car kit for my son

S

Shann

Joined
Sep 2, 2004
Messages
5,250
My son will be getting his license in a couple of months. I got him a 1998 subaru outback for his first car (nice car, my first car was a 15 year old volvo with broken springs).

I want to put together a car kit for him. I think the obvious would be jumper cables, multi-tool, folding shovel, blanket, maybe some flares, but what goes in a good kit?
 
The first two things I can think of are a first aid kit and a flashlight or better yet a head lamp. After all its hard to hold a flashlight and change a tire at the same time.
 
Water + food. Each of my emergency bags has 3 liters of water and about 10 granola bars... Plus a nice hand held fire extinguisher, small AM/FM radio, large folder, extra batteries and 40.00 in cash. Also a disposable camera to document any accidents on scene...
 
Come on.... you're at a website named bladeforums and didn't mention a dedicated fixed blade? :D Seriously, folders are nice for the utility, but if we are going into the short survival while stranded/need to poke at something, I'd say a small or medium fixed blade is a must. Besides, a knife makes everyone feel better. Or maybe that's just me. ;)
 
Winter Emergency Kit

The Red Cross recommends that every car on the road this winter have a well-stocked emergency supply kit. The kit should contain:
Battery jumper cables
First aid kit
Shovel
Basic tool kit (pliers, screwdriver, adjustable wrench) and pocket knife
Sleeping bags or blankets
Extra winter clothing (caps, socks, mittens, and boots)
Food supply of high-calorie, non-perishables (canned nuts, candy, nutrition bars)
Windshield scraper
Flashlight and transistor radio with extra batteries for each
Bag of sand
Bright colored cloth
Cellular phone, power adapter, extra charged battery


Winter Car Kit
A good winter car kit can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency situation. The kit should include:

candles or small cans of Sterno (canned heat) USE WITH CARE! ENSURE ADEQUATE VENTILATION!
safety matches WOODEN MATCHES ARE BETTER
high-energy and non-perishable food such as canned fruit, nuts, candy, gum drops, biscuits, crackers, cookies, dried soups, dried beef, sweet bakers chocolate, honey, gum, sugar, powdered milk, tea bags, instant coffee.
can opener, cutlery, mug, pot
flashlight & extra batteries
first aid kit & pocket knife
necessary medications
newspapers for insulation
gas line antifreeze
plastic bags and a pail with a lid (for toilet facilities if required)
extra warm clothing and footwear
sleeping bags/blankets
small tools (pliers, wrench)
abrasive material for traction - cat litter/gravel· snow shovel, scraper, tow chain
booster cables
tire chains, sand or traction mats
cards, games, puzzles
bright cloth to use as a flag
fire extinguisher


Drinking water may be obtained by melting snow but DO NOT EAT SNOW. This uses up body heat and lowers your body temperature, it also dehydrates your body resulting in a net water LOSS!

The kit may be contained in a five-gallon oilcan with a clamp on lid or some other AIR TIGHT receptacle. Keep the emergency kit INSIDE the car. The trunk may be frozen shut or jammed by a collision when you need it.


Hope this will help and get you started.
 
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These guys have covered a lot of good ideas, some are more dependent on your sons skills and where he's likely to travel. If you never leave the beaten path its not necessarily as big a deal to have all that stuff as if you travel to remote areas or take alot of back roads.


I would look the vehicle over and figure out if there are any special tools he made need specifically for it in emergency situations. Most vehicles have an automatic fuel shut off that will trip in an accident. Depending on the location of the reset, he may need a certain type of screwdriver to get to it. I used to have a truck where you had to remove the passenger side kick panel. It had slotted pan head screws, some cars use fasteners that aren't so common.
The truck I drive now is a diesel and you have to have a 6mm allen wrench to drain the water from the fuel conditiner/filter. They're all minor details, but if you show him how ahead of time and give him the right tool it will keep him from having trouble.

I also like to carry:
Extra oil (teach him how to check it too)
Windshield washer fluid
Automotive fuses (some vehicles use more than one kind,try to cover them all)
Electrical tape
A flashlight (lithium batteries are much better in cold environments)
Basic wrench set and other hand tools


And since he'll be equipped to help every damsel in distress who's having car trouble with all that stuff, you might want to consider Dave's advice too ;)
 
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