Which tool for the car?

[kkokkolis]

Hello again.

I'm still waiting for my new car to come, a Dacia Duster 1.2 TCe.
I'm going to put there my Bahco knife (mainly for collecting edible weed from the mountains and oysters from the sea) and my Soviet spade/ axe for emergencies. But, although I always carry my Spirit with me, I'm thinking of putting a multitool in the glove compartment, just in case.
I have a few stored, like a Surge, a Charge TTi, a Crunch, a Swistool, a Juice Pro, a Skeletool and many SAKs.
I think that I should choose a big one, since the car is going to carry the load for me. And since most tools of the Victorinox are duplicated, Surge is what I am thinking of. I carry LM bits with me, they could be used with that too. And some saws.
What do you think?

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[Gareth]

I can't fault your logic.  Might as well carry a heavy MT in the car and if you've got a good range of LM bits then I think you are set.

I'd also recommend carrying a torch (flashlight) as well.

[Poncho65]

I carry a BO original Supertool in my truck in the door and in my wife's vehicle I keep a Supertool 200 in her console

I have a tool box full of tools in the bed of my truck and also in the back of hers I have a small tool box with various tools as well

+1 on Gareth's idea of a torch

[yud]

I think I would go with the chunch given the vice grips.

[Fortytwo]

I think I would go with the chunch given the vice grips.

+1. And with the Crunch you could bring any normal bits.

[zoidberg]

Surge with Bit Driver Extender. Would also recommend the Gerber BN MP600. And a headlamp.

[zoidberg]

Reasons for the BN MP600 being the jaws open wider than the Surge and the blunt nose is good for end on and restricted space work.

[cody6268]

Keep a tool bag with regular tools in your trunk.  Quite personally, multitools are good to keep on your person when you have the limitations of not being able to carry all that stuff in your pocket.   Other than that, they're all a compromise.

[Fortytwo]

Keep a tool bag with regular tools in your trunk.  Quite personally, multitools are good to keep on your person when you have the limitations of not being able to carry all that stuff in your pocket.   Other than that, they're all a compromise.

I totally agree with you on the compromise part and I would probably agree with you if we were talking about an American setting.But lately I'm more and more coming to terms with the fact that the sheer size of the American continent coupled with the low populace means that being prepared is much more important in America. You are just not going to be left to your own wits in the same way here in Europe (at least most parts, my grandfather who lives up north carries an axe and a toolbox etc.). Couple this with the fact that there's precious little that's user serviceable in a modern car and you end up with an equation where a multitool might be about right.

[metasyntax]

Personally, I keep a SwissTool RS with an orange Morakniv 2000 and 2x AA LED Maglite (stocked with lithium primaries). Surge would be another good option. Cody's logic makes a lot of sense, though.

[Fortytwo]

Maybe add a glass breaker and belt cutter within reach as well...

[rishardh]

Maybe add a glass breaker and belt cutter within reach as well...

+1  on the rescue tool. And congrats on your new car. I had to google Dacia Duster, not heard of that before. Looks nice 

[kkokkolis]

I also have a big torch that works on 12V from the car and batteries also. You know, magnetic and stuff. But I'll add something smaller and more convenient.
As for a box full of tools, I'm not going to fix the car myself (and I hope it won't need to be fixed for a loooong time, since it is going to be a new car). I mostly need the tool for minor tasks that involve my bicycle, personal artifacts that need to be fixed, opening battery compartments, cutting stuff and so on.
I have the Crunch and Charge on my big Skinth for holidays and the Surge inside its seath with the extender. Under my seat there will be my mighty Estwing geological hammer, that should be able to break a window and the Bahco can cut a belt.

Furthermore, I think I'll add some OBD2 with Bluetooth. Anybody uses that?

[Padre]

You have pretty good choices already there! I have my Supertool 300 in the car and had a chance to even use it few times. It has robust drivers that fit to my uses in car problems really nicely. You wont usually need scissors with cars either. The serrated blade is good for rubber hoses, and the plierhead opens up enough. I like the closed configuration to prevent dirt getting inside the tool.

[kkokkolis]

I needed scissors when I improvised an AUX input for my Matrix. It had a built in Playstation ONE and DVD player (with roof console screen). When the kids stopped using the Playstation I cut off the cables and remade them as AV jacks for my Archos. I now use my Tablet there mostly. I was on vacations and I only had my Swisschamp with me then. It contained everything I needed.
I feel nostalgia for those old family days. Everyone in the family asked from dad for anything, from scissors and napkins to cold water and a pillow. Fatherhood made me an EDCer.
Now my son drove us for Easter vacations (vacations are the reason of my resurrection here) and he will continue using our ex family car, while I wait for my new car that will see mostly me and my wife on (let's hope) little but meaningful escapes. It is also capable to carry all my telescopes through bad roads up to the mountain for stargazing. Some people camp up there, so they could use a multi. I use to go to a hotel as soon as the sun rises.

[Dean51]

Once upon a time, long, long ago. I carried points, condenser, coil, fan belts, fuses & all the tools to replace them.

These days it's just a flashlight, Rebar and whatever bits I might need to change or tighten, lights, fuses and hoses & battery cables.

With computer control systems and all the sensors on a car you just can't carry everything that might possibly go wrong. 

[Singh]

I keep an automotive tool kit in my car. It's got pliers, metric and US socket wenches, fuses, etc. Since I have the room, I might as well keep a tool kit in there.

[Aloha]

I've added head lamps to my vehicle.  This way I can do whatever needs doing with both hands free. 

[Padre]

I've added head lamps to my vehicle.  This way I can do whatever needs doing with both hands free.

My car did come with headlamps as standard.

[Aloha]

I've added head lamps to my vehicle.  This way I can do whatever needs doing with both hands free.

My car did come with headlamps as standard.

 

[Sazabi]

Honestly, I would recommend a bicycle pump; I keep one in my trunk with my spare tire.  I used it today when I came out from the theater to an almost-completely-flat tire, and it allowed me to get home without having to replace the tire with a doughnut, which wouldn't have gotten me home, given the distances involved.

[kkokkolis]

I have an electric pump since 2003. It died last year (from overheating) and I bought a more modern one (which doesn't overheat easily). With those I inflated floating aids for the children, our bicycles and occasionally flat tires. Higly recommended for everyone.
I used to carry a battery/jumpstarter also that was used with my GOTO telescope. It contains a pump also. The battery died out and I haven't decided if I would buy another one (you can't find them easily here, it was bought from Aldi that closed in Greece) or replace the battery.
I aslo carried a very nice 12V car fridge as long as my kids were young. I still have it but we go with container and ice cells now when we need to.

[Ryo Saeba]

I keep my old sidekick in my truck in case I run out the door without my wave. But I also do have a bunch of real tools in there too. Not really for working on the truck but to do stuff around the farm and help out when I'm at other peoples places since you never know.

[Gareth]

I've thought about this and decided that I might as well put a MT in the car as well.  Now, given that I've almost always got one on me, plus one in my range bag, and I carry a few tools in the car already, I had to think about what MT should go in the car.  I liked the thinking behind these suggestions.

I think I would go with the chunch given the vice grips.

+1. And with the Crunch you could bring any normal bits.

While I don't have a proper LM Crunch, I do have one of the clones that were around a few years ago.  Not as well made as the real thing, but not bad either.  Certainly the bit driver and vice grips both work well.

[kkokkolis]

On the bottom of it, the car thing is just one excuse to carry another multitool or two perhaps. I can play with it when I'm waiting in the car for my wife to finish shopping and errands. It while make a funtime out of those loooong booooring hours.

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[Sea Monster]

As you say, I'd put in the heavy hitters, especially if you're not planning to carry a more extensive in-car tool kit.

I reckon the swisstool. You don't need the benefit of the One-hand blades in the car as much.
If you can get a bit wrench and bits, you're pretty set.

[firiki]

Swisstool because that's what I keep in the car

Consider leaving a flashlight in there as well.

[kkokkolis]

I thought about the Swisstool, but since I EDC the Spirit I will have much tool doubles. That's why I thought of the Surge, best of both words, I will carry the lightest and the car will carry the heaviest. This wins so far.
About the torch, I liked the Citroen Picasso idea of a built in rechargable torch that doubles as a trunk light, very handy.

[Humppa]

 

I have a VW Polo and my wife has a Ford Focus. All I keep in the Polo is a Vic Camper and the Ford contains a single Spartan.

The reason is simple... I can´t repair a car. And I don´t want to fondle around there. There are more gifted hands than mine to do that. So I don´t store a big MT in the car. And why? Everything needs a computer and you can´t even change a light without a master bachelor in science or  something similar there.

[kkokkolis]

Of course. As I said, I don't want it in order to fix the car but for tasks I have to do when I go somewhere with the car, such as my job, my summer house, excursions, for stargazing etc. For example, telescopes are loaded with screws of any type and size and they often need fine adjustments, that's why I need a lot of screwdriver bits at hand.