I have 20-foot, 4-gauge jumper cables, a first aid kit, and a roadside kit, which mostly consists of a shorter and smaller jumper cable and a smaller first aid kit, but also:
Cable ties
A reflective triangle (on the case)
Knit gloves
Emergency poncho
A roadside assistance phone number
Flashlight, with batteries and signal cone
S.O.S. banner
Car blanket
Is any of that actually important? Would you say that anything is missing? I would rather replace the inferior jumper cables and first aid kit with something I might actually use.
Okay fine! I will use Google!
Family Handyman only lists five things and the only one that other sites did not list is a battery bank, which makes sense, if your car dies, you cannot charge your phone, but make sure the bank is charged!
https://www.familyhandyman.com/stuff...r-emergencies/
Mashable:
- They prefer tire traction mats
- Flexible flashlight (is this an elaborate ad? I prefer headlamps)
- Female urination device (for those extremely rare occasions that I have a woman in my car)
- Apparently their flexible flashlight was not enough. They recommend another flashlight with a built-in seatbelt cutter and window punch
- Full body wipes (Don't all Veterans carry baby wipes)
- $19 cleaning compound (Do they have everything in one ridiculous kit?)
- Techstick, a currently unavailable heads-up kit for your phone
- GPS tracker
- Blind spot mirrors (I turn my head)
- Currently unavailable OBD-II reader, but they said it was $109
- Anti-sleep alarm (looks like something you would order from the back of Boy's Life, but $189!
Fortunately they only have thirteen items, at the time of posting they totaled $603.61!
Engineering Explained:
- Ferrari hat
- Cowboy hat, so nobody pulls a gun on him.
- Gas mask in case there are any Volkswagens around.
- Fossilized dinosaur poop.
- Fossilized fish with poop
- A Jeremy-Clarkson-inspired hammer
- Binocular caps in case there are any PT Cruisers driving around
- Model of a forklift in case anyone needs a lift
- Mobile One trophy
- Stud finder
- Subaru gift bag
Then he said he only kept a cell phone mount and Cholula, but that would have been boring.
Thillist:
- Kitty litter
- Air pump (mine is for a bike, probably faster)
- Tire pressure gauge (in glovebox)
- Multitool (I bought one for camping. Maybe I am not taking it back)
- Triangles, flares, and a safety vest
- Blanket (mine is Hello Kitty)
- Fire extinguisher (!)
- Tow strap (mine does less good in the garage)
- Duct tape
- Battery pack--jumper cables are useless without help
https://www.thrillist.com/cars/15-th...-needs-to-have
Buzzfeed asked their readers what they recommended and came up with a silly list like Mashable's:
- FM transmitter
- Pet seatbelt (I don't have pets!)
- Four-part charger for those three friends with whom you always take road trips. I do not have three friends.
- DVD player. I drive. Mom sleeps. My brother says "Ah ah ah!"
- Red Bull. Losers! Real men drink [checks Google] Monster!
- Sunglasses (, nose ring, and a selfie filter). Prescription sunglasses? Maybe one day.
- Hand sanitizer (because gas pumps are gross)
- Portable toilet. How long are your road trips? "Public restrooms kind of suck." Spilling your portable toilet doesn't?
- Essential oil spray. Seriously?
- Wipes. Monk approves.
- Snacks
- Water bottles--from Amazon. Who has Amazon deliver water bottles?
- A trash bag. I just use grocery bags, but they want me buying one for $15.
- Safety hammer (shown: Seatbelt cutter)
- Essential oil diffuser. Does it smell like sawdust?
- The U.S. Department of Transportation's latest Emergency Response Guidebook. Spray it with essential oil and light it with your matches!
https://www.buzzfeed.com/samanthawie...s-for-your-car
Cars.com:
- Compass
- Coolant
- Motor oil
- Backup phone charger
- Emergency phone numbers
https://www.cars.com/articles/emerge...1420700510803/
This Old House lists twenty-four must-haves, but all are listed in other lists:
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/2...-keep-your-car
The Simple Dollar says a towel is about the most massively useful thing a driver can have.
https://www.thesimpledollar.com/25-t...e-in-your-car/
Some place called Money Talk News wants sunscreen and bug spray exploding all over your stuff.
https://www.thesimpledollar.com/25-t...e-in-your-car/
LifeHacker:
- Firestarters (and ideally a candle)
- Energy bars or MREs
- Water bottles
- Weather radio
- Seatbelt cutter and window breaker (in glovebox)
- Paper maps
- Ice scraper (I will keep mine in the garage for a while)
- Cardboard or carpet remnant to put under tires in the snow (everyone else suggested kitty litter)
- Spare change
- Emergency money
- Change of clothes in case you get wet and need to wait in the cold.
https://lifehacker.com/30-essential-...car-1263514115
Insider:
- Basic toolkit. I am surprised nobody else has listed this.
- Toys or books to keep kids entertained. I need to keep kids in there, too?!
https://www.insider.com/what-to-keep...gencies-2019-3
Brad's Deals:
- Gas can
- Windshield wiper fluid
- Work gloves
- Bucket
- Snow shovel
- Extra winter coat
- Red bandana
- Comfortable walking shoes
https://www.bradsdeals.com/blog/thin...ep-in-your-car
I am not reading this one. The previous lists were 5 - 37 things. This one is 100.
One hundred. I doubt that if you combine what I already have, the useful things on the list, and the silly ones, it would come anywhere near 100:
https://agirlsguidetocars.com/100-th...ways-keep-car/