Despite the many benefits that come with owning a car, keeping it in its best form is not the easiest of things. Most people dream of owning a smooth ride but have no idea of how much it takes to maintain one.
This has led to millions of car owners relying on car care experts even for the smallest of car problems. Well, we need to factor in that our lives have become so busy, leaving us with little or no time for self-care. But then again, you have at some time in your life witnessed drivers who were stranded for hours by the roadside just because they lacked an essential tool in their car.
They say that cars have minds of their own and this couldn’t be any truer. Consider a situation where out of the blues, your car decides not to start early in the morning. You have kids to drop to school on your way to work, so you have to share a car with your spouse, who unfortunately hasn’t been talking to you for the past few days.
Sounds familiar? Well, maybe be your car needed some new spark plugs, battery terminals cleaned, or just a flat tire that needed changing. These are simple tasks that require simple tools that as you reckon, could save you the trouble of riding in a car filled with an awkward silence or taking the bus and ending up late for work. Without further ado, here’s why owning these three tools is essential for car owners.
IMAGE: PEXELS
1. Jack And Axle Stands/Jack Stands/Ramps
It’s safe to assume that every car owner has at some point in their life changed a tire. While having a spare tire on your car is not only a necessity but a requirement, it goes without saying that a spare tire is only useful in the car if you have a jack.
Jacks and jack stands are must-have tools for any car owner. And there’s no denying that investing in the right jack – well, apart from the one the manufacturer throws in your new car – is one of the most important investments you can have in your garage for your car maintenance tasks, repairs, and other uses.
Now let’s get to the basics. Car jacks, regardless of type, are mechanical apparatus used for lifting a car either partially or wholly from the ground. There are so many reasons you’d want to lift your vehicle off the ground, some of which include:
- Tire changing and seasonal tire rotation
- When repairing the brakes
- When changing engine oil, gearbox, and axle transmission fluid
- When making routine car inspections for damages
Jack Stands And Ramps
Jack stands are essential add-ons in any car-lifting task. As you may be aware, jack stands are specifically designed to raise your vehicle’s weight load but not to hold it. Working under a car suspended only using a jack could be costly and potentially unsafe; hence, the need to invest in jack stands.
For those who like working under their vehicles in the safest conditions, another alternative to using jack stands are car ramps. Especially when working on the front end of your car, car ramps are more advantageous compared to jacks.
Reviewers of motor vehicle tools and accessories at HoistNow say that in addition to being recommended for oil changes, car ramps are the safest and the most convenient tools for many other car maintenance tasks that require lifting your vehicle. They are also more cost-effective and are available in a wide variety of options to choose from.
2. Jumper Cables
The most overlooked tools in your car could save you significant time, and in addition to this, they can help to brighten someone else’s day. Jumper cables are perhaps the most inexpensive necessities every car owner should have. This is especially true if you’re a family man with kids. At some point, they are bound to leave the car lights on without your knowledge.
That awkward moment of waking up late on a Monday morning just to find a dead battery is perhaps the most common one for car owners. But if you own a set of jumper cables and you know how to jump a battery, it’s no reason to throw tantrums. Just jump in and get on your way!
However, if you find yourself having to jump-start your battery every morning, it could as well be expired and needing replacement. Also, when purchasing jumper cables, it’s essential to consider investing in heavy-duty cables attached to high-quality tensioned spring clamps on either end. Skip the light and cheap jumper cables as they’ll only serve you for a short while, adding to your frustration.
3. Tow Strap
Being out on the open road can sometimes present various challenges that are hard to avoid, and in addition to this, when you least expect your vehicle to breakdown in the middle of nowhere is when it does happen. Fortunately, you really don’t have to be a professional mechanic to get your car safely home or to a mechanic repair shop.
Having a super-strong tow strap in your car could save you or someone else from real trouble and immense frustration. Although you may only consider a tow strap as a hauling aid for moving your friend’s disabled truck from point a to point b, tow straps could come in handy as rescue ropes or all-purpose tie-down ropes for your load.
Most importantly, you need to learn the various tow points in different types of vehicles, just in case you have to use one. A wrongly attached tow strap can cause a lot of damage, not to mention that it’s a road safety hazard as well. Getting stuck in the middle of nowhere on a deserted part of a country road is every driver’s worst nightmare.
While it may be as a result of a major break down, having a few tools in the car could help save you some trouble even if temporarily. In an ideal scenario, car problems would never exist, or if they did, most cars would come with a self-repair mechanism.
But we are not living in a perfect society, are we? Investing in the above tools is important. Nevertheless, ensuring that your car is well-maintained and thoroughly checked for faults before embarking on a long-distance trip could go a long way into ensuring your safety while on the road.
If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
COMMENTS