Sorry if this is a boring or redundant question, but I'm trying to outfit my Prius with as much essential or helpful stuff as I can (though nothing of very high value, understandably)... and I thought I'd check to see what obvious and non-obvious stuff you've decided to store in your car. My list of what I'm storing, or plan to store in my car, so far... Mostly-obvious stuff: - First aid kit - Air freshener - Registration - Coins for parking (in a dish) - Sunglasses - Kleenex pocket packs - Toolset + spare tire that came with the Prius Perhaps not-so-obvious stuff - Dental floss and gum - Compact umbrella - Trash bag, for putting on the floor of my Prius when I get an In-n-Out burger to go (the bag ALWAYS leaks!) - Canvas bag (for when I go grocery shopping, so I don't need to waste the store's bags) - Glasses cleaning spray - Handiwipes (though I don't plan on eating in my car!) What have I missed? I know, it's goofy, but this is my first new car and since it's actually pleasant to drive, I may take longer / more frequent trips in it to visit friends.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ThatAdamGuy @ Dec 26 2006, 10:05 PM) [snapback]367011[/snapback]</div> From your "obvious" list I do NOT keep change for meters...very few of those where I live. Nor do I keep a first aid kit...never really saw the point, the bandaids get all mucked up after a few summers in the heat and I'm rarely anywhere I can't find better products for first aid. I do have some latex gloves in a zip lock in case I come on a serious accident or something like that. I do keep those little flossing tooth picks...very very handy. Tissues, baby wipes and extra diapers are a must with my kids. I also have the compact umbrella...my wife's the only one who uses it though. In the winter I keep 1)Extension cord for my EBH, 2)Sorel boots (in case stuck in the snow), 4)Ice scraper/snow brush and 4) wool blanket...accident/emergency. When there's likely to be a storm I throw in a shovel. I keep ink pens and stuff for notes and recording mileage and such. I keep my Wal-mart gift card that gets me $0.03/gal off when I fill up. Ozonium spray. Swifter duster (a must!). Left over napkins from fast-food joints for various emergencies. All the various owners manuals and copies of essential Prius-tricks like turning off the reverse beep, getting to the diagnostic screen, etc. Windshield sun visor (not in winter). Cell phone charger. Hmmmm, probably have to poke through to spur my memory for other stuff. I do my best to avoid clutter, but I also don't like getting caught w/o something I need.
1. A Swiffer duster in the drawer below the cup holders. Great for the dash and MFD. No, that wasn't my idea...someone here on PC had it first. 2. Phone books. My town book is only 80 or so pages, so it slips nicely into the pocket behind the passenger seat. This year, our county yellow pages came with a smaller version (about 6x9"). That one lives in: 3. A collapsible soft-side insulated 2-gallon cooler that lives in the cargo floor. 4. A four-pack of cheap AA batteries in the console tray. A gag idea stolen from another PC'er: "I get about 300 miles on a set of these!" 5. An LED flashlight in the glove compartment (though I assume your tool kit has a light.)
Bottle of water(s) Emergency rations (Snowed in? Crash to bottom of ravine? Lost?) Emergency thermal blanket Jumper cables I've hidden a spare key & stashed a spare fob, in case I lose primary fob Spare eye glasses Travel binoculars CD wallet First aid kit Rain panchos Bungee cord Star lug wrench Bag of tools Threw away all my maps!
Gas can. Accident triangles with reflectors. (I also have some pop up wedges for blocking the wheels that I salvaged from my 1982 Nissan 200sx.) One of those silver thermal space blankets. Flashlight One slot and one phillips head screwdriver. Spare reading glasses tire pressure gauge umbrella printouts of some of the repair issues that haven't come out to Toyota as recalls, like the wiring harness/backwards plate issue. bottle of water Tissue windex wipes trashcan swiffer window shades first aid kit I also keeps pens and post it notes in the CD holder on the visor. I usually keep a digital camera in the center console but it's in the house right now. Doggie treats, collapsible water bowl and poop bags. I also have the trunk organizer. That's all I can think of for now.
Ah yea, a cheap disposable camera in case of accident...good idea to get photos in case of a suit later so damage can't be exagerated and you can show the scene. In Ireland they actually included one of these in the "accident packet" in our rental van! Digital tire guage. On occasion my air pump/emergency jumper box. There are so many ditzels that've accumulated over the years...
I keep last year's ice scraper (dull, but awesome for sweeping snow), this year's ice scraper (sharp, but not so great for snow), registration, CDs, cell power cord, tons of pens and pencils, spare housekey, sunglasses, 12V air pump, digital tire pressure gauge, special lugnut key, and all the tools that normally come with the car. I often have a pair of gloves or some kind of winter overgarment as well, since I no longer have a locker at work.
- plasters (aka band-aids) - torch - scissors - multi-tool kit - alcohol disinfectant liquid wipes - cleaning wipes for glasses - tissue box - measuring tape - screwdriver - touch-up paint (shouldn't really leave it in there) - maps - tyre pressure gauge - gloves - sunshade - microfibre cloth - bottled water - CDs - bluetooth headset - pens - pad of paper - post-it notes - random brochures for rear passengers to read - snowbrush/ice scraper - blanket - umbrella - plastic bags
sunglasses in the sunglass compartment tools and a flashlight in the upper glove compartment registration, insurance (separate forms in TX and LA unlike in CA) information plus owner's manual in the lower glove cd's in the compartment underneath the instrument panel mp3 player, cell phone, camera, checkbook in the center console gym membership card and stamps in the slide out drawer below the console golf umbrella and first aid kit in the hatch plus a couple of bottles of water i usually keep weight lifting gloves on my backseat oh yeah -- add the spare tire, wheel lock and tire iron under the cargo floor in the winter time i carry chains, TWO ice scraper/brushes and a can of de-icer (Yes, these things are sometimes necessary even in Austin!) I do need to start carrying a tire pressure gauge and disinfectant wipes. I will bite. What's the blowtorch for? Are you getting all medieval on someone's nice person with a pair of pliers and a blowtorch? :lol:
I don't like loose articles in my car in case of an accident, a common tissue box to the back of the head at 60 mph can kill you (supposedly) so I try to keep everything put away or strapped down: -horizontal and vertical cargo nets installed for strapping things down -In the small side compartment in the hatch I have bungee cords for more strapping down, analog tire pressure gauge because I maintain my tires myself and I do not have a compressor so it's nice to have at a gas station to check regularly, a pair of gloves in case of needing to change a flat tire, and I plan to add a tire cover in case of a flat tire so the carpets don't get all dirty. -blankets in the floor compartment to cover the back seat or cargo area for the dog -Covercraft sun shade on the floor in back (my only loose article in the car besides the all weather floor mats) -change in the center console tray, warranty papers for window tint and tires in the bottom center console compartment (and money or checks when a trip to the bank is needed) -glove boxes have the owner's manuals, insurance card, registration, napkins, dog poop bags, valet cards and gas receipts. -CD's loaded in the changer, a few extras in the compartment below the stereo -An '07 Prius brochure from Toyota to show curious people (in pocket behind passenger seat) That's all I can think of...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ilusnforc @ Dec 27 2006, 12:16 AM) [snapback]367090[/snapback]</div> (The tissue box myth was busted on mythbusters - there's just not enough mass to do any damage). Anyways, for mine: -Music CDs -Swiffer duster -Digital Tire Pressure Gauge -Pens -Cell phone charger -Portable GPS -Emergency kit (tools, flares, jumper cables, basic first aid, a few energy bars) -Lightweight sleeping bag (fits underneath the back cargo floor) -Ice scraper -Waterproof hat -Cleaning supplies and paper towel -A few empty plastic shopping bags for garbage or carrying stuff
I forgot about the Toyota emergency kit, which was included with the car. It's got jumpers, gloves, things like that. It's down in the cargo floor. I also store a dark-blue flexible plastic cutting board between the driver's seat and the console. When I swing the sun visor to the driver's window, I jam the cutting board between the visor and side window. Why? Because I'm tall with the seat fully back, and the visor doesn't block sun that far aft.
My "list" is similar to others posted: * Service Booklet * Roadside Assistance card & info. * Cellphone Charger * Extra pair eyeglasses * 2 pair Sunglasses [1 for passenger] * First Aid Kit [came with the Prius] * Microfiber wipes [for MFD] * Microfiber towel [for dash, etc.] * Small & large umbrellas * Windshield shade [Summer] * 12v mini-compressor * Accurage analog tire gauge * LED flashlight * Jumper cables * Cargo nets [pocket and full size] * Paper Towels * Old towel * Multi-tool [pliers, screwdirver, knife, etc.] * Resturant discount coupons * Printed maps [augments NAV system map] * Pad & Pen * Cellphone camera adequate for accident info. * Insurance card FUNNY... This resembles the Murphy's Law: "Junk collects in direct proportion to the space available to store it." However, I consider most of these wise choices.
Extra stuff in the car -- Toilet Paper -- hey, you never know Flashlight -- that works on 'hand power' no batteries Fold up rain parkas air pressure gauge lug wrench flares first aid kit bungee cords and that stupid bag tote that my dealer made me buy for $40 to get the car but that I've never taken out of the sack.
- A 24 inch breaker bar, 1/2 drive, with the proper 6-point metric socket to fit the wheel nuts. - A small aluminum hydraulic trolly jack, I tried out the factory "jack" at my hobby farm and like most of them, it's clearly intended to be a boat anchor and nothing more - A 1/4 inch steel plate 12x12, in case I have to jack up on gravel or another soft surface, to prevent the jack from sinking - Emergency reflectors - Folding shovel - Extension cord for the block heater - Emergency survival pack (High energy protein/food bars, sweeties, 3 sealed water tetra boxes, glowstick, hand warmer, etc) - Cheap disposable raincoat (Ever change a tire in the rain?) - Heavy leather gloves - Basic tool kit - Tire flat fix in a can All the above fits under the floor cover, believe it or not - Battery booster box - Seat covers (If you have to change a tire on a muddy road, it beats getting dirt/mud on your seats when you finally get back into the car) The above fits into a small box in the hatch. I keep an LED flashlight or "torch" in the centre console with spare batteries. Extra winter gear: survival blanket, snowsuit, Kamik winter boots Some other hints: How often do you check the air pressure in the temporary donut? Most spare tires are never checked and by the time they are needed, are flat as a pancake. Iin the comfort and safety of your garage, use the factory jack and lug wrench to actually jack up the car and change a "flat." People who never ever do this really are stuck and panic when they can't figure out where the equipment is, or how difficult it can be. Practice makes perfect. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(allargon @ Dec 27 2006, 02:56 AM) [snapback]367089[/snapback]</div> Rest of the world: "Torch" North America: "Flashlight"
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ThatAdamGuy @ Dec 26 2006, 11:05 PM) [snapback]367011[/snapback]</div> I didn't think this post was goofy. And wow! What a lot of stuff you folk keep in your cars. Is there still room for the luggage? And why keep an 'air freshener' when you have a very good a/c system?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Dec 27 2006, 11:05 AM) [snapback]367259[/snapback]</div> Oh there's plenty heh. At least in mine. My lower glovebox is empty (aside from that alcohol disinfectant and the owner's manual). I still have space in the hidden drawer. The cargo area is more or less empty except the side pocket which has the plastic bags, tie-down straps and bungee cords.