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My road trip essentials checklist
Road trip season is upon us. Before you hit the open road, here are a few things you’ll want to pack in your car. Every time this topic comes up, someone always asks, “Why bother with any of that? Why not just get roadside assistance.” Well, I have AAA, but that doesn’t mean I leave home unprepared. AAA is great for peace-of-mind, but I don’t want to be left stranded over something silly like a tire puncture or a dead battery. Also, anyone who has ever had to use their roadside assistance knows that they don’t exactly rush to your rescue.
SMALL TOOL KIT
This tool kit from Wera Tools (8100 SB 7 Zyklop) is perfect for travel. It contains a handful of commonly used metric sockets as well as 16 screwdriver bits including Phillips and Torx. It’s compact and fits perfectly in the side storage of my F30’s trunk along with the owner’s manual. You don’t need to bring your entire tool chest with you, but having a handful of neatly packed tools is a smart idea.
Buy Wera tool kit here
SPARE TIRE
A flat tire is perhaps the most common reason that people get stranded on the road. Back in the day, cars came with spare tires, then half size or “donut” spares, and nowadays in many cases, no spare at all. Even if your car came with run-flat tires, keep in mind that you can only drive up to 50 mph for up to 50 miles with a flat. My solution? A full size wheel and tire. With a full size spare, you can swap it out and continue on your journey as though nothing happened. This fits in my F30 trunk with enough room for luggage for two people. I bought this exact setup on Amazon of all places.
TIRE REPAIR KIT AND COMPRESSOR
If you don’t want to carry a full size spare in your trunk, you should at least have a portable air compressor and a tire repair kit. I’ve had this compressor for years and it has saved me on a couple of occasions. By the way, it’s a good idea to check your tire pressure before a long trip. Not only could it reveal a potential leak, but having your tires properly inflated will save you a few MPG as well. This one plugs in to your car’s 12V outlet and has a built in digital pressure gauge and flashlight. I also keep this Slime Tire Tackle kit which has everything you need to repair a nail puncture. Road trip or not, it’s a good idea to keep both of these in your trunk at all times.
Buy portable compressor here
Buy tire repair kit here
Buy digital tire gauge here
JACK AND BREAKER BAR
Of course if you’re going to do any kind of tire repair or replacement on the road, you’ll need a way to get the wheels off the car. You’ll want to pack a portable jack and a breaker bar. My F30 3 Series, like many BMW’s uses a 17mm socket for the lugs. Before you head out, make sure the jack actually fits under your car. I drove around with a jack in my trunk for years, only to test it one day and find out that it was WAY to tall and would have been useless in an emergency. Here is a link to the exact one I have now that fits under my lowered car.
Buy portable jack here
Buy breaker bar here
Buy torque wrench here
Buy 17mm wheel socket here
POWERSTATION
An item I like to keep in my glovebox is this Mophie Powerstation Go. It’s a multi-purpose battery brick that can jump-start your car, charge your phone, and even power a laptop. It also has a flashlight and red flashing hazard light. My only complaint about the Powerstation Go is that the one USB-C port can only be used to charge the Powerstation itself. The other ports that output power are only USB-A. It would have been nice if ALL of the ports were USB-C. Like many of the items on this list, this isn’t just for road trips. It’s small enough that it can live in your glovebox at all times. Just check the power level indicator every so often so it’s ready when you need it.
FEATURES:
55 watt hour battery
jump-starter/ jumper cables
car battery voltage test
65 watt AC port
USB-A ports (x2)
flash light
flashing SOS light
Buy Powerstation here
OBD II SCAN TOOL
Carly is an app that I’ve been using for years. It’s a BMW-specific diagnostic tool that’s designed for anyone with any experience level to be able to use and understand. If you get the dreaded “Service Engine Soon” warning, Carly is a quick and easy way to diagnose your car on the road. By plugging the Carly adapter into your OBD II port and connecting to the Carly app on your phone, you can determine whether it’s a minor issue where you could continue driving to a service center, or if it’s something serious that would require a tow. Carly may not be the most powerful diagnostic tool in existence, but it’s easily the most convenient.
Buy Carly adapter here
EXTRA OIL AND COOLANT
These might seem like overkill, but this is a BMW after all. I like to bring a single liter bottle of oil and a bottle that’s premixed 50/50 with coolant and distilled water. Speaking from experience, keep these two in a plastic bag in your trunk in case they spill.
CHECKLIST
Wera tool kit: buy here
18” spare wheel: buy here
18” spare tire: buy here
Portable air compressor: buy here
Tire repair kit: buy here
Digital tire gauge: buy here
Portable jack: buy here
Breaker bar: buy here
Torque wrench: buy here
17mm wheel socket: buy here
Mophie Powerststion Go: buy here
Carly Adapter: buy here
1L 0W-20 oil: buy here
BMW coolant: buy here
These are the main items I’d recommend packing for a road trip. Roadside assistance is great, but I also want to be prepared. Many of the items I mentioned are inexpensive and don’t take up much room anyway. I wish you all safe travels this summer, and of course, enjoy the drive!
Sponsorship disclosure: Some of the items in this list were provided to me for free by Kies Motorsports, while others were purchased by me at regular retail price.