A cornucopia of tools

[skyway]

Hi guys,

 

I am currently (nothing else to do) reviewing what I carry in my car as my tool bag is getting heavier and I am just wondering what everyone carries as tool in their lexus's.

If I am honest with myself I have never used the tools to work on my car although I did use them to open some food containers!

I have on the list a 24inch breaker bar with the old 21mm socket attached for the wheels a full complement of sockets, wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, hex wrenches(allan keys), mallet, scan tool,

multi meter, and various spares bulbs, fuses, coil packs etc.

 

[royoftherovers]

10 minutes ago, skyway said:

Hi guys,

 

I am currently (nothing else to do) reviewing what I carry in my car as my tool bag is getting heavier and I am just wondering what everyone carries as tool in their lexus's.

If I am honest with myself I have never used the tools to work on my car although I did use them to open some food containers!

I have on the list a 24inch breaker bar with the old 21mm socket attached for the wheels a full complement of sockets, wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, hex wrenches(allan keys), mallet, scan tool,

multi meter, and various spares bulbs, fuses, coil packs etc.

 

I wouldn`t carry anything Al. Just join Green Flag for peanuts !

[skyway]

I am a member of green flag... but you don't always get the smartest tool turning up when abroad.

[runsgrateasanut]

I can say "snap" to all those things - and add a 12v Motorcycle Battery in that small compartment where the Fuel cap release is housed and a decent 12v tyre pump. (Never use the on board Cigar lighter as likely to blow the fuse)

In six years never had to use any of the things but somewhow I have never felt the Lexus was wholly reliable.  When it came to the crunch in August none of the kit was useable for the problem.

(Oh and because of long journeys I was obliged to add a "Lady drain"  or whatever its called for the Memsahib. And as the old Blad being not what it was, and I can't just stand at the roadside waving it about like I've seen the French do so often, it can second for that function)   Perhaps I shouldn't admit to this?  Ha ha ha!

 

[royoftherovers]

7 minutes ago, skyway said:

I am a member of green flag... but you don't always get the smartest tool turning up when abroad.

True, but when was the last time you heard of a Lexus breaking down when on holiday abroad?

[runsgrateasanut]

46 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

True, but when was the last time you heard of a Lexus breaking down when on holiday abroad?

Errmmmm - Howz about me in August, john?

Couple more points - Green Flag won't cover you for Overseas breakdown and I'm not so sure that they even will cover a car of 27 years young, in the UK.  Most Breakdowns go to 15 years or younger, I believe.

Oh add to the list two Cans of Tyre inflator,Plastic Wheel Chains and Breathalyser Battery kit.!

 

[skyway]

I had a coil pack go while driving back from Portugal (I did drive 1200 miles with 7 cylinders), I think maybe that those of us who have had unreliable cars in the past still can not let go of  lessons painfully learnt.

And I have to agree with Stuart on the point that a Car even a Lexus is not infallible and as my car is my daily driver added to that my tendency towards high mileage driving holidays or just 200+ miles days out....“Fortune favours the prepared mind.” .... or being prepared calms the demons in my head.

[skyway]

I am with you Stuart I also carry a tyre inflator and a tubeless repair kit (which I swear by).

I used to carry spare Washer fluid (Rainx) also..... but thanks to the new car with 2 tanks I don't have to anymore.

[royoftherovers]

2 hours ago, runsgrateasanut said:

Errmmmm - Howz about me in August, john?

Couple more points - Green Flag won't cover you for Overseas breakdown and I'm not so sure that they even will cover a car of 27 years young, in the UK.  Most Breakdowns go to 15 years or younger, I believe.

Oh add to the list two Cans of Tyre inflator,Plastic Wheel Chains and Breathalyser battery kit.!

 

Yours was Pre-Lexus,old Bean. The people who are talking to us now are not the old guard not what you and me is. They want the best possible spec, for the lowest price and the lowest B.I.K.

But not Allan the O.P. I accept.

My Merc is 18 next month on 247011 miles, still goes to and from Spain each year, still has Nationwide Breakdown Cover, still serviced by an ex Mercman in his VAT REG Business.

Your is 1993 ie. 27 years old and probably not seen an Indie for Servicing since the last appearance of Halley's Comet. You are competent enough to do 99% of things yourself.

I only gave Green Flag as an example as they are one of a number. You are right in your particular case as you could not have obtained Breakdown Cover anywhere given the vehicle`s age and service history.

Hope it all turns out right for you anyway Stu..

[Malc]

Didn't the chauffeur in olden times driving his master's Rolls Royce have to be prepared to take the engine apart for running repairs whilst abroad on a Grand Tour ?

and all he needed was a big big spanner and a few bits and pieces ......  why has it all got so much more complicated ?

The only tools I carry are in the Lexus supplied tool kit incl the spare wheel jack

Leaving it all to the RAC to deal with flat tyre wheel changes rarely and a " lift " to my indy when summat very very serious occurs outside of regular servicing and maintenance

De-clutter I say .......  and pray a little on really bad bad days

Malc

[runsgrateasanut]

Yes, Malc I seem unable to just "risk it" mind you that's probably because on two occasions I've towed a Trailer with a good few Hundred weight on board as well as a packed Car. When the Lexus Alternator failed on the M20 the guy who put us on his pick up Truck said the Car seemed be very heavy.  Not wrong, it was stuffed with clutter for the abode in France.  I asked what pressure he put into his tyres and he replied 70psi,  Wow I thought! 

I do have UK Breakdwon cover with the Saga insurance policy and Breakdown cover for Europe with a company called first4recovery.co.uk and they helped with the need to get my Car locally back to my French home Garage on a transporter.  However, as with most of these sorts of cover the cover was restricted to taking the car to the nearest place it could get fixed. In my case I felt it was too risky to have it towed  just 1000 yards to a local Garage as they wouldn't have the part to fix it and it would stand outside for who knows how long as lockdown was talked about- and finally came about. Hopefully it is safe where it is,  but it will have to suffer a bit of exposure to the weather as the Garage is doorless as my avatar image. 

[Malc]

none of my cars have ever ever been garaged  ......  except the 1932 Triumph .....  now that is a little precious

..........even when I had a garage it had my Avon inflatable on it's trailer ( long gone ) and alongside a myriad of total and utter useless " junk "

Garages are much more valuable for added home storage I'm sure unless of course one has a really really precious car 

Malc

[Malc]

The Full RAC Breakdown Recovery and Onward travel etc  cover for UK and International has proven a godsend on a few occasions, flat tyres and amazingly the alternator going " pop " on each of my current cars, the Ls400 and the Honda Legend

They come out when called, ok sometimes a little long-winded with other damn cars breaking down too and pushing my attendance down the line BUT they are excellent at communicating their position ( and mine ) and extremely courteous and attentive and professional when they are with me

And of course it seems to now be totally " free " for me, having been a Member for about 54 years approaching .....  I bought the very last of the basic Life Membership when it stopped about 50 years ago maybe .......  anyone remember ? it was covered in the Sunday Times that same weekend and I drove down to the Margate RAC kiosk to queue for the opportunity to purchase Life Membership, about £100 I think, an absolute fortune then

Malc

maybe I've already regaled you with this 

[runsgrateasanut]

And daresay like me you can remember the "opposition" on Motorcycle and sidecar saluting an oncoming Member where a Badge was on the Rad grill.   Only salute these days is two fingers!

If that was a Red Triumph Roadster with Dicky seat I recall a Mate and I thumbing a lift and sitting in the Dicky from Chelmsford to London in Winter to an overnight party,  as teenagers. Bally cold in the Dicky.

Funnily, my business partner had been given a Roadster locked away in a Garage for many years. Sadly when he did finally go to retrieve it, it had somehow flown the nest. 

[runsgrateasanut]

ooops I think the Roadster was a Fifties car, on reflection.  Your Car just two years younger than my Riley Lynx I owned for forty years and didn't move from Garage to Garage.

[BigBoomer]

Full EU breakdown cover and I verified that it covers 16 year old cars (up to 21 years old).
Full toolkit (1/2" ratchet, sockets, Allen keys, Torx, screwdrivers, craft knife, cable ties, wire, fuses, etc.) + 12v tyre inflator, puncture repair kit.
Plus the OEM Lexus toolkit. 

[The-Acre]

3 hours ago, Malc said:

The Full RAC Breakdown Recovery and Onward travel etc  cover for UK and International has proven a godsend on a few occasions, flat tyres and amazingly the alternator going " pop " on each of my current cars, the Ls400 and the Honda Legend

They come out when called, ok sometimes a little long-winded with other damn cars breaking down too and pushing my attendance down the line BUT they are excellent at communicating their position ( and mine ) and extremely courteous and attentive and professional when they are with me

And of course it seems to now be totally " free " for me, having been a Member for about 54 years approaching .....  I bought the very last of the basic Life Membership when it stopped about 50 years ago maybe .......  anyone remember ? it was covered in the Sunday Times that same weekend and I drove down to the Margate RAC kiosk to queue for the opportunity to purchase Life Membership, about £100 I think, an absolute fortune then

Malc

maybe I've already regaled you with this 

When we planned our last Euro trips we found many wouldn't cover cars over 15 years but the RAC did, and apart from thankfully not needing them the service was excellent.

[skyway]

I was thinking about making a leather tool roll for the essentials If I could slim the essentials down to actual essentials that is. 

[runsgrateasanut]

Good luck with that Allan. I just keep all my clutter in various zip Laptop bags. Weight is only similar to having a toddler in the car.

I omitted that I also carry a glass repair kit.  Has been needed on both Merc and Lexus for stone chips which frighten the life out of me when something hits the Screen.

[Malc]

22 hours ago, runsgrateasanut said:

And daresay like me you can remember the "opposition" on Motorcycle and sidecar saluting an oncoming Member where a Badge was on the Rad grill.

most certainly, both the AA and the RAC ( I think ) primarily when I was a mere young lad in my uncle's Triumph Renown traversing the Pennines to the Lakes etc

Malc

[ciao_chao]

On 12/8/2020 at 12:24 PM, runsgrateasanut said:

Errmmmm - Howz about me in August, john?

Couple more points - Green Flag won't cover you for Overseas breakdown and I'm not so sure that they even will cover a car of 27 years young, in the UK.  Most Breakdowns go to 15 years or younger, I believe.

Oh add to the list two Cans of Tyre inflator,Plastic Wheel Chains and Breathalyser battery kit.!

 

Never had any issues with breakdown cover on any of my old Benzes, all around the 30 year old mark. Not that I really use them barring some dicey motorway stuff and when I just started with the retromobiles.

All that said, I make the habit of using a proper jack and chock, because of a bent scissor jack once, and the really sketchy 80's/90's Merc jacks collapsing and also a torque wrench because I'm an oaf that likes to snap all kinds of bolts. Plus hydraulic jacks are so much faster than cranking the car up, I can usually have a wheel swapped before I'm done on hold to the breakdown company thanks to the superior tools.