What "junk" do you keep in the car?

[Morningside]

Checking the car today and apart from the usual Satnav, footpump, jump leads I also have sleeping bag, electric kettle (incase of breakdown).
Also a compass, binoculars, dog bags, spare lead, torch, water and a spare mobile phone.

I know people who used to keep a full toolkit and managed to replace a headgasket by the roadside on holiday!

Maybe it is a hangover of owning cars from the 1980s that really ran on a hope and prayer. I do have breakdown cover.

Please say I am not the only person. Anyone worse?

[Truckosaurus]

I have an aerosol of glass cleaner that has run out of propellant even though it is 2/3rd full of liquid.

A one-litre bottle of oil despite the car not using a drop of oil between services in the six years I've owned it.

I discovered last week when there was a frost I do not have any de-icer.

[Gary C]

Not anymore

Used to have a secured toolbox in the back of my cars in the 80's and have fixed quite a few things on the road, but these days with mobile phones I'm much more relaxed about it.

Just remembered, I did used to keep a small bottle of oil in the RX8 for the inevitable top ups.

[SteveR1979]

Shopping bags, blanket, think thats about it

[Vipers]

Small plastic box in boot with 12v tyre pump, screen wash, engine oil and bottle of coolant. In cabin ice scraper, small squeegee sat nav, tyre gauge, copy of insurance.

Oh and an old AA Road map.

[Defcon5]

Do you have water, tea bags, milk etc to go with your kettle?

[Ranger 6]

• Tool box (an old 5.56 ammo box - don't all ex-soldiers keep their tools in those?)
• 2 cans of oil (one was already there when I took another from the garage)
• ratchet straps
• spare wheel (because the space saver won't get me back from the western isles)
• jump leads
• rainex spray (and MF cloths)
• suntan spray
• lump hammer (for when putting stakes in on rallies)
• wheel brace (spider, as the OEM one is crap)
• spare bulb kit
• beacons (because I haven't put them away after the last rally)
• toilet rolls
• torches
• MUK tabard & Hi-Viz jacket

...and I think a whole load more

[Alex_225]

I tend to quite minimal with things I keep in the car. I have the usual 12v tyre pump and blankets in the car, albeit those foil emergency ones.

That's really it other than some CDs (yes I'm old) and an ice scraper! haha

[457892345]

De-icer spray
Ice scraper
Microfiber cloths
12v ciggie lighter powered Tyre inflator.
12v ciggie powered UK plug adaptor. (Can be really useful)
Tyre goop
Spare USB cables and charger.
Motor oil for engine.
Small umbrella
ODB2 bluetooth tool reader in case engine decides to st itself.
Extra strong mints (weirdly can help me stay awake when in long periods of travelling at same speed and start to nod off.)
Towel in back.
Emergency £20 and credit card that I never use hidden.

I think that's it... Might be worth getting some snowsocks or something in case winter is bad this year as running summers on a rwd car so that's all I can think i need to add.

Edited by 457892345 on Sunday 11th December 18:09

[parabolica]

Minimal for me; I hate having junk in my car. Z4 has got an extinguisher, a basic, roll-up toolkit and a telescopic tyre iron tucked away in the cubby under the boot floor. Volvo had nothing in it, apart from the oem tools in the boot.

[Alorotom]

Apple headphones
Usb to lightning cable (15cm)
Ballpoint pen
Sunglasses
McDs sauce holder (vent mount)

That’s it - can’t abide having stuff in the car.

[Draxindustries1]

Truckosaurus said:

I have an aerosol of glass cleaner that has run out of propellant even though it is 2/3rd full of liquid.

Crush the can slightly, it'll re pressurise and work again..

[georgeyboy12345]

Hardly anything (compared to mates, colleagues, etc). All I have is

Phone charger cable
Sunglasses & case
Multi USB power adapter that plugs into the cigarette lighter
Manuals that came with the car
Ice scraper
UK roads atlas
Umbrella
Shopping bags
Charging cables
Mask

edit: oh and the car also came with a basic toolkit, tyre inflator and tyre gloop

Edited by georgeyboy12345 on Sunday 11th December 18:42

[cheesejunkie]

Phone charger gubbins.
Jump start battery kit.
Jumps start cables.
High vis vest.
Extra layer of clothing and packable rain coat.
Water bottle.
Car blanket.
Sunglasses.
Bungee cords.
Hoping bags.
Baby wipes.
A few torches.
Binoculars.
Old fashioned books of maps.
Probably a load of other stuff I'm forgetting.

But zero compared to my wife. Her boot is unusable due to the amount of crap in the car. There are lever arch files from when she was at university 25 years ago still in there. Clothes that went out of date in the 90's etc I couldn't live like that. My car's neat and tidy. Her's is a living nightmare for me with stuff lying everywhere including the passenger side footwell. She hates my car for being too tidy, I hate hers for being a mess. There's a reason any time we go somewhere I insist on it being in my car.

[giantdefy]

I have a standby button accordion in the boot at all times. You never know when you may need one.

[Gary C]

giantdefy said:

I have a standby button accordion in the boot at all times. You never know when you may need one.

Winner !

[Resolutionary]

Over the years I've gradually added to the below list, which is now routinely found in my cars somewhere:

- wet wipes
- microfibre cloths
- fire extinguisher
- bungee cords
- sunglasses
- multicharger adapter thingy for 12v
- jump cables
- a couple of bags for life
- miscellaneous tools for basic stuff
- mini torch
- a pen of some kind, and an A5 notepad

[P5BNij]

A balaclava, ex-army jacket, gloves, empty Royal Mail bags, a couple of crowbars, a kosh and an ordnance survey map showing the West Coast mainline running through Buckinghamshire...

[Ninja59]

Dog bits - dog lead, bowl, spare water, treats and usually a blanket
Car bits - QD, glass cleaner, various cloths, seat cover, windscreen washer tablets, oil, tyre inflator and the usual oem tyre gunk.
Various medicines, spare water, snacks, blanket, umbrella

I need to put the scraper in the car, as I never transferred it over from the BMW to the new car....

[cheesejunkie]

Ninja59 said:

Dog bits - dog lead, bowl, spare water, treats and usually a blanket
Car bits - QD, glass cleaner, various cloths, seat cover, windscreen washer tablets, oil, tyre inflator and the usual oem tyre gunk.
Various medicines, spare water, snacks, blanket, umbrella

I need to put the scraper in the car, as I never transferred it over from the BMW to the new car....

I forgot about things like scraper and de-icer on my list. Have all that too.

I just went outside for a nosy around my car. Other things I forgot were car hoover, full RAC roadside kit, lots and lots of polo mints, hand wash, gloves masks etc, oil, washer fluid, a load of air fresheners, sunglasses. But although it doesn't sound it, everything in the car has its place and I keep my car tidy. My teeth start to itch when I'm in an overly cluttered car.

ETA, and a pound coin for shopping trolleys.

Edited by cheesejunkie on Sunday 11th December 19:16