Whether you call it a boot or a trunk, it’s more than a place to stow luggage, it’s a place to keep stuff for life’s little emergencies. From snow chains to ratchet straps to tools, trunk preparedness varies wildly depending on what you’re driving, when you’re driving it, and where you’re driving it.
Obviously, my use case will be different from your use case, because we likely don’t have similar driving patterns. I typically pack fairly light, as aside from the odd Sunday drive, I don’t typically venture too far outside of my massive greater metropolitan area. So without further ado, here’s what I keep in my trunk:
- Tire plug kit. On my 325i, which never came with a spare tire, being able to quickly and economically repair punctures on the go is desirable.
- 12-volt tire inflator, because a plug kit is only so useful without a way to re-inflate a punctured tire.
- Torque wrench. Sure, you can eyeball things with a lug wrench, but wouldn’t you rather be sure? A cheap click-type torque wrench is good enough for roadside lug tightening, and doesn’t take up much space.
- Spare indicator bulbs, because BMW owners already have a bad rep regarding turn signals, and I’m doing my part to fight stereotypes.
- Tool kit. Hey, it came with the car.
- Reusable bag, in case I’m caught without one.
- Picnic blanket, because sometimes you just need to savor the view.
Keen readers might note that some things seem missing. I don’t have jump leads (“jumper cables” to my American friends), but that’s mostly because all my cars have manual transmissions, and a bump-start doesn’t take up any space in the trunk and doesn’t require another car to make happen. As for a fire extinguisher, the trunk probably isn’t the best place for one of those just based on access. An Element 50 is small enough to keep in most map pockets. There’s also no winter-specific stuff in my trunks, mostly because my cars don’t go out in wintery conditions.
So, what do you keep in your trunk? Whether you rely on AAA rather than tools, or you’re ready for a roadside main bearing job at any given time, we’d love to hear from you.
(Photo credits: Thomas Hundal)
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First aid kit.
Jumper cables
Ice scraper/brush
Pair of gloves
Umbrella/cheap rain suit
Blanket
Leatherman
Reflective vest
There’s usually sunscreen and insect repellent but sometimes my wife walks off with it
I have a hatch with a shallow undertray. It has my inflator, several microfiber towels, and various other cleaning tools…plus wine bags and toilet paper.
My emergency kit fits under the rear seat, and the console, glovebox, and side cubbies get the rest…window hammers, umbrellas (RR only has one), manual, and binoculars.
2015 Fit in the Tampa Bay area, so no winter crap.
Every vehicle has: First aid kit, lthium jump pack, change of clothes, basic tool kit, and a warm hoodie. The one with a slow leak in one of the tires also has a ryobi inflator.
Also, since I work in IT, usually a whole bunch of different length network cables, some video cables, power cords, and a spare SSD.
I know a woman who keeps some junk in her trunk.
The Cougar has a couple jugs of coolant, the full size spare and associated paraphernalia, a dish of rodent repellent, and whatever seed husks the mice leave behind.
The Bimmer’s trunk contents are mostly garbage, some dating back to a job I was fired from in 2015. There is a funnel for topping up the oil when needed, and a towel because the H2G2 isn’t wrong.
*immature giggle*
First aid kit, fire extinguisher, spare set of clothing (got Norovirus at work once and didn’t quite make it to the bathroom in time. Fortunately, I was able to hail a coworker from the stall and toss him my keys to get my gym clothes from the car.) Sharpened short spade. (Haven’t had to bury a body yet, but digging my car out of a ditch? Oh yeah.) Vise-grips. A good knife. Bungee cords. Warm jacket. And of course, extra-long jumper cables.
As we are in the fire-prone California foothills, we have a large fire-extinguisher in each of our vehicles. There have been a couple of occasions where I needed one and didn’t have it and had to stomp them out.
Roll of paper towels, nitrile gloves, hand wipes, window scraper in winter, winter wheel, lug key, windshield washer fluid, bunch of shopping bags, folding shopping totes.
In the Volt: nothing; snow scraper or windshield sunshade in the back seat/footwell
In the Cruze: nothing; snow scraper or windshield sunshade in the back seat/footwell
In the Cobalt: The 2×12″ JL sub box, so nothing; blanket and sunshade in the back seat
In the Camaro: nothing; nothing in the back seat
I’d like to make a little tool kit up for each, but I have yet to get to that.
Tire inflator, jump starter and as often as possible the targa top.
A folding electric bike, helmet, bike tool kit with a battery powered air compressor, emergency kit for car with gas can, jumper cables, gloves, etc.
In my daily driver GTI: a first aid kit, my husband’s presents for his upcoming birthday, a car magnet for when a friend of mine is driving the car that says “Learning to drive stick. “. At the moment I also have in there my Kunkelman Used Cars license plate frames that I just got — need to switch them out and get them on the car.
In my Celica, I have a portable chair for car shows, my car show sign, and my car cover when not in use.
Jimmy Hoffa.
Well then who do I… On second thought, forget I said anything.
The charger cord, front license plate and bracket (came off in head-on collision), the Chevy bowtie emblem (same collision), a pair of leather work gloves, a rain poncho that no one will admit to putting there.
I like to keep things simple and not haul around a bunch of stuff I don’t need.
Lots of stuff, partly survival gear.
In the crossover, spare, fix a flat, tools etc., a crate with folding shovel, for, water, clothes, a space blanket, and a CB. Then I usually have the road trip crate, folding table and chairs, stove, French Press, bear spray and a Morakniv. Plus loose in the hatch are tie downs and bungee cords, sunscreen, bug repellent, Swix F4 Glide wax and a bike lock
My truck is similar, a crate behind the seat with tools, ratchet straps, a tarp, mover’s pad, dunnage, jackets, food and water.
Most trips involve hiking, biking, or skiing so we have CamelBaks with more stuff JIC. If trouble happens I want to be in the news for surviving in comfort not dying in the woods.
Not dead bodies. Nope, there are definitely no bodies in my trunk. That faint odor of putrification wafting from within must be from a mouse that got in there and died. I swear it’s not my neighbor who disappeared last month. Nothing to see or smell here.
Came for dead body jokes. Was not disappointed.
My daily driver’s trunk currently contains:
>jumper cables;
>the car’s original stereo (replaced it with a CarPlay unit last year);
>washer fluid;
>oil;
>the “3.2TL” badge off the trunk (it fell off a while ago);
>zip ties; and
>some artifacts from my in-laws.
A Flat-6, and tools. I drive a Corvair.
A pack of condoms, a tarp and a shovel. Don’t judge me..
Duct tape! You forgot the duct tape.
I just wrap the tarp up really hard.
For the wrists and ankles! 🙂
The one that got away..
All four of my vehicles have zipties, an assortment of fuses and relays, first aid kit, blanket, tow strap, tire inflator, tire plug kit, ratchet set, plier set, screwdriver set, fire extinguisher, flashlight, knife, some misc bulbs, jumper cables, a jump box I move from vehicle to vehicle, and some extra bolts in the most common size of the vehicle. In addition the individual cars have:
99 Miata – several spare COPs and a spare ignition module since they have proven unreliable, spare cam and crank angle sensor
04 Mazdaspeed Miata – a cleaning tool for the soft top drains although usually I have the hardtop on, spare cam and crank angle sensor
2000 S10 – variety of bungie cables and ratchet straps plus a tarp or two for hauling things
04 Mach 1 – spare fuel pump driver module, not for any reason just because I put an upgraded one in and threw the spare in the trunk just in case
I would like to get 2 spare main relays and install them in the Miatas and throw the stock ones in the glove box for spares since they have been known to occasionally fail.
F150, in the bed of the truck: plastic tote with tool set, jumper cables, ratchet straps, breaker bar with socket for tire changing, tow strap, 12v tire inflator, gloves and a hydraulic bottle jack. Small plastic tote has work shoes. I also have a jump box in the center console, those little things are amazing!
Mustang: Breaker bar and socket because the one that came with the car bent taking off the wheels the first time. Already owned the breaker bar and sockets so it was an easy immediate solution. Bag with extra shoes, socks, hat and t shirt. 12v air pump and jumper cables. shopping bags.
Kia: 12v air pump and cables. Random crap in the little storage tray beneath the trunk floor. But hey, you never know when you’ll need a guitar pedal or the instructions from an old GPS unit. Extra hat and gloves. Snow brush. Right now ski poles and boots. Lots of shopping bags. Probably some random kid toys too.
Jumper cables are for helping other people, in my experience.
That said in the hatch of the Crosstrek I keep:
roadside emergency kit (flares, jumper cables, glass breaker, etc…)
blanket (sleeping bag in the winte)
tire chains (winter only)
some spare reusable shopping bags
winter boots (winter only)
enough tools to solve minor issues (pliers, #10 socket and driver, needlenose pliers…)
First aid kit and in the winter a snow brush. I like to keep my trunks useable and not full of crap
A folding stool and a travel bass guitar.
Be prepared.
(Started doing so when I quit smoking and had an hour long lunch break at work, idle hands and all that jazz)