Allegro Club International

Richard Howe · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 4:46 pm Post subject: What spares/tools do you carry?

I participated in a thread on this subject on another forum & thought it would be fun to compare notes on here too.

I find that I carry more spares in the cars with suitable locations to store them in; my Allegro saloon has the bare minimum as they just rattle around in the boot otherwise, whereas the estates have that lovely "hidden cavern" under the boot floor next to the spare. Tara came with a fitted toolbox built by the former keeper, and that has plugs, points, fanbelt (which I've been very grateful for & already replaced once through necessity!), various spanners, plug spanner, hammer... I was lacking some screwdrivers though, as discovered when trying to swap solenoids at Peterborough; luckily Merv & Colin Taylor were able to come to my rescue, and I have since obtained a lovely period ratcheting screwdriver/socket set; I've also now added a soleniod to my parts. I have a spare coil somewhere as well, but I'm not carrying it currently... Both estates carry blankets (or equivalents), bottles of water, and one also has a jerrycan as its fuel sender is playing up - not had to use it yet, but it'll stay as that's going to be my daily car anyway once it's fully sorted.

The Lexus is missing one of its original toolkit's spanners but the torch still works with the original Duracells! It also has 1 litre bottles of various fluids in one side of the spare wheel protector, a tow rope & jump leads to offer assistance in the other side, and a reflective vest & heavy working gloves in the pocket designed for the dealer-option first-aid kit. And of course, all my cars carry serviceable spare wheels, jacks, & suitable wrenches for swapping wheels, and my insurance includes breakdown cover - a fact I've been thankful for multiple times, although never in the same car twice.
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...that's why Allegro will look as good 5 years from now as it does today.

ruSSell · Joined: 18 Jul 2008 Posts: 883

Good thread Richard.

In my everyday 3 Series i have a box with footpump, tow rope, tyre pressure gauge, jump leads, overalls incase i have to change a wheel, oil, water, coolant, and screenwash, small bottle of brake fluid and some ATF. Bar that on a car as complex I dont carry anything as its a shut the bonnret job and call the AA!!

In the Allegro i have a big holdall in the boot with a set of spanners, sockets, rubber mallet, stanley knife, mole grips, pliers, electrical bullet / spade connectors, crimpers, new plugs, leads, coil, condenser, rotor arm, dizzy cap, points, fuel hose and havent yet but am planning to carry new water and fuel pumps. Carry all fluids in the Allegro too as well as tow rope, jump leads, overalls etc.

Laurence · Joined: 17 Jul 2007 Posts: 1408 Location: Plymouth

Something useful to carry/wear

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/clarke-bbc-5-baseball-cap-with-led-lights

or one of the other LED headlights @ Machine Mart

ruSSell · Joined: 18 Jul 2008 Posts: 883

Now thats ingenious!!!! Loving that Laurence!!! Smile

Richard Howe · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 9:27 pm Post subject:

That is a clever cap. At Cranleigh, Andy spotted a mains rechargeable LED worklight for just a fiver, which would also make for an ideal companion for night runs (which for me, with winter encroaching already, means either going to or returning from work!)
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...that's why Allegro will look as good 5 years from now as it does today.

Colin T · Joined: 13 May 2007 Posts: 1282 Location: N.E. Hampshire

Allegro: ALL my tools, spare coolant hoses, spare FANBELT (broke down and had loads of tools, but no spare fanbelt Rolling Eyes

), distributor cap, HT leads, 10 amp cable, garden wire, zip ties, gaffer tape, reflective vests, large roadside torch, small handheld torch, 5 litres ready mixed coolant, 1 litre oil, spare points, spare spark plugs, spare wheel and OE tools & jack, WW2 Navy blanket, axle stands, lamp lens repair tape, disposable overalls. Probably loads more stuff I can't think of right now.

To be honest my tools live in my Allegro, useful storage place for them!

I've broken down twice in the Allegro - broken fanbelt (5 miles from my Dad so he rushed out with one) and unplugged alternator, whoops! Both my fault, forgot to check the belt when servicing, and randomly left the alternator plug off when doing stuff.

Rover: OE tool kit, full size alloy spare, 2 litres ready mixed coolant, 7mm socket screwdriver, reflective vests, OE accessory tiny hand-held torch, breakdown card!!!

Broken down twice due to major coolant loss and only had the car a year and a half. Got home on a flat bed both times. The Allegro has never failed to complete a journey!! Although it has failed to start a few......
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Hell has frozen over...... the car formally known as 'Heap' is back on the road!