Tools to keep in your car at all times
It is best to arrange your tools and keep them in the car at all times. Always be prepared. Net Photo
What you need to know:
- First aid kit. Dr Umarashid Guloba of Makerere University Business School says your first aid kit should have basics such as paracetamol or pain killers, bandage or plaster, a pair of surgical gloves, surgical spirit, cotton balls, cotton swabs and vaseline, among others.
Alex Ssemwanga owns three cars, a Toyota Land Cruiser VX, a Mercedes Benz C200 and a Toyota Hilux pick-up truck. In 2019, his car broke down at Rubaare Trading Centre in Ntungamo District.
“I had spent a night at one of the motels in the centre. When I woke up in the morning to continue with the journey, I realised that one of the tyres of the Mercedes Benz had lost pressure and the jack I had carried would only work on the Land Cruiser. None of the nearby garages had a jack that I could use,” Ssemwanga recalls.
Since that day, Ssemwanga says he checks his car boot to ensure he has a jack in the trunk before making any journey.
Jump starter cables
A number of factors such as forgetting to turn off your fog or headlights and playing music, your battery can be drained.
“Having jump starter cables is one thing and knowing how they are connected to the battery terminals of a ‘rescuing’ car is another. The two work to your advantage in case your battery loses power,” says Isaac Mujjawa, a mechanic in Makindye.
A pair of long-lasting and durable jump starter cables costs between Shs50,000 to Shs100,000.
Inflated spare tyre
According to Mujjawa, you should have a spare tyre with the right tyre pressure. The disadvantage of not having a spare tyre is that in an unfortunate event that one of your tyres gets a puncture or a cut, you will have to spend money to buy a new one.
Right spanner size
Emmy Jjuuko, a mechanic in Wandegeya, says different tyre nuts are unscrewed by different spanners, so it is upon you to carry the right size. The smallest size is nine while the biggest is 17. Better still, have a full set of spanners as you do not know when you will need a given size.
Fire extinguisher
Jjuuko observes that in the absence of coolant and enough engine oil, sometimes the car may be exposed to overheating due to excess friction produced within the engine compartments. “If you see the source of the smoke or fire, especially through the bonnet, an extinguisher comes in handy. keep it in the trunk or under the dashboard in the co-driver’s seat for easy access,” Jjuuko advises.
Towing rope
Sometimes the cost of a towing car, popularly known as a breakdown, may be too high for you, if you are lucky to get one anyway. However, in the event that you have a strong towing rope in your car, you may politely ask another motorist and hook it onto their car for towing to the nearest garage or service station and save some money.
Pliers
According to marc and angel, an online portal, your hands are not the most effective tool for gripping and manoeuvering small objects. This is where pliers come in handy.
The portal states that you will likely need a small assortment of pliers in various styles and sizes for different kinds of jobs.
At a minimum, keep a needle-nose, a heavy grooved, and a wire cutting pliers in your trunk.
Work gloves
The portal adds that sometimes you need to use your hands to accomplish a task that requires a durability threshold beyond that of your exposed skin. This is where a rugged set of work gloves saves you from a few days’ worth of blistering agony.
