Do you have a lot of stuff in your vehicle or not much and why?

[codebreaker]

Some people probably have a lot of stuff in their vehicle because of weather, work, remoteness, etc. Some might not have much because of location, crime, whatever. I am thinking about a new vehicle. When I look at my current one, I see a boat load of stuff I never touch. I live in an urban area. Pistol is on my hip so I'm thinking I might get by with 4-5 tools, flashlight, sunglasses, tylenol. But then I start thinking about all the "what ifs" and here we go again, trying to be ready for everything.

 

[eveled]

Sunglasses, shovel, snowbrush, blanket, jumper cables, case of water. Thats about it.

 

[Captain America]

I live in a city, nothing loose is visible from the outside.

 

[Mike J]

I work commercial construction so I carry around a bunch of junk. I have a toolbox on the back of the truck with extra clothes, a mechanics tool box, an overflow/spare tool toolbox of stuff for work, Jumper cables & a small compressor that plugs into a vehicle sigarette lighter. It seems I always wind up with some tools rolling around in the back floorboard. There is a flashlight in the map pocket on the drivers side door. Hard hat, safety glasses gloves, hand sanitizer, markers pencils. My truck is always full of junk.

 

[Armybrat]

Nothing visible in the cars.
A folding knife and wet wipes in the console.
A box in the trunk contains a toilet paper roll, a picnic pack with paper plates & plastic cutlery, a battery pac with jumper cables, and some plastic sacks for trash.
Edited to add: Flashlight, N95 masks.

 

[Bullthrower338]

I pack way to much stuff with me, 30 years of being all over the country doing construction makes for a hard habit to break. Always figured it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it!

 

[hittman]

Nothing visible in my Silverado either. But between glove boxes and storage box under rear seat you’ll find sunglasses, microfiber cloth, registration, insurance card, whisk broom, nice bottle jack, large ratchet and deep well socket that fits my lug nuts, bungee cords, tow strap, cell phone charger, flashlight, AK bayonet with sheath and frog, 1 roll of Scott shop towels …. Maybe more I don’t remember now.

 

[Kevin]

We live in a supposedly good neighborhood, but in the past both of our cars have been broken into overnight.

No car has anything in it besides registration papers and the regular maintenance paperwork in the glove compartment.

 

[hittman]

Like many communities we’ve had a pretty good spike in car burglaries recently. Most common denominator in them is about 90% of the time it’s unlocked and/or keys left inside.

 

[375supermag]

Small tool kit in the trunk, ice scraper behind the front seat and some paper napkins and a pen in the console.
Not a big fan of a lot of of junk in my vehicles.

 

[turd]

Well, I live in snow country, and while I don't travel around it as much as I used to, I've gotten accustomed to having a medium sized duffle bag in the back of the most used Grand Cherokee.

• Good, long, jumper cables
• Various tools - sockets, adjustable wrench, screwdrivers, etc. in tool rolls
• Blanket
• Flashlights
• Toilet paper
• Rags
• Fix-a-flat
• Tow rope
• Paper towels
• Gloves
• Ear warmer band
• Candy bars & cookies packaged
• Small folding shovel
• Couple of good ice scrapers

If I'm planning an out of town trip I'll bring water (can't leave in the Jeep as it will freeze) or other liquids. I also have a folding knife, small flashlight, binoculars, pens, small notepad and some facemasks in the console, and registration and insurance papers in the glove box. Lots of stuff, but it is all packed and out of the way, and not visible from the outside if I pull the cover over the back hatch area.

 

[Mobuck]

I'm a pessimist and I drive a pickup so have lots of stuff. My 'work' pickup is equipped for anything I might encounter on any day. The old Chevy doesn't care if it's just me and a coffee cup or me and 500# of stuff.
Two spare tires and 18V impact wrench plus a small compressor. Floor jack, tarp, a few spare parts, duct tape, hose clamps, tie wire--all go in the tool box in the bed. In the cab at least 2 flashlights w/spare batteries, crew sized first aid box, ratchet straps, spare coat/rain suit, several cutting tools, spare ammo of various calibers, spare mag(s) for my pistol and 2-3 loaded mags for the AR PDW. In the summer a case of bottled water. Year round whatever sort of snacks I like. I could live for several days on what I carry if necessary.
If I'm going on a longer trip, there's a big box with everything from MRE's to cooking equipment to shelter.

 

[redhawker]

Well, let's see. I'll start out by saying my vehicle is a 4x4 pickup with a winch on the front so some of the stuff is specific to that type of vehicle... In no particular order... a large capacity 12-volt air pump, tire repair kit with plugs, Colby valves ( https://colbyvalve.com/ ), large breaker bar with socket to fit lug nuts, two sets of lug nuts for the spare (which, when going on off-road trips I carry two spares and the lug nuts for the wheels on the ground won't work for the spare(s) ), ax, shovel, snatch block, winch line dampener, D-ring shackles (2), 10,000 pound+ tow strap, tree strap, leather gloves, jumper cables, inverter (12-volt to 120-volt), adjustable drop hitch for receiver, hitch mounted D-ring shackle, recovery traction boards, fire extinguisher (2), E-Z tire deflator, 2-day survival kit, first aid kit, 12-ton bottle jack, Fiber-fix repair wrap, and, of course, a roll of TP.

 

[sfhogman]

Leatherman, flashlight in glovebox. Lithium jump-start under seat.

 

[The Preacher]

Have the bare minimum. Did have a lot of stuff in the car years ago but then my car was stolen (got it back after a week) but none of my stuff was there. My boy had packs and hunting equipment in his car a few years ago in Lancaster PA and it was broken into. Everything was taken. Lesson learned....

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Let's just say "a lot." People are always surprised at what all I can pull from under a seat or an ammo can in the back.

 

[arfmel]

- One forty-five caliber automatic
- Two boxes of ammunition
- Four days' concentrated emergency rations
- One drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine,
vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills
- One miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible
- One hundred dollars in rubles
- One hundred dollars in gold
- Nine packs of chewing gum
- One issue of prophylactics
- Three lipsticks
- Three pair of nylon stockings.

 

[Bob Wright]

I have a small tool box that doubles as a step stool. So when I go to Home Depot I can load a couple of boards or fence pales onto my roof rack. I have to stand on the stool to reach the top, and inside the box are lashing straps to secure my load. Then there are a pair of work gloves to handle the wood with. And a roll of paper towels and waterless hand cleaner. Yeah, an ice scraper and Windex.

Bob Wright

 

[WanderLust]

Arfmel, shouldn't that list start with a nine-millimeter Parabellum? If you're going to be a foreign agent slipping into the country, I can see where you want to blend in a bit with a .45. I'm thinking you'd be wearing the nylons if you're infiltrating California or a pre-school drag show.

 

[protoolman]

20 ft heavy jumper cables. Big canvas tool roll with full socket set, wrenches, electrical tester, screwdrivers, tie wire, duct tape, wire ties , water pump pliers etc. Ratchet straps, spotlight 12v. Wool blanket, shovel, bucket, axe, 30 ft. Tow chain. Extra hitch 1 7/8" ball as well as 2" in the receiver. Fencing Pliers and Leather gloves. Bungees and tarp straps. Box of farmers matches.