Break it Down – Must Have Breakdown Kit

There is very little in life that is as emotionally draining as coming to a spluttering halt at the side of the road. Coughs from the engine beforehand, the sudden loss of electrics, that noise that wasn’t there a minute ago. Whatever is the reason for your unplanned stop, the fact remains that it’s a horrible situation to be in. And what makes it worse? Being unprepared. Sometimes a simple fault is what brings you to the side of the road, the kind of thing you could fix if only you had the kit. Or, what about if you breakdown in the cold dark of night? How do you stay warm? How do you stay safe? 

While we can’t stop your car from breaking down, we can guide you in the direction of some worthy kit that you should have on board. The gear we’ve picked here is to be bought and carried in your car on a full-time basis. No leaving it on a shelf in the garage. It’s all small, it’s lightweight and it won’t get in the way. Hopefully you’ll never need it, but if you do, you’ll be so glad you made the investment. So come on, grab the debit card and get your classic prepped for the breakdown we all hope to never have.

1) AA Breakdown and Safety Kit

It comes from the AA, so right off the bat this is a name you can trust. The kit is pretty comprehensive, and includes a reflective warning triangle, an LED torch, a tow strap, a window breaker/seatbelt cutter, jump leads, a high-vis jacket and even a tyre inflator. It all fits into a little carry bag, ensuring you don’t have a lot of kit sliding around the boot. The focus of this kit is very much safety and with it, being seen. If your classic fails at night, it’s often not as visible as more modern cars, the kit on offer here should go some way to help change that. And for £30, can you afford not to?

2) First Aid Kit

If you have an accident, or if you injure yourself while trying to fix something on your car, you’re going to be in bother. What you need is a first aid kit in the car, and this small but comprehensive kit is just the ticket. It comes loaded with 220 items from bandages to plasters to scissors to antiseptic wipes to foil blankets. If, god forbid, an injury should occur, this little but jam-packed first aid kit will either serve to patch you up or at least offer some form of aid until help arrives. And it’s just £25, which is cheap for so much peace of mind. 

3) Fire Extinguisher 

The unfortunate reality of classic cars is that, given their age, there is every chance the wiring could be the cause of a breakdown, and with that, there is the risk of a fire starting. It’s a situation we never want to be in, nor would we ever wish it upon you. However, it’s a possibility and for the £13 it costs to get some protection, it’s worth doing. This powder extinguisher from Equip is a larger capacity unit at 1kg, and is geared up to tackle fires in cars. Just pull the pin, point and squeeze the trigger and this little unit will hopefully take care of the rest. For £13, it could be the difference between a small engine fire or a total loss. 

4) Sealey Mechanic’s Tool Kit

When you’re out enjoying the open road, you can’t have all your tools with you. What you can do, though, is invest in a carefully specified tool kit. This high-grade tool kit from Sealey is just that kit. It’s been compiled with the motorist in mind, so should you break down, it may well be the lifeline you need. Obviously, you’re not going to be able to rebuild an engine with it, but if something has come loose, has broken or has failed, this kit should get you out of trouble. You get sockets, spanners, screwdrivers, pliers, snips and even a wrench. And all in a nifty case to keep everything together. And you get peace of mind with a lifetime guarantee.

5) Emergency lights/flares

As we mentioned with the AA kit at the top of this list, visibility is key. Your classic doesn’t care where it breaks down so it could leave you on a blind bend, or some other situation where it may be hard for other motorists to see you. It might be a case of the electrics failing, so no lights. Your classic might not be modern enough to even have hazard lights. That’s why, for a mere £13, you should have these battery-powered road flares in your car. They’re magnetic, so you can put them on the car, but they also come with ‘feet’ so you can place them on the road leading up to your car. As the old adage goes; be safe, be seen.