Help kit out wife's car

[Guest]

What would Y'all sugest as part of an essential kit for SWMBO's car in the case of a roadside emergency??

I know you guys will come through for me

[Ukraine Train]

wool blanket, flashlight, shovel (for snow), CB radio (no joke), road flare, tow strap, and a trunk gun! That's what I can think of off the top of my head.

[cfabe]

Food and water, maps and know how to use them.

[Guest]

thats about what i had figured.  heres what i have now:

Wool blanket
Space blanket
maglight
flares
CB
Maps
compass
surplus entrenching tool (shovel)
chain
granola power bars
beef jerky
chem handwarmers
water bottle
taurus 85

[cfabe]

Aired up spare tire, jack, and good lug wrench.

Edit: Gah, can't type

[Guest]

checked em, but thanks for the extra heads up.  them came with the car  (damned volvo) .  I can't belive i bought a non american vehicle.  The worst part is how nice it is.  I can't find any complaints, its just a great little car.  gota love something with an inline 5 cly under the hood, no matter how much bad it is to come by the random, bastard parts for it.  I did however, put good plugs and a K&N airfilter on it last tune up.

[Guest]

Whereabouts in NE ohio are ya from??  i'm in Lorain County.   Wife is currently a student at BGSU, and commutes.

[cfabe]

I'm right on the border of cuyahoga, lake and geauga counties, east side of cleveland.

That's quite a commute from lorain to BG.

[Felonious Monk/Fignozzle]

Thread's important.  Don't want to drift too far, but the wife's from Circleville.

[Declaration Day]

I carry an air tank with me for quick tire inflation.  Also, while a good flashlight is best, put some lightsticks in that emergency bag too.  You can find them at the dollar store, and they're great for when the flashlight batteries die.

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

I'd add an old cellphone with a 12V adapter. To be used in preference to the CB where a signal is available. A woman in trouble shouldn't announce it over the open airwaves. (Even an inactivated cell can still call 911.)

Decent first-aid kit.

There are LED emergency lights that work better than road flares.

Make sure any water is stored in something that won't freeze and split.

Traiining on how to use the stuff.

- NF

[cfabe]

Having a deactivated cell phone for calling 911 is good advice, but it should be mentioned that calling 911 because of a flat tire or breakdown is not an appropriate use of the service. If your wife isn't going to be able to change a tire or manage a breakdown, get her a cell phone that works where she'll be driving and an emergency road service plan. Prepaid cell phones are available at very reasonable prices.

[Guest]

In addition.

-Spare Wiper Blades.

Blades get damaged, ice, snow, or maybe ice scraper damages one. Usually at a bad time, out in the middle of somewhere, and auto parts stores are closed, or don't know where one is if traveling. Instead of damaging windshield, not to mention not being able to actually see...

I recommend simple OEM ones. Trico for example makes the Exact Fit. Real easy to take off and real easy to install.

I keep the ones removed (if not damaged) and put new blades in. These are the Spares now and just rotate as need.

If one has a Proprietay design, still better to have a spare complete set in truck , instead of paying way too much for something that really does not work. Really ticks me off how folks, especially ladies and older folks get taken on  important stuff like this.

-Roll of quarters.
Handy for tolls, pay phones, AirMachines..

-$10-$20 in Ones.

[mfree]

Add a small tool kit, including DECENT pliers, an adjustable wrench, and a multi-tool with *sharp* blades. Also recommended is a pair of lineman's pliers.

If it's a Volvo 700 series then stick a spare fuel system relay in that kit

[Guest]

*expletive deleted*it,  its a volvo 800 series.... is that a bad thing?  its a 97, we just got it.  its been a great little car thus far....

[Felonious Monk/Fignozzle]

No, definitely NOT a bad thing.  I still am extremely enamored with the old 240's that they discontinued in '93, but the 800's and the new S70 etc. are great cars as well.  You might have some trouble with electrical stuff, but overall it's safe, reliable, stylish, and pretty economical.

[Justin]

Surprised no one has mentioned Jumper Cables.

[Guest]

i figured that was a gimi, they are already in the car

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Spare tire (inflated), jack, wrench
Jumper cables
Tow strap
Tools - any that she knows how to use and might be useful
Small shovel
Hatchet or saw?

Cell phone
cell phone car charger
Local phone book
Prepaid phone card

Wool blanket
Warm hat, warm gloves, mebbe a good wool sweater
Umbrella or rain jacket
Comfortable walking shoes and socks

Bottled water
Spare food
Wet-naps or hand sanitizer
Toilet paper

Small backpack

$100 cash (small bills)
$5 change (mostly quarters)
Credit Card

Spare keys
Copies of relevant documents (insurance, registration, dirver's license...)

First aid kit stocked with LOTS of the basics (it'll get raided for little things over time, make sure it starts with enough extra so there will still be plenty left for an emergency)

Flashlight, spare batteries
Battery powered radio, spare batteries

Gun!  (ammunition, magazines, holster, belt...)  (Only if she is competant and willing to use it)

Anything else I've forgotten...

[Bob F.]

I don't see a big emergency candle, coffee can, and matches for cold weather. Crack a window, light the candle and stick it in the coffee can to provide a very little heat AND dissipate moisture in cold weather. (So I've been told!)

[Bookskin]

A note on emergency food, from a frugal guy.

A cheap and simple emergency ration are lifeboat rations. They look and taste like a very hard granola bar, keep almost forever until opened, are compaact, not terribly expensive. For someone spending a night on the side of the road, they would be a good option. The brand I know is Datrex, Datrex Emergency Food Bars. A 3 day supply (3600 calories) is $6-8.

BTW, the older Volvos are tough as nails.

Here's hoping this stuff sits in the trunk and moders away from lack of use.

[Scott]

I would also add a gallon of low temperature windshield washer fluid.  With all of the road salt, the washers are really important for visibility.  When I lived in Detroit during the 1995 winter cold snap (it never reached 0 degrees F for the month of February), I was using a gallon of the stuff a day.  I remember the drive home on the day I exhausted the reservoir.  I felt like Magoo.

Get stuff rated for at least -20 degrees F since frozen fluid will take the system out of operation.

[grampster]

You need a small trailer to haul all of that stuff.  Buy her a AAA Plus membership.

[Guest]

got the AAA thing.  Gona be worthless if she freezes to death before those lazy bastards show up.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

This stuff doesn't take up too much room.  With careful packing, I can fit all of the stuff I listd in one plastic milk crate and one small backpack (and the backpack sits on top of the full crate - doesn't require any extra room).  In 5 years I've never found it to be in the way.

I started carrying the gear after I had occation to put my AAA membership to use.  AAA is worthless.  My crate is far more valuable, IMO.