Buying a car - what else to buy?

bluedrop

Hi all,
we finally made a decision and paid a deposit for a new Skoda Fabia. We never owned a car before. So I am trying to make a list of things I will need for the car.

1. Booster seat for my 5yr old
2. Emergency kit - Water, Blanket, Dry food, torch
3. Tom tom
4. De-icer
5. ??
6. ??

Also, could you please help me make a list of things I need to do to maintain the car well - apart from regular service?

LandyAndy

bluedrop wrote: »

hi all,
we finally made a decision and paid a deposit for a new skoda fabia. We never owned a car before. So i am trying to make a list of things i will need for the car.

1. Booster seat for my 5yr old yes, do plenty of research on what is best.
2. Emergency kit - water, blanket, dry food, torch maybe but plenty of people manage without. Depends where you are in the country and a new car is very unlikely to let you down through breakdown.
3. Tom tom never actually needed one of these but i can read a map.
4. De-icer. i don't use it, a simple scraper, with solid and rubber blades, is far more use because not only does it de-ice but it removes condensation too and that is far more likely to be useful for most of the year.
5. ??
6. ??

Also, could you please help me make a list of things i need to do to maintain the car well - apart from regular service?

Check the fluids and tyre pressures every week. Treat it to a good wash and clean inside and out fairly regularly.

. .

Tiddlywinks

Maybe because I started driving when cars were less reliable, I always have an emergency kit in the back which gets bigger in the winter.

I have:

Torch / triangle / orange flasher / yellow hi-viz vest (just in case I have to walk a distance in the dark) / water / energy bars / fleece blanket / packable waterproof / a fleece top / a small roll of bin liners / a roll of tape / kitchen roll / pair of rubber gloves / first aid kit... plus the usual tools that come with the car.

In the winter I also carry some mud tracks and a folding spade.

I store it all in a holdall and even though I've got a Mini there is still plenty of room in the boot.

Remember, being prepared isn't just about a breakdown... accidents happen too.

We've hit a full sized deer on a country road miles from anywhere. Luckily the old Volvo we were in was drivable afterwards but a smaller car may have not been so lucky.

It's like anything, hope for the best, plan for the worst.

fivetide

When you say new do you mean brand new? It might come with some things in it....

Regarding sat nav, if you don't fancy a map, do you have a smartphone? Chances are there is a sat nav app in there already (like google maps) so you can use that for free.

Lancastrian

Hope you enjoy your new transport.
I would recommend that you practice changing a wheel before you really have to ( Check you have a jack and wheel brace or an inflation kit, a few cloths for dirty hands. Wet wipes are, as you will know, very useful ) Or sign up to a motoring organization.
Make up some screenwash to keep at home and top up the car regularly. This is MSE so buy some neat washer fluid and dilute as required.
Drive and enjoy

Zetec

Congratulations on your first car! Life will never be the same!

If you don't already have one, buy a portable DVD player for your little one. Just a few weeks ago we bought one for our 4 years old and he loves it. On long journeys, he puts on my headphones so my partner and I don't have to listen to Cars 2 for the umpteenth time!

With regards to de-icer - I've never used it after it smeared my windscreen; I just use a scraper and wear gloves.

As others have said, regularly check your oil and other fluids and make sure you never put the wrong fuel in!!!

Get some roadside cover too, especially if you travel a lot and don't know much about cars.

Good luck and enjoy!

cajef

If it is brand new check whether it comes with a spare wheel, a lot come with just a repair kit nowadays, worth negotiating with the dealer for a spare included in the price which we did when buying a brand new Honda last year.

F1F93

A pen/paper is useful for taking down details in an accident.
Other than that, just fluids like screenwash, which you don't need in your car.

Other than that, there are a few things which are not necessary, but nice to have:
A sun screen to reflect the suns rays in the summer
A sun blind for your child if you didn't get tinted windows
A 4-way charger socket, to charge up your DDs gameboy/etc, as well as your phones/tomtom.
A map is always handy!
Some spare clothes are handy, even if its just a spare hoody each.
Waterproofs - you can get some that fold up really small.
A tyre pressure kit/inflater
Tissues
Carrier bags
An umbrella

Ultrasonic

Have you sorted breakdown cover? Autoaid are cheap if you are happy to pay at the time of a call out and claim back later.

Ebe_Scrooge

That's top advice from Lancastrian RE changing a wheel. Much easier to practise in the comfort of your own driveway on a nice sunny day, sod's law it'll be dark, windy and raining when you have to do it for real. On that note, a torch ( one of those cheap wind-up ones so no batteries to fail ) and a cheap waterproof mac are handy to keep in the car for when you're trying to change a wheel on a dark rainy night.

Also, by practising at home, you'll soon find out if any essential tools are missing, and can get it sorted before you need them.

Satnavs are useful, but a map doesn't stop working if the batteries run out or there's no signal :-)

Finally, something you may want to consider. If you have locking wheel nuts, these can be a right pain, especially if you lose the key. Replacing the locking nuts with ordinary ones will cost just a few quid, and may save you much aggro in the future. Yes, this potentially leaves the wheels open to theft, but who pinches wheels these days unless they're really expensive, special pattern ones ? Just a thought.

worried_jim

Will it even have a spare wheel?