Most people’s idea of automotive repair is to pull over and call a buddy or tow truck on the cell phone. However, it does make sense to carry some basic tools that can get you out of tough scrape and save the money for an expensive tow. Sometimes the problem can be as simple as a loose battery cable. You can easily fix this problem with a wrench or pair of pliers. Just because you don’t plan on changing your own oil or replacing the transmission fluid, you can still help yourself out of a dead battery situation or save your neighbor. As a general rule of thumb, the cheaper the vehicle is, the easier it is to repair and the less tools you need to do it with. If you own a Honda Civic, you only need five wrenches and a couple of screwdrivers to work on the majority of your car. It is best to purchase a tool bag or a toolbox and make a basic collection of automotive repair tools. Then place the tool bag in your car’s trunk and forget about them. Also, you should determine if need metric or standard wrenches. Consult your car’s owners manual for that info.

List of basic Automotive Repair Tools

1. Phillip’s screwdrivers, small, medium and large
2. Slotted screwdrivers, small, medium and large
3. Adjustable wrench
4. Small set of wrenches
5. Locking pliers
6. Pliers with wire cutters
7. Torque wrench
8. Pocket Knife
9. Jumper cables or battery jump starter
   
10. Battery terminal brush
11. Spare fuses
12. 1 quart of automotive oil
13. Duct tape
14. Can of penetrating lubricant
15. Flashlight
16. Gloves
17. Handiwipes and some shop rags
18. Medical First Aid Kit
19. Toolbox
20. Flares or reflective triangles
21. Blanket