Car related accessories

Scrapit

Something to clean it with

DD265

In addition to what's been mentioned...

I use my phone as a satnav, so I have a mount for the air vent, plus a USB adapter and cable as it's an old car without a built in USB port.

I keep a basic first aid kit in the boot and when I had a longer commute and was regularly stuck in a lot of traffic, I'd keep some bottled water, a blanket and wrapped snacks (breakfast bars or similar) in the car, but now I only do that for long journeys.

I've got a couple of spare bulbs, and a kit with a tow rope, tyre pump, jack and jump leads. I added a pair of pliars and a spanner to that. The jump leads have been borrowed a fair bit!

It sounds like a lot but really it doesn't take up much space at all.

JenL

(You aren't one of those drivers who sits RIGHT forward, leaning forward, nose almost touching the steering wheel, are you?)

Not quite although I'm short enough to need the seat as far forward as it can go. I do lean back into the seat though.

lexington013

Definitely some decent rubber floor mats, for when the weather deteriorates. 12v tyre pressure pump, first aid kit, charger kit if your car is the older version without USB for the cigarette lighter bit.
1litre of the appropriate oil for the engine. Bottle of water.

onomatopoeia99

A small torch kept in the glovebox.

Car_54

lexington013 wrote: »

1litre of the appropriate oil for the engine. Bottle of water.

If the OP checks the oil regularly, it shouldn't be necessary to carry any. I never have in 50 years.
Ditto water, unless he plans to cross the Sahara.

Robisere

Just about everything I would have recommended is covered above, but: if you fit seat belt covers, make sure they don't constrict the movement of the belt as it slides in and out. I once tested a car with these fitted and one belt had given up retracting, because the driver's wife had continually kept it jammed up, which seized the inertia reel. This was an MOT fail - I fitted a new belt and inertia reel mechanism.

My wife is quite short and the belt hurts her neck and shoulder, even lowered to the furthest extent. She made her own quick-release cover out of soft material and Velcro, which can be detached and replaced.

A tip for seat belts in older cars, btw: before an MOT test, make sure all belts can retract smoothly by pulling them out to fullest extent and using a cloth with some "Pledge" polish or similar, run belts back and forward through the cloth.

EDIT: as for rubber floor mats, I found mine on Ebay from a Polish company. IIRC, I just searched "Car floor mats" and typed in make/model/year. They were much, much cheaper that factory ones and they fit perfectly. I would add "Boot Mat" to floor mats: that fits perfectly too!

barbiedoll

Definitely get a tyre inflator. I got sick and tired of having to fiddle about with hose lines and 20p coins. The petrol garage air line is always out of order, and there’s is always a queue. Mine cost less than £50 from Argos, you can get cheaper ones online though. And get some cheap disposable gloves, tyres are filthy!

Agree with the sunglasses, especially at this time of year. Also, screen scraper, window wipes, or a decent cloth, and make sure you keep a bottle of screen wash at home, it runs out more quickly than you think.

Sweets, music, water and emergency crisps are always in my car too

Bigphil1474

OP, If you live near a Sainsburys, their air is usually free. My car came with a pump that's used for the emergency tyre foam filly thing, so I just use that if needed. I always have an old pop bottle with tap water in it, and a bottle of concentrated coolant, and a bottle of concentrated screen wash. I tend to check my levels at work during the week, specially on the dark nights/mornings. I also keep appropriate spare oil in the car, as well as jump leads, spare gloves, spare cold weather coat, spare warm hat. I keep my hi-vis waistcoat in the driver door compartment, plus phone charger cable and plug adaptor for power socket.