After buying a new car, all people want is to ride with friends and family. After all, driving a new car is a fantastic experience. However, being the vehicle owner, you should always have certain items in the vehicle. Of course, insurance and routine maintenance are no-brainers when it comes to safeguarding your vehicle.
Whether planning a road trip or commuting for work, keeping specific tools and equipment will keep your car running and help you handle unexpected obstacles on the road.
Equipment Your Car Should Have
Here is the list of essential equipment you should have in your vehicle.
1. Roof Racks
There are numerous benefits of installing a roof rack.
- Off-road storage: All your essential gears can easily mount on the roof, from storage boxes recovery gear to auxiliary fuel tanks, awnings, and hi-lift jack water containers.
- General storage: Having cargo space on the top of your vehicle lets you store and transport the hardware stuff, including storage bins, luggage, kayaks, and surfboards.
There are wide varieties of roof racks available; however, ensure to invest in the one that can at least carry up to 300 to 570 pounds of static weight, just like the Toyota Tacoma roof rack. This capacity limit can easily add an advantage to your favourite offroad activities.
2. Tire Pressure Gauge
A tire pressure gauge measures tire pressure on a vehicle. In case you have a low or slow leak tire, a tire gauge is the most valuable equipment that can inflate the tire to the ideal air pressure.
These days there are different types of pressure gauges available in the market. The most traditional ones consist of small cylinders with a forced-out tab when the gauge is connected to the tire. Besides, the tab is marked in the PSI or pounds per square inch.
However, digital tire pressure gauges are becoming popular day by day due to their ease of use. Such gauges offer an accurate measure of PSI with a range of 0 to 2,000 PSI and have 2,000 digital counts. Moreover, this equipment displays air pressure in kPa (kilopascal) or bar (barometric or 100 kPa). Most convenience stores, gas station supercentres, and auto supply stores prefer to keep tire-pressure gauges due to their affordability.
3. Jumper cables
Jumper cables, also called booster cables or jump leads, contain a pair of insulated wires with alligator clips at each end to connect disabled vehicles with an additional source. Jumper cables usually safeguard from getting stuck by a dead battery while enabling the user to help other motorists in need. Hence, it’s beneficial to keep jumper cables in the car.
However, always ensure that the best jumper cables are in good condition with no rust on the clamps or nicks in the rubber coating on the cable. Ideally, try purchasing a pair of jumper cables with a length of at least 10 to 12 feet to connect the two front-to-front vehicles with the two batteries within a few feet of each other.
4. Lug-nut wrench
Most of the car’s spare tire kit generally holds a lug-nut wrench, but sometimes rash roadside repairs cause this necessary tool to be out of place. It’s worth knowing that without a lug-nut wrench, you won’t be able to change a tire. It is used to loosen or tighten the lug nuts of the automobile wheel.
Ensure to check if your car has one of these lug-nut wrenches in its spare tire kit. If not, it will be a good idea to purchase one to keep in your vehicle. You can easily find such tools in any auto supply or hardware store at affordable prices. Besides, these tools are fundamental to preventing you from calling for help when you get a flat tire.
5. Screwdrivers
Screwdrivers are among the inexpensive, small tools that need to be kept inside your car permanently. They are a vital accessory as you never know when you require to change your vehicle’s headlights or windshield wiper. Such valuable tools are readily available at any supercentre for a couple of bucks each. In addition, ensure to buy a separate pair for your home so that you don’t have to find them when the need arises.
Conclusion
When you purchase a new car, ensure you have the necessary tools to maintain it. Always carry screwdrivers, roof racks, a lug-nut wrench, jumper cables, and tire pressure gauge in your car, making them easy to access whenever needed. In addition, it is advisable to keep a first aid kit that includes safety pins, bandages, antiseptic wipes, tweezers, scissors, and antibiotic ointment to respond the sudden emergencies, such as scrapes and burns. With a bit of planning along with a piece of emergency equipment, you can travel with peace of mind knowing that you are all set to handle unexpected obstacles.
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