Every time you take your car out for a long drive in Doylestown, you should always keep some basic auto repair tools and gear in your car for any emergency situations.
It’s always better to be prepared than get stuck on a deserted street, with no way to get help or call a towing service.
With winter around the corner and slush on the road, flat tire, a dead battery, or a car collision is quite common.
So, now is a good time to stock up your car with all the necessary tools and essentials you may require someday.
7 handy tools that you should include in your toolbox.
1. Wrench and Multi Headed Screwdriver
Wrenches are the most basic auto repair tools that you’ll need. Wrenches are available in both Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards and metric measurements.
Today most American cars have a mix of both the standards in terms of nuts and bolts. Hence, it’s better to keep both handy.
Screwdrivers are also commonly used when doing auto repair work. Multi-headed combination screwdrivers save you space in the toolbox.
Pliers If you are about to purchase pliers, it is better to buy the very best like the combination slip-joint pliers. It is easier to adjust this general-purpose tool to several widths with a sliding pin.
2. Working Gloves
If you are running to an office meeting, you wouldn't want to get your hands all dirty. Most people tend to wear a single glove when pumping gas in their car to keep the smell off their hands. Add another one, and you'll have a pair of gloves handy for working on your car, in case you ever need them.
3. Flashlight
There could be a possibility that you encounter a flat tire or some other issue in the dark. So keep a portable flashlight or LED light ready for working in the dark. Keep batteries handy as well in case they run out while you’re using them.
4. Tire Pressure Gauge
A punctured tire is probably the most common reason you would need to use your tool kit. A properly inflated tire will give better mileage, provide better traction and is less likely to be punctured. Make a habit of regularly checking the tire pressure using a pressure gauge.
5. Jumper Cables and Portable Battery Charger
To make sure you don't get stranded with a dead battery on a cold winter night, always keep a pair of jumper cables in the car.
You can use the jumper cables to crank up any reluctant vehicle battery. Also, this way you'll also be prepared to provide a jump to someone else in need.
6. Flares and Road Reflector
The moment your car breaks down, park your car on the side. To keep your car and yourself safe from oncoming traffic and to warn other cars, put up reflective triangles behind the car.
Keep flares too in case of an emergency.
7. First Aid Kit
A first aid kit comes in handy for injuries while performing any auto repair work. So it’s always better to keep a first aid kit in your vehicle.
According to Red Cross, your automotive first aid kit should include bandages, antibiotic ointment and nonlatex gloves. Many kits also come with glow sticks to prevent you from being blindsided by oncoming cars.
Keeping an auto repair tool kit in your car can be handy in emergency situations when you need to do the repair on your own.
But once you are safely home, it is recommended that you visit the nearest auto repair shop in Doylestown to get it completely checked and fixed, if needed.