Car kit

[Deeps]

I'm just revamping the car kit. This is just to stay in the car, I have a bag for getting home if the car's not available or stuck.

So far I have my first aid kit, a general emergency car kit which contains a folding spade, emergency blanket, tow rope etc. ready diluted screen wash and a squeegee/scraper. But now I've run out of ideas.

All help gratefully received.

A bit of duplication won't do any harm, a sleeping bag, torch, batteries (Mrs Deeps has a small lighter powered 4 AA/AAA rechargeable battery charger), a couple of cans of food you can eat cold like beans and sausages, even if you have a stove. A can opener (even if you've got one on a tool) can be handy too, a couple of litres of water is always going to be useful. Even if you have most of the stuff in another bag some extra stuff might be handy, even a second sleeping bag, either for yourself or for somebody else could be handy, you can get some pretty compact (and admittedly not brilliant) sleeping bags so they don't take up much space.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Spare bulbs...

Warning triangle

Roof magnetic amber light

Led road flares

Test your tow rope fits your cars towing eyes

High VI's jacket

Torch

[BaseOne]

On the subject of fire extinguishers in cars...

I used to have one but then read an article (written by a fireman I think), which changed my mind and I took the fire extinguisher out...

The gist of the article was, 1) The small extinguishers people might have in a car are not that great, they have low capacit and are not very effective, 2) Anyone not trained in their use has a high risk of injury if they try to tackle an engine fire.

Has puncture repair can been mentioned?

[cumbrianish]

All good I knew I could rely on forum members for well thought out ideas!

I'm not keen on using a can of tyre repair for the following reasons

- I've heard you can only drive up to 50 miles before needing a tyre change
- once used that tyre can't actually be repaired properly.

It was for these reasons that when I bought my new car I insisted on a full size spare.

I live in Cumbria and often travel to rural Wales there aren't many garages let alone a kwikfit type businesses where I travel (when i go away from home base) which is the main reason I want at least a basic kit in the car to get me out of trouble or stay safe until mr green flag arrives.

Good idea about the tow rope YA will get that on to do list for today. Torch and high vis live in my ghb which travels with me I need to get a warning triangle!

[Briggs 2.0]

Life hammers have been mentioned above and they are a must-have.

Mrs B has a life hammer in her car plus she has a glass breaker + seat belt cutting tool tied to the driver's door handle by a length of paracord. Her reasoning is that if the car was in an accident and flipped over, the glass breaker would be dangling right where she wants it, or a rescuer would see it.

[Yorkshire Andy]

On the subject of fire extinguishers in cars...

I used to have one but then read an article (written by a fireman I think), which changed my mind and I took the fire extinguisher out...

The gist of the article was, 1) The small extinguishers people might have in a car are not that great, they have low capacit and are not very effective, 2) Anyone not trained in their use has a high risk of injury if they try to tackle an engine fire.

Has puncture repair can been mentioned?

How small is small? I read something by the aa a minimum of 1kg powder for a small car they can be very effective I like Germany's idea of every car having them in the event of a crash on a main road 6 cars gives the same amount of extinguishing power as a commercial extinguisher that you would find on a garage forecourt

[BaseOne]

How small is small? I read something by the aa a minimum of 1kg powder for a small car they can be very effective I like Germany's idea of every car having them in the event of a crash on a main road 6 cars gives the same amount of extinguishing power as a commercial extinguisher that you would find on a garage forecourt

I guess they were talking about the 1Kg models. Better than nothing in some situations and if 10 other motorists happen to have one and happen to stop and happen to have the balls to get close in and use it, etc., then it could save the day.

As with all prepper equipment, maybe training/practice is the key to get most out of it.

[Deeps]

How small is small? I read something by the aa a minimum of 1kg powder for a small car they can be very effective I like Germany's idea of every car having them in the event of a crash on a main road 6 cars gives the same amount of extinguishing power as a commercial extinguisher that you would find on a garage forecourt

I guess they were talking about the 1Kg models. Better than nothing in some situations and if 10 other motorists happen to have one and happen to stop and happen to have the balls to get close in and use it, etc., then it could save the day.

As with all prepper equipment, maybe training/practice is the key to get most out of it.

A very good point, fire fighting is something I'm comfortable (?????) with, I'm ex navy and it was something we practised all the time. I'm old enough to have done it 'old school' with real fire before the gas powered rigs became the norm. I'm sure if I hadn't been through this, even the newer ones I'd be crying like a little girl in the event of a fire. I've ran back to a pub half 'squiffy' before now shouting for an extinguisher because someone had started a fire along the road. There is no substitute for experience although a cool head can go a long way in pretty much any situation.

[dangerman]

Just a point on the RAC membership suggestion - I use AutoAid and after using them several times, wouldn't be without them. Costs less than any of the others and you can still call the RAC out or the AA or whatever if that's your preference. Catch is that you have to pay them in advance and then claim your money back.

Also, in my car kit - should I have the money for it - I would have one of these badboys.

[preparedsurrey]

All good I knew I could rely on forum members for well thought out ideas!

I'm not keen on using a can of tyre repair for the following reasons

- I've heard you can only drive up to 50 miles before needing a tyre change
- once used that tyre can't actually be repaired properly.

Tyre repair places don't like it as some types drip out and make a mess of the machine + they would rather sell you a new tyre anyway as chances are you are stuck without one and as you are from out of the area and they can rip you off for an arm and a leg because you are never going back there anyway.

There are lots of different types of sealants out there, some may say do no more than 50 miles but personally I haven't come across one yet. None of them will work if the tyre has come off the bead or has a split in it anyway