# Car Survival Kits



## iprepare143

1)72-hour non-perishable food supply(nuts,crackers,energy bars,raisins etc).
2)Comfort foods.
3)Bottled water.
4)Basic first aid kit.
5)Flares.
6)Heavy work gloves.
7)Fire Extinguisher.
8)Car repair items.
9)Battery operated radio.
10)Compass and local maps of the area you frequently travel.
11)Flashlight with extra batteries and spare bulb.
12)Blankets or sleeping bags.
13)Extra clothing and walking shoes.
14)Plastic produce bags.


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## CulexPipiens

While technology is working:
GPS
Cell Phone


Also:
Matches
Lighter
Water Filter &/or purification tablets
Multi Tool (leatherman, etc.)
Duct Tape
Zip Tiles
TP
Hand Sanitizer
Pry Bar (can double as self defense weapon)
Pack to carry everything if you have to abandon the vehicle
Notebook
Crayons/Pencils
Whistle
Signaling (mirror, laser pointer, etc.)

Location based (northern winter, arizon desert, etc.) can also affect the list. Recently in the big snowstorm, in Chicago the news reported people stuck in their cars for upwards of 12 hours when a major road got shutdown due to multiple accidents. This was within a quarter mile, heck maybe an eighth of a mile from civilization! It sounded like the conditions were such that the unprepared couldn't easily leave their vehicles.


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## questor

towel, toilet paper


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## backlash

I gave my kids each a kit for Christmas.
Included some of the things on these list.
I also included a clean can,string, hand warmers,and candles.
I didn't think of it or I would have included a shovel.
Like CulexPipiens said it depends on the location.
They travel across the mountain pass occasionally so they need things to survive being stuck in a snow storm for up to 12 hours.


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## questor

books, games, things to do


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## Tirediron

Nobody mentioned a folding shovel (sorry, Backlash said shovel) , or a ratchet type cargo strap, A heavy duty one can be very helpful to unstick a mildly stuck vehicle.Crank type flashlights , some have a radio.Space blanket.


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## MrSfstk8d

Make sure your spare tire has air pressure.


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## wldrbob

*car gear,,*

booster cables, antifreeze...motor oil...good shovel...tire chains ..heat source procat propane heater,, candles,, alcohol burner etc. blanket/sleeping bag ...good winter boots..gloves or mitts...good cold weather hat... energy bars...flashlight ..basic tool kit ,,self defence weapon..this is what i carry it gets to 40 below or more here...


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## Winter

Weapon?:club:


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## paladinFL

*Air Pump*



MrSfstk8d said:


> Make sure your spare tire has air pressure.


Wamart sells several sizes of portable air pumps. The smallest is about the size of an old CD player (remember those?). I have one in my Lowes 16" tool bag that I keep in the car along with a couple of rain ponchos, Hefty tool set, flares, jumper cables and other stuff.


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## efbjr

paladinFL said:


> Wamart sells several sizes of portable air pumps. The smallest is about the size of an old CD player (remember those?). I have one in my Lowes 16" tool bag that I keep in the car along with a couple of rain ponchos, Hefty tool set, flares, jumper cables and other stuff.


Fix-A-Flat...especially the type for the larger SUV tires. Inflates the tire and (hopefully) seals the leak(s). Probably a quicker fix in a bug out situation. :scratch

Harbor Freight Tools sells an air pump for $8. Also a good source for all kinds of auto survival kit stuff.


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## ra5451

Why? Doesn't everyone have one on their person?



Winter said:


> Weapon?:club:


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## BridenSolutions

You may also want to consider the situation where you are stuck in the vehicle and cannot get out. I have heard of this in real life where someone in a blizzard pulls off the road, overnights, and wakes up the next morning and the snow is up to the windows. So they couldn't open the doors, and the windows only a few inches.

In this case the person was very happy to have a product called a Restop, basically a bag you go potty in. There are separate Restop's for doing business #1 and #2 if you know what I mean. I suppose any bottle or bag might do the job in a pinch, but the Restop just makes it a little nicer, cleaner, reduces the odor etc.


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## agringo4u

iprepare143 said:


> 1)72-hour non-perishable food supply(nuts,crackers,energy bars,raisins etc).
> 2)Comfort foods.
> 3)Bottled water.
> 4)Basic first aid kit.
> 5)Flares.
> 6)Heavy work gloves.
> 7)Fire Extinguisher.
> 8)Car repair items.
> 9)Battery operated radio.
> 10)Compass and local maps of the area you frequently travel.
> 11)Flashlight with extra batteries and spare bulb.
> 12)Blankets or sleeping bags.
> 13)Extra clothing and walking shoes.
> 14)Plastic produce bags.


Great list. I see a few other people have added a few things that may come in handy as well. I am sure everyone know that a home survival kit and an actual survival plan is very important too.


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## Kevin108

iprepare143 said:


> 1)72-hour non-perishable food supply (nuts, crackers, energy bars, raisins etc).
> 2)Comfort foods.
> 3)Bottled water.
> 4)Basic first aid kit.
> 5)Flares.
> 6)Heavy work gloves.
> 7)Fire Extinguisher.
> 8)Car repair items.
> 9)Battery operated radio.
> 10)Compass and local maps of the area you frequently travel.
> 11)Flashlight with extra batteries and spare bulb.
> 12)Blankets or sleeping bags.
> 13)Extra clothing and walking shoes.
> 14)Plastic produce bags.


I ditched my flares because they made the interior of my Cherokee smell like sulfur. I could have bagged them to keep the smell in but I have other light sources and signaling options I keep with me. Other than that I have everything on this list except instead of produce bags I have a couple large drum liners.

I have TP and paper towels, hand cleaner, a 12v air compressor, 12v chargers for my phone and netbook, extra ammo, safety glasses and a few spare electronic parts that are prone to fail on my vehicle.

I have a GHB that goes everywhere with me. It has multiple flashlights, a lighter, tinder, extra ammo, a multi-tool, a compass and some basic meds.


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## sailaway

Naekid had a nice list on another thread dealing with car survival kits on this forum. Mine is modeled after that, but roughly the same as what has been listed here. It all depends where you live as to what you will need.


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## geoffreys7

One thing I like to have in the car is a small inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter. I can use my laptop and other small devices without 110 volt power.


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## CulexPipiens

Kevin108 said:


> I ditched my flares because they made the interior of my Cherokee smell like sulfur. I could have bagged them to keep the smell in but I have other light sources and signaling options I keep with me.


No experience with these, but if someone wants something like a flare, perhaps these would work.

Amazon.com: 3 FlareAlert LED Emergency Beacon Flares with Storage Bag: Automotive


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## stayingthegame

snow chains once got me out of deep mud. I was outside of New Orleans and it was summer. four teen boys came to help me couldn't push it out. went in my trunk pulled out the chains, put them on and pulled out with just a little bit of push from the boys. they were fascinated by them and the young (18 yo) woman who put them on.:2thumb:


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## mikesolid

I didn't read ALL the replies but what about extra gas?

Oh and if you have a little money to burn and want a little extra protection for your car theres films to put on your vehicles glass to make it less...shatter prone.

One such site http://www.shattergard.com/vehiclegardhome.html

I'm still researching some more of the "shatterproof" type of films.


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## Kevin108

CulexPipiens said:


> No experience with these, but if someone wants something like a flare, perhaps these would work.
> 
> Amazon.com: 3 FlareAlert LED Emergency Beacon Flares with Storage Bag: Automotive


For aux lighting and emergency road marking, they are cheaper and probably more readily-available.



mikesolid said:


> I didn't read ALL the replies but what about extra gas?
> 
> Oh and if you have a little money to burn and want a little extra protection for your car theres films to put on your vehicles glass to make it less...shatter prone.
> 
> One such site Window & Glass Protection Films By ShatterGARD. Available In Your Hometown!!
> 
> I'm still researching some more of the "shatterproof" type of films.


We are typically talking about breaking down after SHTF or TEOTWAWKI so I don't think flares or signals will be that big a deal. I have looked at battery-operated glow sticks with a flash option.


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## VUnder

stayingthegame said:


> snow chains once got me out of deep mud. I was outside of New Orleans and it was summer. four teen boys came to help me couldn't push it out. went in my trunk pulled out the chains, put them on and pulled out with just a little bit of push from the boys. they were fascinated by them and the young (18 yo) woman who put them on.:2thumb:


I didn't know they made snow chains for Model T's.....sorry, I couldn't help it.


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## VUnder

Everybody needs to carry a replacement belt and some kind of finnagled tool to put that belt on with. I carry a beat to fit end wrench that I bent to fit the contour of the pulley, and have an arm chair piece of aluminum square tubing for a cheater. Every once in a while mine throws a belt. 

Some coolant, maybe a jug of antifreeze water mix, but I always have a 5 gal water can in my truck. I can drink it, or the truck can drink it. Belts and hoses are the highest percentage of troubles. These aluminum head engines do not like to overheat at all. Usually cracks or warps a head. Teach your family to never ever run it hot, stop and find what the problem is as soon as the temperature rises. Teach your other half how to bypass the heater core, how to repair a radiator hose with a hose mending kit, how to change a serpentine belt, how to jump a vehicle off properly, how to change a flat. Last week my dad went and bought a new bull. The old man that was selling the bull also gave my dad an injured cow. He had to go and would not be able to doctor the cows bad foot. His grandson, 30, just got killed changing a tire and the truck fell on him.


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## ashley8072

VUnder said:


> Everybody needs to carry a replacement belt and some kind of finnagled tool to put that belt on with. I carry a beat to fit end wrench that I bent to fit the contour of the pulley, and have an arm chair piece of aluminum square tubing for a cheater. Every once in a while mine throws a belt.
> 
> Some coolant, maybe a jug of antifreeze water mix, but I always have a 5 gal water can in my truck. I can drink it, or the truck can drink it. Belts and hoses are the highest percentage of troubles. These aluminum head engines do not like to overheat at all. Usually cracks or warps a head. Teach your family to never ever run it hot, stop and find what the problem is as soon as the temperature rises. Teach your other half how to bypass the heater core, how to repair a radiator hose with a hose mending kit, how to change a serpentine belt, how to jump a vehicle off properly, how to change a flat. Last week my dad went and bought a new bull. The old man that was selling the bull also gave my dad an injured cow. He had to go and would not be able to doctor the cows bad foot. His grandson, 30, just got killed changing a tire and the truck fell on him.


Very true! Along with prepping your vehicle, you really need to understand how the simple things work. Growing up in a muffler shop and as a family business, I learned it all early. I can't believe how many people get a blowout/flat dull reaction. They get out of the car, check it, get back in, call Daddy or Hubby. Then sit in the car and wait. lol! As a girl, I've been known to do that a couple of times, but I was never more than a few miles from home. I've changed my own a couple of times too. I just replaced my spark plugs and wires in my 06 T&C, along with changing the oil and filter. This is the first maintenance I've done on it since I bought it this summer.

Your car comes factory with it's own survival kit. The spare tire and jack. Learn how to use it properly. Teach your Mom, Wife, Daughters and girlfriends...cuz in a Bug-Out situation, you might not be able to get to them.

PS Put lotsa hand sanitizer in their kits. Those tires are filthy! lol!


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## NaeKid

ashley8072 said:


> PS Put lotsa hand sanitizer in their kits. Those tires are filthy! lol!


I use Castrol SuperClean Hand Cleanser which is in a small bottle that fits inside a pocket (or glove box) very well. Some shop-cloths to wipe off the residue and then from FreshNaps to remove the remaining gritty-feeling and you are good to go again.

I just looked up the hand cleanser and I couldn't seem to find the product - unsure if it is discontinued or if it is still available. I bought several bottles from the local autoparts store a couple years back, haven't run out yet ...


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## StrayDog

NaeKid said:


> I just looked up the hand cleanser and I couldn't seem to find the product - unsure if it is discontinued or if it is still available. I bought several bottles from the local autoparts store a couple years back, haven't run out yet ...


A Link HERE

Ebay Link HERE


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## NaeKid

Yuppers .. that is the stuff. I bought 6 bottles a while back from the local autoparts store - one for each vehicle and a couple spares for in the garage (seperate from my normal hand cleaner that I use with water).

It works well if you need to get grungy and don't wanna get the steering-wheel uglied-up as well.


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## VUnder

May I add, a tire plug kit and a 12v compressor. Get the better compressor, not the little plastic one. I have one from Harbor Freight that will air up a 3/4 ton truck tire in 3 minutes. Now, plugs are not a permanent fix. Sometimes they seal the outside of the tire and not the inside, like a patch does. I just use plugs to get home and then get it fixed properly later. A plug that seals the outside of the tire allows air to come from the inside of the tire and get between the plies of rubber that make up the tire. Then, the tire develops a bump spot on it, and will blow out. It takes a long time to do it, but just use plugs for emergencies, and just to get home or to the tire shop. I had one with a hole so big, it took three plugs to fill it. It leaked a little, but being a builder, I had a compressor at home and at the job. Embarassingly, it was months before I fixed that tire.


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## Meerkat

If it got so bad we had to leave in BOV food,water and clothes would be on list along with a few other small items.
But we are old and don't plan to leave .


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## headhunter

There is a can of WD 40 , fantastic for the trailer electrical plugs, and in a emergency takes off grease and oil off the hands. A truck "possibles" plastic jar that contains mechanic wire, electric tape, fuses-Buss and spade, various hose clamps, electric connectors, and a couple of feet of #12 wire.


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## LilRedHen

ashley8072 said:


> Your car comes factory with it's own survival kit. The spare tire and jack. Learn how to use it properly. Teach your Mom, Wife, Daughters and girlfriends...cuz in a Bug-Out situation, you might not be able to get to them. !


A week after the purchase of my first vehicle, my daddy was waiting for me down the driveway a little piece when I came home from work. I stopped and he said "Pull up a little bit and cut the engine". I did. The he bent over and let the air out of a back tire that was in a mud hole and said, "Get out and change the tire". I said, 'Can I go to the house and change clothes first?' He said "No, you have to learn to do this whenever and wherever it happens." He walked off to the house and I had to figure it out. I never, ever forgot that lesson.


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## sea_going_dude

MrSfstk8d said:


> Make sure your spare tire has air pressure.


Been there (no air that is) lucky close to town so not a big problem.


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## The_Blob

tire pumps (manual or electric) are cheap...


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## headhunter

We live in the northern tier states and usually see significant snow. The wife taught in a town 42 miles away for 38 years, and drove back and forth for 27 years. If the weather was terrible she stayed there (common sense is important). Several times she arrived there when local people were calling in to say that they were unable to make it. Realizing she had a long drive, she always had 4WD. Yes, it was expensive to buy and it used more fuel, we always felt she had a responsibility to get to work, only twice did she need a tow truck and one of those was because someone pulled out in front of her and lost it. 4WD is wonderful! That said, they are heavier, hence have more momentum and inertia than regular vehicles. This aids in keeping moving, but is a disability when it comes to stopping. They are taller and have more ground clearance, but this makes them a little more "tippy" than other vehicles. Along with her survival gear was a roll of florescent tape. If she ever had to abandon her vehicle, she was set to tie long streamers to the roof racks or knot it and run long streamers out the windows in an attempt to allow plows and other vehicles to see her vehicle if it were somewhat covered by snow . in a blizzard you have a better chance to walk 3-4 miles with the wind at your back than 1 mile facing the wind. $WD is a great survival tool, but it too has its limitations.


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## Oatmealer

MrSfstk8d said:


> Make sure your spare tire has air pressure.


This is such a common mistake up here in New England. Most dealerships will check all of your tire pressures, including the spare, when they service your vehicle, as part of their safety/maintenance inspection. However, it is very easy to forget about it if you do your maintenance yourself, or bring it to a shady garage. After about 2 years, due to temperature fluctuations and osmosis, your spare will be nearly useless when you need it most. Check it at each oil change, or once per year at the very least. Great point MrSfstk8d!


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