I have a cross lug wrench, screw drivers (slotted and Phillips), and heavy jumper cables in my HHR now. What other tools should I have with me? I drive 450 miles from Texas to Missouri every few weeks.

 

shot gun ?

 

I always like to carry tire plugs and a small air compressor.

 

I have a I Phone and can fix everything with it.

 

I carry a full sized Snap On toolbox fully loaded with the latest/greatest tools and equipment.....................yes, I use air bags.

 

Doctuh-

Have you tested the cross lug wrench (aka X-wrench) on your wheels ?

Additionally: some spare fuses don't hurt to carry..

 

Just make sure that your screwdrivers are metric!

What gets carried depends upon how paranoid you want to be. Many issues in today's complex cars are beyond normal hand tools and the majority of owners don't have the knowledge or skill levels to do any other than the simplest of repairs. For them, hyper has the best suggestion.

Example and a laugh... Years ago when my daughter started driving I pushed for her to learn how to change a flat. Well stubborness and teen priorities got in the way of my plans. What didn't help is that her only flat took place in front of my large downtown fire station. With her good looks I'm surprised they didn't wash her car after fixing the flat.

 

This is the first car I've owned in which my toolbox is not a permanent fixture.....

 

I bought a dedicated 150 piece (approximately) Craftsman tool-kit that fits under the driver seat.
I added assorted screwdrivers, adjustable wrenches and a 16' Stanley Powerlock in that.
Also a 4 D-cell club, er, I mean Maglight and 2 Craftsman rolls of combination wrenches, standard & metric

I haven't needed any of it for myself (besides the light) but stop to ask stranded looking bikers if they need tools.

The best tools I keep in the HHR are the AAA card in my wallet, Onstar & my cell phone.

I used Onstar once DEEP into Northern Maine woods when the cell had no reception.
I used my cell once to call AAA when I busted my intercooler by pulling onto a dirt parking lot too fast.

My Onstar is running out in June and I will be renewing this time.

Ibuprofin and Mini-Mag in the glove-box
Maps in the driver door compartment
Chargers for my cell phone and my netbook in other door compartments
Street atlases for Central Mass, NH, Western Mass & a New England road atlas behind/under the passenger seat
Roll of TP, guide books, pemmican (beef jerky), blue shop towels, bandannas, t-shirt, socks, FTL & Carhartt shorts in the cargo organizer

I'm always ready for a road trip

 

I believe this thread may be a duplicate of another done maybe 2-3 years ago.

In that one, I posted photos of my aluminum "Road Box", in which I carry enough gear to get me through a minor emergency in the middle of nowhere.

This idea came from being stranded (temporarily) in the middle of the desert for 2.5 hours until a tow truck could get to me for a bad radiator hose.