If you rely on your car to get you where you are going and to shelter you in the case of an emergency, here are some preps that will ensure your car is ready to go when you are:
For the car itself:
- Have the oil changed regularly
- Check the tires and replace them when they become worn
- Keep your tires properly inflated and have them rotated on a regular basis
- Have your brakes serviced as needed
- Check all fluid levels regularly
- Service the radiator and have the coolant flushed as needed
- Have it tuned up as recommended in the owner's manual
- Keep the gas tank at least half full
- Keep it clean (you don't want people to look in and find your personal info on mail, etc)
- Always have it insured
- Pay it off as soon as possible
- Fix A Flat
- Jumper cables
- Siphon
- Light sticks
- Flares
- Assorted plastic bags (ziplocs, garbage bags)
- Ice scraper
- Tire pressure gauge
- Duct tape
- Neon cloth streamer
- Tow chain or rope
- Foldable shovel
- Poncho (can be used to cover accident victims, cover you if you have to walk in the rain, or for something to lay on if you are working under the car)
- Battery-powered radio/extra batteries
- Flashlight with spare batteries
- Bungee cords
- Coins
- $200 cash
- Pen, pencil
- Paper
- Calling card
- Waterless hand cleaner
- Lighter/Matches
- Handi wipes
- First aid kit
- Leather gloves
- WD-40
- Zip ties
- Towel
- Blanket
- Tools (hammer, pliers, screwdrivers, wrench, needle nose pliers, socket set, etc)
- Super glue
- Electrical tape
- Utility knife
- Cell phone charger
- Maps of your county, state, and nation
- Weapon
- Registration and insurance card
- 12 volt AC adaptor
- Fire extinguisher
- Spare 1 gallon gas can
- Usable spare tire/jack
- Car BOB
- Entertainment for the kids (crayons and coloring books) and for you (book)
- Bottled water
- Food (energy bars, dried fruit, nuts, candy, etc).
Just to add to this excellent reminder,something that most folks do not think about until it is obvious, chgange your wiper blades regularly, some times as often as every three months in the winter time, and change the belts and hoses.
ReplyDeleteModern hoses do not necessarily give much warning, the static electricity from the coolant circulating gives them an electrical charge that robs the carbon out of the rubber from the inside out.
An expensive but sure fire solution is to replace as many as possible with silicone hoses.These are generally blue in color and the police and military have gone to this for quite a while, as has the trucking industry.