The Tools Every Car Owner Should Have

When you own a car there are times that you may need to do a few things yourself – simple things that can be done by reading a tutorial, or even watching a YouTube video. (Why pay someone a lot of money when you can save and do it yourself right?) Even for the most experienced or inexperienced, there are certain tools that you will need to have in order to complete the task at hand. Below is a list of the most needed tools that everyone car owner should have.

This post is sponsored by Bodwell Chrysler Jeep Dodge.

Jack and Jack Stand  
If you have to get under your vehicle at all – you need a safe way to get there. A quality jack and jack stand are important tools to make sure that you can safely lift and keep your vehicle supported while you are making repairs. Though most vehicles do come with a jack, I would definitely recommend buying a high quality one – they tend to be a lot more sturdy and definitely safer for you to use.

Lug Wrench
Often any type of work that you are going to do yourself will have something to do with your wheels and tires – or at least the need to remove them. Anytime you deal with brakes or suspension your wheels need removed – so making sure you have a quality lug wrench will make life a lot easier for you. A lot of times your car will already have one, and it will be somewhere near your spare tire. If you don’t – definitely get one.

Socket Set 
I never really realized how important it was to have a socket set with a variety of sizes. There are soo many different nuts and bolts on a vehicle that needs removed or tightened and you have to have a variety to make sure you have one to fix whatever you may need. Socket sets usually come with a ratcheting handle which helps a lot when you are in a tight spot and needing to remove something. If you get sets in 1/4 inch, 3/8 inch and 1/2 inch with extensions you should be able to tackle any issue that comes your way.

Wrench Set
Yes another ‘set’ but definitely a necessity when it comes to working on your vehicle. Ratchets and sockets may not always work – sometimes literally the only thing you can use to get done what you need done is a wrench. It’s good to get a set so you have a variety of sizes and styles for hard to reach places.

Screwdrivers
Yes, I said screwdrivers – with an ‘s’. The more tools you have to do the job, the better, and it’s very frustrating to only need a specific screwdriver and not have it. At the least you need a flat head and a Phillips. Having both of these in a lot of different sizes is a good idea too. Some also recommend a torx screwdriver too.

Head Light 
Not to be mistaken for the head light on your vehicle, but a head light for YOU. A lot of the places you try to reach or get to when fixing a vehicle are dark and hard to see. Having a head light (or head lamp) that you can wear helps make that issue a lot easier to deal with.

Code Reader
All vehicles 1996 and newer use the On Board Diagnostics (OBD) interface to help diagnose any problems your vehicle may be having. For example, if your check engine light comes on – it’s nice to have the code reader to tell you exactly what the problem is. 
Generally speaking they aren’t very expensive, and a lot of them will send the results directly to your phone! Just remember – there can be a variety of reasons why a code may appear – I had mine come on once because someone stole my gas cap! Use the code reader as an indicator for possibilities – a step in the right direction.