# Things you always have in your car **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 31, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217 "2009-05-31T01:12:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/1 "2009-05-31T01:12:21Z")
…that are not stock items. Flashlight Deodorant Cologne Sunblock Hand Sanitizer Air Freshener The iPod and/or CDs Headphones (should I decide to hook up the iPod on-the-go) A deck of cards Sunglasses (I only wear sunglasses when I drive, or very rarely – can’t stand them really) Tire Pressure Tester Shout Rags 2 Bungees Standard Envelopes Pens PostIt Notes Mini Notepad Pieces of paper, plastic bottles, and other junk also known as “trash”. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/2 "2009-05-31T02:19:00Z")
Baby wipes - I’ve no baby, but these things take the grease off your hands like a dream. I’ve also got two historical treasures - one is a stone which I think looks like it’s been fashioned into a scraping tool and the other is a piece of metal I pulled out of a rock on the beach - something to do with Atlantis I reckon. Note to self: Remove artifacts. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/3 "2009-05-31T02:28:23Z")
Gum Wisk Broom Variety of tote bags (to use instead of paper or plastic) Insulated carrier (for perishables and frozen food in summer) Granola bars (to stave off starvation) Napkins, plastic cutlery Baby wipes and hand sanitizer Toothbrush just in case A little money just in case Telephone book for reference Old magazines Coupon holder Umbrella and my old raincoat and…most of the stuff mentioned by the OP ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/4 "2009-05-31T03:01:43Z")
Sounds like you folks are shaving a few miles off each gallon of gas by hauling around a small mountain of extra junk. I guess you’re covered if you’re suddenly seized by the urge to drive to the Oregon Territory and homestead. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/5 "2009-05-31T03:07:10Z")
Knitting bag containing current projects. My old “EJSGIRL” license plates that haven’t been renewed since 1994. Snacks. Several good books. Two bamboo beach mats that have never been used. Dog towels. Canvas shopping bags. Sunglasses. A Pokemon stickedex. Coffee supplies for my Tuesday night meeting. A mask from Mexico made of carved wood, porcupine quills, snake skin and I think something from a goat… I’m sure there’s more. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/6 "2009-05-31T03:09:37Z")
Stamps, envelopes, and pen. My apartment complex doesn’t have a mail drop box, so I go to a post office when I’m out running other errands. While I prepare my bills at home, mostly, it’s handy to be able to prepare things to be sent out at the last minute. Books. Usually collections of short stories or essays. Handy when I have to go to an appointment or make a spontaneous visit to the barber and have to wait. In the backseat currently are two plush dolls, a Woodstock and a Snoopy. Each is buckled into their respective seats. In the trunk: a shovel, a couple of bottles of oil, a road emergency kit, a road atlas, a copy of Austin Powers on VHS (don’t ask). ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/7 "2009-05-31T03:10:57Z")
Books or magazines. A box in the trunk containing paper towels, leather cleaner (for my leather seats,) windex, a thrower and tennis balls for the dogs. Kleenex. Cnavas shopping bags that I always forget to use! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/8 "2009-05-31T03:35:06Z")
Canvas shopping bags Hand sanitizer Flashlight Tire pressure checker thing Umbrella Collapsible chair (for the kid’s baseball or soccer games) Couple of pens Pad of paper Rags Bungee cords Length of rope Map books Pocket EMT protocol book Better-than-average first aid kit (it’s come in handy a few times) ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/9 "2009-05-31T03:57:49Z")
Cheap disposable camera. Nothing like a photo of the accident scene for the insurance company or the police before the vehicles are moved to the side of the road. Never had to use mine, but at least its there if I should ever need it. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/10 "2009-05-31T04:04:52Z")
An inflatable boat. I get more use out of it than you might think and it is a good way to pick up women as long as you know them a little. ---
**Author:** ![RedRosesForMe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RedRosesForMe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedRosesForMe)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/11 "2009-05-31T04:08:24Z")
Lots of tools- hammer, wrench, screwdrivers, vice grips, and I think my channel locks are in there too. Very useful for jury-rigging car repairs which I often do because my cars have always been 10+ years old (like the time I replaced a shredded piece of radiator hose with some copper pipe and hose clamps). Usually some oil, brake fluid, etc (see above). If it’s raining a lot, a lot of water in the leaky trunk. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/12 "2009-05-31T04:45:02Z")
My yoga mat is in there. That’s so that I don’t forget it when I go to the gym. That’s about it. I don’t like to keep a bunch of stuff in my car. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/13 "2009-05-31T05:32:18Z")
An extra dog leash and the ATM card/endorsement stamp for my company’s bank account. I only ever needed those things in the car (the ATM stuff), so I keep them there. I cleaned out my car a year or so ago and put all of the junk in bags in the garage, thinking I’d put it back when I needed it again. I never needed it again. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/14 "2009-05-31T06:41:26Z")
Towels Light Self Starter Fluid Set - Oil, Coolant, Transmission Portable Air Compressor Socket wrench/Basic Tools ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/15 "2009-05-31T06:55:52Z")
flashlight (both battery LED and hand crank) hand crank am/fm/weather radio fire starter log, firewood, small bundle of kindling, plus newspaper knife with fire starter & whistle 7 gallons of clean water 2 ton truck jack with 4 stands 5 quartz of 5W30 oil packing blanket compass barometer woven “keep warm” blankets mechanics sled 2 full changes of clothes, including light jackets, hats and gloves 2 pair of sandals a kite with 1000’ of string Katadyn water filter cook stove 2 fleece sleeping bags enough tools to be able to fix anything that goes wrong (srsly, its like a 280 piece tool set) fix-a-flat deodorant lighters usually have my mtn bike in the back as well (I drive a '78 Blazer) Basically, if I have to scram, I can. Where I live, if the shit hits the fan, the faster you start to get outta town, the more likely you will be to actually make it. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/16 "2009-05-31T08:56:00Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > flashlight (both battery LED and hand crank) > hand crank am/fm/weather radio > fire starter log, firewood, small bundle of kindling, plus newspaper > knife with fire starter & whistle > 7 gallons of clean water > 2 ton truck jack with 4 stands > 5 quartz of 5W30 oil > packing blanket > compass > barometer > woven “keep warm” blankets > mechanics sled > 2 full changes of clothes, including light jackets, hats and gloves > 2 pair of sandals > a kite with 1000’ of string > Katadyn water filter > cook stove > 2 fleece sleeping bags > enough tools to be able to fix anything that goes wrong (srsly, its like a 280 piece tool set) > fix-a-flat > deodorant > lighters > usually have my mtn bike in the back as well (I drive a '78 Blazer) > > Basically, if I have to scram, I can. Where I live, if the shit hits the fan, the faster you start to get outta town, the more likely you will be to actually make it. I might mention that you don’t have either food or TP on your list. Good luck! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wheeljack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@Wheeljack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheeljack)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/17 "2009-05-31T09:13:32Z")
Something to eat with Something to cut with Something to make fire ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/18 "2009-05-31T11:42:55Z")
A fire extinguisher. A spare tire One of those pay-as-you-go phones, in case I break down. A small blanket made out of “space age” material that reflects 98% of heat back onto me, in case I break down. Junk. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/19 "2009-05-31T12:07:59Z")
Box of tissues Bottle of hand lotion Umbrella Work ID (in its special compartment) Comb (stuck on the sun visor) Cell Phone (it lives in one of the cupholders) 12-pack of CDs, for when radio reception gets sucky. Wow, more stuff than I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217/20 "2009-05-31T12:30:50Z")
A Refidex. (Street map). Some plastic bags. Nothing more. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-always-have-in-your-car/498217.md?page=2)