to add water to the washers and check the tyres. Taken me 20 years to learn these skills.

I think this is brilliant - sounds like you've got everything covered. Breakdown cover is handy. Don't listen to the haters, so many people are such careless, clueless, unprepared drivers. Good for you.

We have an essential car breakdown kit that’s been moved from car to car- never used. Worth looking at one online though. Similar to this.

General Medi 127-Pieces Roadside Car Emergency Kit Include Mini First Aid Kit, Jumper Cables,Tow Rope, Bandage, Safety Vest, Emergency Triangle, All in One Pack amzn.eu/d/f7i4xrh

And the amount of times we’ve helped other motorists out with our jump leads…… yep a fair few times tbh.

Tyvm. It's a Renault Clio and has been really looked after, it was like a military operation trying to find a car with Dad! He has gone right back to 1st MOT, been under them checking exhaust, suspension and gawd knows what (he is really clued up having dismantled and rebuilt plenty lol) ALOT were rejected before he was happy with this one. Really useful thanks will look into it, didn't even know this existed!

Make sure you have removable car mats. They are brilliant for putting under the wheels if you get stuck on an icy patch. The tyres can grip. Also on mud, but not too wet mud, as I found out. Worked for a second then got stuck again. Kind bloke with a winch had to pull me out

Hat, scarf and gloves in case you break down in bad weather. I don't have anything though, just some empty carrier bags in the boot

Hi vis waterproof jacket is part of work gear, as above, the tyre inflator I've bought is mains or cig lighter and has a pressure gauge also. Sturdy boots also part of my work gear. Thankyou

That's one of the ones I've been looking at. I think I'll go for it it, thanks!

Er .... I have none of that. Well dp has a tyre pressure thing but I stay well clear of maintenance. I do buy a bottle of screen wash from the pound shop when it runs out and each year I pay for a full service with the mot.

I had a travel kit in my last car but forgot to steal it off exh when I left for the last time (shared the car)

Will check when it's light! Cracking hack, someone post upthread about cat litter upthread reminded me I have a set of rescue tracks which I'm going to chuck in for the winter

Oh but do buy an ice scraper and a bottle of de-icer

Thankyou. I'd rather be over prepped than under!

Oh and I have a bottle of water usually, shopping bags are very important and napkins for emergency car eating. I have sunglasses (prescription), rennies, ibroprofen, and a lot of take away containers

In 20 years of driving, I’ve needed to phone the AA on 3 separate occasions.

I was “rescued” within 30 minutes each time and didn’t need any of this stuff.

Unfortunately my experience is the opposite. In 20 yrs with ExH, we had to use them twice, once after a blowout on the m1 that shredded a tyre and damaged the rim by distorting it, we waited over 4 hrs, at night, with kids in the car. The second time all the elcs on the car died, no lights, no power, nothing. Again with kids and we waited almost 6 hours. They paid compensation out for both as they admitted they fell well short

And I have CD's in my glovebox... my car doesn't even have a CD player

😂