What do you keep in your car trunk?

My truck is usually stocked pretty good with tools, chains, food, water, reading material, extra clothes, a real survival vehicle.

The family car is another matter, was wondering, what do you consider a good emergency kit? Currently I have

Small moving blanket
1st Aid Kit
Duct tape
Flares(very old, do they last forever?)
Gal water
Folding pliers/screwdriver thingy
Toilet paper

I broke down and let the wife get a cell phone. We're rural but not that rural.

My Jeep and 3/4 ton truck are stocked with enough tools to almost build a new home or drop an engine.... but the wife's car... that had to be well thought out. We're rural, cell phone signal not always available depending on where you are.

My wife drives a PT cruiser btw and as a certified accountant travel to clients out in the booneys off the main roads a lot. She'll sometimes use the Jeep but preferes the car since I haven't modified it any way - yet (unlike the Jeep or truck)
- portable air compressor (Coleman-long life type) for tires and kids toys (balls and beach toys)
- replaced the spare tire screw down mechanism with rubber bungee cord - the screw types sometimes rust making spare tire removal all but impossible
- replaced the factory jack with a small hydraulic one that's easily female operated and welded a plate to the top of said jack to help make it less rocky.. bungee corded to spare with it's handle
- a real four way tire iron - we experimented until she understood that she can stand/jump on it to loosen a wheel nut. No weight jokes
- a giant size can of tire inflater and sealer (will do a 17 inch truck tire, I figure she can get enough of that in to blow up her car tire and seal a hole if needed)
- A Canadian Tire brand portable 700amp booster pack with inverter (stops wife from opening the hood to assist others) will charge from rear hatch 12 V outlet.
- complete first aid kit industrial type (I got it free when I worked at the brewery) always keep it fresh
- a breakdown camp shovel and a bag of salt (self explanatory here in snow country)
- a set of those super bright LED warning tripods truckers often use (I won them in a raffle at the school)
- a tool kit of the style you often find on sale for ten bucks imported from China and a pair of gloves
In winter there's always a blanket in the car for my son just because he likes it.

Since we keep our vehicles in good shape, we find the gear is more often used to help others than it is to help us. But that's the point, just being prepared. Notice there's no booster cables, only the booster pack. Of course, I have booster cables ... lol...

We're certainly not that rural in NJ, but for my outdoor pursuits in winter (ADKs, catskills), I try to keep basics like a shovel, a chopping axe, tire cable chains, a 12v compressor/light, basic tools, a tow rope. Since I'm a backpacker/hiker, I usually have my tent/sleeping bag, food, water already...

In the summer, I usually keep my kayak straps in the car (for my thule roof rack).

Jay

120 lbs of Pellets in the back of the wifes van for extra weight in the snow, Air pump, flares, flashlight too,

I don't have a trunk. I have a tailgate on my Jeep and there's not much room back there. Inside the gate, I keep a tool bag with basic tools, flares and a tire plug kit. I also keep a tow strap for my winch back there. Behind the seats I keep clevises, 12 volt compressor, two 4 ton hydraulic jacks, blocks for the jacks, a BFH and the winch controller.
In the back of the wife's Grand Cherokee, there's a rain poncho, some umbrellas and a couple flares.

Jimmy Hoffa :snake:

Too much "junk in the trunk", Rick?

My trunk is full of CNG. I'll blast my way home if necessary! :coolgrin:

Chris

I just wanted to add that even a cell phone that is not "activated" (that is, you're not paying for a plan) can be used to dial 911 in an emergency. Its a no-cost emergency contact solution.

... and texting will get out the message when a call might not. Verizon works better than Nextel and OnStar is using Verizon. Thought you'd like to know.

Chris

^^ Totally dependant on your location. Around here AT&T;is almost guaranteed to get a more reliable signal thna Verizon...but I had to get one of my guys a Verizon phone instead of AT&T;because his house is in an AT&T;dead zone and I need him to be on call.

My wife's car came with a first aid kit, the usual jack, spare and cheap tools and an emergency triangle. She keeps her cell phone in the pocketbook and I trust the AWD, tall snow tires and her own good sense to keep her on the road...or get her back on as the case may be.

In my truck I keep a few extra tools...screwdrivers, mallet and a crowbar in addition to the usual spare, jack, etc. I keep a fuzzy blanket, tarp and stuff in the toolbox and usually a half ton of ballast in the bed.

I watched a survival show one time and they suggested a coffe can and tea light candles. Put the coffee can on the floor board between your legs, put a tea light candle in the can and light it. They claimed that it would generate enough heat refelcting off of the coffee can to keep you safe from frost bite and that if you had a blanket to build a little tent around yourself to trap in the heat you could be rather comfortable.

I keep a box of jelly donuts and a ray gun.

I have a Yukon, so no trunk, just the back end. That is where I keep empty beer cans.

Do you keep the full ones in the front?

Exactly.... keeps them from freezing.