Breakdown Essentials Kit

cormie

I need to get kitted up in case of a breakdown. Does anyone know of a good kit that has pretty much everything you would need in case of a breakdown or puncture? I don't even have a jack in my boot at the moment:o

wba88

Have a look in the argos catalogue, they usually have a few.

DJ Hafez

Halfords have an Emergency Breakdown kit

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_210205_langId_-1_CarSelectorCatalogId__CarSelectorGroupId__varient__categoryId_49102_crumb_34005_parentcategoryrn_49102

Doesn't include a jack though, which you could get in Halfords too though

cormie

Jaysus, that's quite expensive. I actually saw a kit in the Sallynoggin petrol station for about €15 if you spend over €20 on petrol. Not sure of the quality of the stuff though.

Fey!

There was a thread about this recently, but I can't find it.

Atlantic Homecare do one, but the quality is, IMHO, poor. Same goes for any auto factors ones I've seen.

What I believe is required is:

Strong towrope, but not so strong that it won't snap under heave braking by the car being towed. Preferable (and now legally, IIRC), a towing bar is better and safer.

Jump leads - decent quality. Cheap ones often won't carry the power needed.

First Aid Kit - legal requirement on the continent. Some cars have them taken out before delivery to the dealers here. I got a proper one for mine on ebay for about €20, but watch the dates (I think some of the contents have an expiry date). Any pharmacy can supply a decent one.

Warning triangle - again, a lot of cars have them, but you can get one in most auto factors.

Hi-Visibility jacket/vest - another continental requirement, with some countries strict on there being one for each passenger in the car. Available for a couple of euro in Atlantic Homecare.

Torch - preferably a strong one. I have a rechargable 1 million candlepower one, but it need to be recharged even if not used, and can't be used whilst plugged in to the lighter. I also have a small LED torch, which gives great light and is light on batteries.

Toolkit - again, any hardware shop. I use a black and decker screwdriver kit that has all of the funny looking interchangable heads.

Tools - I also have a leatherman in the car, which is extremely handy and takes up no space. Not cheap, though.

Wheelbrace - aldi/lidl do a good double headed one cheap, which has an extendable handle which makes life much easier.

WD40 - a small can can make life MUCH easier.

Jack - the standard one should be fine, but trolley jacks in cases are available in argos and aldi/lidl from time to time. Just make sure that it fits under the side skirts of your car - some can be quite high.

Lock Nut - for getting those security nuts off your wheels. Make sure it's somewhere accessible in your car.

Spare wheel or a can of tyre weld - may sound obvious, but not everyone checks that they have a spare when they change their car. Also, all of the above (except a trolley jack) will fit inside a 15" spare wheel!!!

If there is a space for a manufacturers toolkit/first aid kit/torch/etc in your car, you'll probably be able to get the proper one on ebay, saving you some space in your car/boot.

Hope this helps. I'm sure that there's more I've forgotten.

maidhc

Things I have used:

1) Hammer
2) Vice grips (desperate times require desperate measures)
3) Flat head screwdriver
4) Baler twine (hold on mudflap)
5) Flashlamp
6) Sharp knife
7) Wire (to replace broken jubilee clip on intercooler pipe)
8) Coffee cup (to keep the throttle open when the accelerator cable snapped)

mike65

Something I'll ad which people never think about until they need some - plastic sheeting! Trust me you don't want to be doing a road-side wheel change in an Irish winter without something to protect your threads and shoes!

Mike.

rebel.ranter

Some really good inputs above. I would not buy a "ready made" kit. The quality of the gear in them is usually sub-standard. Do as the previous posters sugget & get the individual pieces together yourself.
I would add a fire extinguisher to the list if you want to have a complete kit. When I was a little lad I saw a horrific car accident & no-one had a fire extinguisher, it made me think of one ever since.

crosstownk

Take the lazy option and join the AA!

Fey!

Mike65 - I use the one of the car mats! They can be cleaned after.

Rebel.Ranter - excellent point about the extinguisher - I have one in the boot full-time. Aldi again, and it came with a clip that sticks to the carpet.

Crosstownk - best thing you can have, especially with older cars!!! (have been towed from Cork and from Kildare over the years)

unkel

crosstownk wrote:

Take the lazy option and join the AA!

That's me! I can't praise them enough although it's costing me €160 per year

JohnCleary

Fags

mloc123

1, Mobile Phone

Blue850

I have a couple of classic cars and have found cable ties invaluable on a few occasions.

netwhizkid

Blue850 wrote:

I have a couple of classic cars and have found cable ties invaluable on a few occasions.

I was going to suggest this but you beat me to it, Another thing that hasn't been mentioned is a good knife, either or a stanley "craft" knife or an edgy penknife.

This is especially is you drive a car with those poxy hub-cabs attached over the wheel they are usually attached with a cable tie or two and you could find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere unable to remove the flat/punctured wheel if you didn;t have a knife.

What I carry in my car is basic really, I carry a first aid kit at all times, and just the usual Jack, Brace etc. Whenever I expect to be driving by night I pop the Torch in the boot just incase. One of the most bizarrest invaluable tools ever to have in the car was the chainsaw, two or three years ago while travelling with my father we came across the road blocked by a tree and promptly cut it up to and threw it inside the ditch to delight of about 20 stopped cars. !!