Here are 5 things every car owner needs
You can’t predict everything that happens when you’re behind the wheel of your Cadillac, but you can be prepared. That means keeping several items that come in handy for when the unexpected happens. Here’s a quick list of the top five items you’ll want to have in your car just in case.
1. First Aid Kit
A first aid kit should always be the #1 item to keep in your vehicle. Anything can happen on the road and a well-stocked first aid kit could mean the difference between life and death. A first aid kit can easily take care of minor cuts and bruises from accidents or ordinary mishaps. For major accidents, you can use your first aid kit to treat various wounds and injuries until first responders with proper life-saving equipment arrive on scene.
2. Jumper Cables
You’ll never know when you’ll run into a dead battery. It could be in the dead of winter, when cold weather takes the greatest toll on older car batteries. Or it could be after you leave your lights on all night by accident. Either way, you’ll need a way to boost your battery and get back on the road safely.
A set of high-quality jumper cables give you a way of recharging your battery. As long as you have another vehicle and an owner willing to help out, you’ll have everything needed to jump-start your vehicle. After a jump-start, use this opportunity to have your battery checked out by one of our service technicians, as a dead battery could indicate the eventual need for
a brand-new replacement.
In addition to jumper cables, you may also want to have a portable lithium-ion jump starter booster pack for those times when you can’t find anyone to help you jump-start your vehicle. These booster packs also come with extra features such as USB ports for charging smartphones and other mobile devices.
3. Tool Kit
A high-quality tool kit also comes in handy when you need to make quick roadside repairs. A ratcheting socket wrench with the appropriate sockets not only makes changing parts a snap, but you can also use them for removing lug nuts during tire changes. You’ll also want a set of combination wrenches for tight spots you can’t reach with a socket wrench.
Most socket and wrench kits come in SAE and metric sizes. Most domestic vehicles use SAE while imports often use metric sizing, although that’s not always an ironclad rule. You’ll also want a set of Torx and Allen wrenches just in case your vehicle has bolts that use them.
4. Spray Lubricant
Spray lubricants like WD-40 are some of the most versatile tools you have in your car, whether it’s brand-new or a bit older. For instance, spray lubricant comes in handy when you have a rusty bolt or hinge to free up or a noisy part that’s literally crying out for some lubrication.
Spray lubricants come in all types. These include penetrating lubricants designed to soak deep within to loosen stuck parts, oils that help prevent rust and oxidation while providing lubrication for moving parts, and dry lubricants that minimize friction while keeping nearby surfaces clean. These include silicon- and graphite-based lubricants.
Keep a couple of cans of spray lubricant in your trunk, preferably near your tool kit. You’ll also want a couple of clean rags to help catch any spills when using your spray lubricant.
5. Windshield Wiper Fluid
Bug splatter, bird droppings, and tree sap. These are just a few of the many things that often end up on your windshield on a long drive. Now imagine you go to clear your windshield only to discover you’re out of windshield wiper fluid. Unless you’re close to a gas station where you can clean your windshield, chances are you’re completely out of luck.
That’s where having a spare bottle of windshield wiper fluid comes in handy. Whenever you’re low or bone dry on wiper fluid, simply top up with your spare bottle and you’re good to go. Compared with other fluids your car uses, windshield wiper fluid is cheap, and a typical 1-gallon bottle will only run you $2 to $5, in most cases.
Windshield wiper fluid also comes in handy during the winter months, when ice and slush are your biggest windshield concerns. Winter varieties of wiper fluid usually contain a deicer that cuts through ice buildup, giving your wipers a better chance of clearing your windshield on those frosty winter mornings.
Also, be mindful of where you buy your windshield wiper fluid. Counterfeit products do exist, and these fakes could do more harm than good to your windshield. These fakes often use harsh chemicals that can not only damage your windshield but also give off toxic vapors that could pose a poisoning risk to users. Besides, counterfeit windshield wiper fluid simply comes nowhere close to the performance of the real thing.
A first aid kit should always be the #1 item to keep in your vehicle. Anything can happen on the road and a well-stocked first aid kit could mean the difference between life and death. A first aid kit can easily take care of minor cuts and bruises from accidents or ordinary mishaps. For major accidents, you can use your first aid kit to treat various wounds and injuries until first responders with proper life-saving equipment arrive on scene.
2. Jumper Cables
You’ll never know when you’ll run into a dead battery. It could be in the dead of winter, when cold weather takes the greatest toll on older car batteries. Or it could be after you leave your lights on all night by accident. Either way, you’ll need a way to boost your battery and get back on the road safely.
A set of high-quality jumper cables give you a way of recharging your battery. As long as you have another vehicle and an owner willing to help out, you’ll have everything needed to jump-start your vehicle. After a jump-start, use this opportunity to have your battery checked out by one of our service technicians, as a dead battery could indicate the eventual need for
a brand-new replacement.
In addition to jumper cables, you may also want to have a portable lithium-ion jump starter booster pack for those times when you can’t find anyone to help you jump-start your vehicle. These booster packs also come with extra features such as USB ports for charging smartphones and other mobile devices.
3. Tool Kit
A high-quality tool kit also comes in handy when you need to make quick roadside repairs. A ratcheting socket wrench with the appropriate sockets not only makes changing parts a snap, but you can also use them for removing lug nuts during tire changes. You’ll also want a set of combination wrenches for tight spots you can’t reach with a socket wrench.
Most socket and wrench kits come in SAE and metric sizes. Most domestic vehicles use SAE while imports often use metric sizing, although that’s not always an ironclad rule. You’ll also want a set of Torx and Allen wrenches just in case your vehicle has bolts that use them.
4. Spray Lubricant
Spray lubricants like WD-40 are some of the most versatile tools you have in your car, whether it’s brand-new or a bit older. For instance, spray lubricant comes in handy when you have a rusty bolt or hinge to free up or a noisy part that’s literally crying out for some lubrication.
Spray lubricants come in all types. These include penetrating lubricants designed to soak deep within to loosen stuck parts, oils that help prevent rust and oxidation while providing lubrication for moving parts, and dry lubricants that minimize friction while keeping nearby surfaces clean. These include silicon- and graphite-based lubricants.
Keep a couple of cans of spray lubricant in your trunk, preferably near your tool kit. You’ll also want a couple of clean rags to help catch any spills when using your spray lubricant.
5. Windshield Wiper Fluid
Bug splatter, bird droppings, and tree sap. These are just a few of the many things that often end up on your windshield on a long drive. Now imagine you go to clear your windshield only to discover you’re out of windshield wiper fluid. Unless you’re close to a gas station where you can clean your windshield, chances are you’re completely out of luck.
That’s where having a spare bottle of windshield wiper fluid comes in handy. Whenever you’re low or bone dry on wiper fluid, simply top up with your spare bottle and you’re good to go. Compared with other fluids your car uses, windshield wiper fluid is cheap, and a typical 1-gallon bottle will only run you $2 to $5, in most cases.
Windshield wiper fluid also comes in handy during the winter months, when ice and slush are your biggest windshield concerns. Winter varieties of wiper fluid usually contain a deicer that cuts through ice buildup, giving your wipers a better chance of clearing your windshield on those frosty winter mornings.
Also, be mindful of where you buy your windshield wiper fluid. Counterfeit products do exist, and these fakes could do more harm than good to your windshield. These fakes often use harsh chemicals that can not only damage your windshield but also give off toxic vapors that could pose a poisoning risk to users. Besides, counterfeit windshield wiper fluid simply comes nowhere close to the performance of the real thing.