Having a basic toolkit in the boot of your car is a good habit to keep. You never know when it’s going to come in handy. When it comes to more complex jobs on your car, most of these tools will be too bulky to keep in the car. We thought that we’d put together a list of tools you need for basic car maintenance and give you our top tips on how to purchase them.
A good set of screwdrivers
Your car is full of screws which will be helping to hide certain features you’ll someday need access to – think panels, light covers, etc. Getting a good quality screwdriver set from your local hardware store will ensure you’re equipped to deal with these tasks. You’ll also find it good to use around the house too.
A socket set
Nuts and bolts exist on every car and it’s essential to get a full socket set if you’re preparing to do some maintenance on your vehicle.
Spanners
Getting good leverage on bolts is easy with a spanner. Buy yourself a good, strong set of spanners and you can’t go wrong.
Pliers
Grabbing those awkward wires or accessing those hard to reach areas of the car, having a pair of pliers is invaluable. There are several varieties of pliers you can also purchase, including long nose pliers, locking pliers and many more which all have their unique qualities to help you with a variety of jobs.
Footpump
Tyres can often lose pressure, so having a foot pump handy is essential. You can also store it in your car for those emergencies. We recommend buying a double cylinder foot pump to save time and ensuring it has a pressure gauge.
Don’t buy cheap tools – you’ll regret it
As the old saying goes, buy cheap and buy twice. For any of these tools aim to go for a quality, branded version rather than the cheapest you can find. We’re not advising you to spend a fortune but sometimes if it’s too good to be true then it usually is. Hopefully with spending a little more on these tools they’ll last you a lifetime and save you many a frustrated moment when you get a stripped thread or broken spanner.
Make sure you buy a good, sturdy toolbox to keep your tools in. Most will store them in their garage, cupboard space or in the loft. We hope you’ve got some great tips for choosing tools for maintaining you car in this article. Remember, if you need an MOT, service or car repair and are based in Bath / Radstock, we’d be happy to help. Call us on 01761 415 501 to book your appointment today or send us an email here.