What would be some good parts to keep on hand? Accessory drive belts, coil packs, fuel injectors, various engine sensors maybe?
What parts to keep on hand?
- Thread starter das_peikko
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Yes to belts, stored in dark cool places. No to electronics; like fruit, you want the freshest you can get when you buy it.
Reason being electronics warranties start the day you buy them and don't care it wasn't in use for 3x longer than the original warranty before you found out it didn't work.
Unless you can predict the future.....Why bother?
I have fuses, relays, & fluids on hand in my garage. If one of my vehicles does break down, Which is very rare BTW.....I have other vehicles to use.
Do you only have one vehicle?
I have fuses, relays, & fluids on hand in my garage. If one of my vehicles does break down, Which is very rare BTW.....I have other vehicles to use.
Do you only have one vehicle?
a jack, a full-size spare, some light bulbs, and anything the car is likely to puke (for example, some Saabs have problems with ignition coils, so you'd want to keep one of those on hand)
Nick1994
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I don't keep any spare parts. I mean I've got a different fan clutch and thermostat somewhere in the garage for my Jeep that I've tried, but anything in the car? No.
If I'm expecting a part to die, I should replace it ahead of time.
With my Jeep who knows what's next. It's one thing after another. Right when I have a big repair expense on it I always think "Ok, this will be it, nothing will break for a while now!" Then, a couple months and 500 miles later......... something else dies.
Still love it though.
If I'm expecting a part to die, I should replace it ahead of time.
With my Jeep who knows what's next. It's one thing after another. Right when I have a big repair expense on it I always think "Ok, this will be it, nothing will break for a while now!" Then, a couple months and 500 miles later......... something else dies.
Still love it though.
Originally Posted by clinebarger
Do you only have one vehicle?
Yes. I'm not in the same league as you guys. I don't even have a cell phone to call a tow truck. No telling how long I'd be waiting on the side of the freeway until a highway patrol officer came by.
Do you only have one vehicle?
Yes. I'm not in the same league as you guys. I don't even have a cell phone to call a tow truck. No telling how long I'd be waiting on the side of the freeway until a highway patrol officer came by.
If you're going to buy spare parts, you may as well just install the new parts you buy right away and hold on to old worn (but still working) parts in your trunk for emergencies. 1) you'll reduce your likelihood of breaking down in the first place. 2) new stuff sitting in your trunk will continue to age that part. Belts and electronic components can go bad just sitting.
Fuses and fluids are as far as I would go.
Fuses and fluids are as far as I would go.
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Nothing. I have some fluids on hand and electrical connecters , wire and whatnot, but will buy a filter shortly before I'll know I'll be doing an oil change. I have a new home on 5 acre's with a metal building and I don't plan on gathering junk and possessions over the years.
Originally Posted by Reddy45
Just buy a 2nd car and only drive it when your primary car breaks.
Yep.
The problem with spares is knowing what will break. If you know that part xyz always breaks every 50k, then sure. But if you don't know when you are going to get rid of a car, why have more than absolutely necessary? Spares you don't use are lost money.
Originally Posted by das_peikko
Originally Posted by clinebarger
Do you only have one vehicle?
Yes. I'm not in the same league as you guys. I don't even have a cell phone to call a tow truck. No telling how long I'd be waiting on the side of the freeway until a highway patrol officer came by.
Cellphones are cheap today. Get a Tracfone or prepaid of your choice. For a few years I carried one around but left it turned off--it was for my convenience not anyone else's.
Just buy a 2nd car and only drive it when your primary car breaks.
Yep.
The problem with spares is knowing what will break. If you know that part xyz always breaks every 50k, then sure. But if you don't know when you are going to get rid of a car, why have more than absolutely necessary? Spares you don't use are lost money.
Originally Posted by das_peikko
Originally Posted by clinebarger
Do you only have one vehicle?
Yes. I'm not in the same league as you guys. I don't even have a cell phone to call a tow truck. No telling how long I'd be waiting on the side of the freeway until a highway patrol officer came by.
Cellphones are cheap today. Get a Tracfone or prepaid of your choice. For a few years I carried one around but left it turned off--it was for my convenience not anyone else's.
I keep the things that have broken on me in the past.
For example :
Hood release cable
Clutch cable
Then other more obvious things like :
Distributor caps, rotor arms, bulbs, extra relays, for example a fuel pump relay for my Escort as they are known to randomly die with no previous warning and leave you stranded.
For example :
Hood release cable
Clutch cable
Then other more obvious things like :
Distributor caps, rotor arms, bulbs, extra relays, for example a fuel pump relay for my Escort as they are known to randomly die with no previous warning and leave you stranded.
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Originally Posted by SubieRubyRoo
Yes to belts, stored in dark cool places. No to electronics; like fruit, you want the freshest you can get when you buy it.
Hoses ? Filters ? Fluids ?
Yes to belts, stored in dark cool places. No to electronics; like fruit, you want the freshest you can get when you buy it.
Hoses ? Filters ? Fluids ?
Originally Posted by skyactiv
Nothing. I have some fluids on hand and electrical connecters , wire and whatnot, but will buy a filter shortly before I'll know I'll be doing an oil change. I have a new home on 5 acre's with a metal building and I don't plan on gathering junk and possessions over the years.
I order my filters 6 to 12 at a time from RockAuto.com . And order wiper blades when they put them on clearance .
Nothing. I have some fluids on hand and electrical connecters , wire and whatnot, but will buy a filter shortly before I'll know I'll be doing an oil change. I have a new home on 5 acre's with a metal building and I don't plan on gathering junk and possessions over the years.
I order my filters 6 to 12 at a time from RockAuto.com . And order wiper blades when they put them on clearance .
Originally Posted by benhen77
If you're going to buy spare parts, you may as well just install the new parts you buy right away and hold on to old worn (but still working) parts in your trunk for emergencies. 1) you'll reduce your likelihood of breaking down in the first place. 2) new stuff sitting in your trunk will continue to age that part. Belts and electronic components can go bad just sitting.
Fuses and fluids are as far as I would go.
That. If I feel a part is starting to go bad (like a pulley, alternator, etc.) I replace it, and keep the old. Well pulley and alternator no, but coils, sensors, etc.
On the Barchetta I gradually replaced all sensors, a few died of old age and since I was there I replaced them all (not a lot on this car), kept the old mostly for # reference, or to give to another Barchetta owner at the club, when in need at a meeting.
If I look in my sig I have spark plugs for the Barchetta (copper) and the Colt. Air, cabin and oil filter for all, fuel filter for Barchetta, a generic stash of fuses and relay (that I never had to replace in like 15 years BTW). Belt for Barchetta and Colt, the Mazda got the new belt/tensioner/pulley in advance since I felt like changing them.
In each car I have like a litre or two of oil just in case, transmission fluid in the automatic for the same reason. Never used that for me but often gave to someone in need.
In the garage...well many jugs of oil, manual transmission oil, but just 6 litres of transmission fluid, since the Mazda is the only automatic and takes the "stupid" Mazda MV fluid. Don't forget some spare rags, brake/parts cleaner, WD40 or equivalent, anti-seize, and a few sorts of grease (basically all what a basic garage would have).
Also I keep a few generic tools in the cars, something to change a tire more comfortably than the factory mini tool, x-acto knife, clamps, a few screwdrivers, wrenches for oil change, battery replacement, and a flashlight.
I try to do all maintenance preventively, and rarely got stranded on the road. Once a fuel leak, once a damper pulley that lost a part and took the serpentine belt with it. Everything else that happened I managed to go home. Maybe I shouldn't keep all that stuff in my cars... My father used to have a lot of parts in his trunk, even a spare plastic windshield in case his were to brake.
If you're going to buy spare parts, you may as well just install the new parts you buy right away and hold on to old worn (but still working) parts in your trunk for emergencies. 1) you'll reduce your likelihood of breaking down in the first place. 2) new stuff sitting in your trunk will continue to age that part. Belts and electronic components can go bad just sitting.
Fuses and fluids are as far as I would go.
That. If I feel a part is starting to go bad (like a pulley, alternator, etc.) I replace it, and keep the old. Well pulley and alternator no, but coils, sensors, etc.
On the Barchetta I gradually replaced all sensors, a few died of old age and since I was there I replaced them all (not a lot on this car), kept the old mostly for # reference, or to give to another Barchetta owner at the club, when in need at a meeting.
If I look in my sig I have spark plugs for the Barchetta (copper) and the Colt. Air, cabin and oil filter for all, fuel filter for Barchetta, a generic stash of fuses and relay (that I never had to replace in like 15 years BTW). Belt for Barchetta and Colt, the Mazda got the new belt/tensioner/pulley in advance since I felt like changing them.
In each car I have like a litre or two of oil just in case, transmission fluid in the automatic for the same reason. Never used that for me but often gave to someone in need.
In the garage...well many jugs of oil, manual transmission oil, but just 6 litres of transmission fluid, since the Mazda is the only automatic and takes the "stupid" Mazda MV fluid. Don't forget some spare rags, brake/parts cleaner, WD40 or equivalent, anti-seize, and a few sorts of grease (basically all what a basic garage would have).
Also I keep a few generic tools in the cars, something to change a tire more comfortably than the factory mini tool, x-acto knife, clamps, a few screwdrivers, wrenches for oil change, battery replacement, and a flashlight.
I try to do all maintenance preventively, and rarely got stranded on the road. Once a fuel leak, once a damper pulley that lost a part and took the serpentine belt with it. Everything else that happened I managed to go home. Maybe I shouldn't keep all that stuff in my cars... My father used to have a lot of parts in his trunk, even a spare plastic windshield in case his were to brake.
Originally Posted by skyactiv
Nothing. I have some fluids on hand and electrical connecters , wire and whatnot, but will buy a filter shortly before I'll know I'll be doing an oil change. I have a new home on 5 acre's with a metal building and I don't plan on gathering junk and possessions over the years.
Good luck on keeping the new building uncluttered. Its very hard when you have the room to say well I might need this someday . I try to not keep non essentials around but they still seem to build up somehow. In doing spring sorting and chucking out now , also helps me know what I have and where it's at .
Nothing. I have some fluids on hand and electrical connecters , wire and whatnot, but will buy a filter shortly before I'll know I'll be doing an oil change. I have a new home on 5 acre's with a metal building and I don't plan on gathering junk and possessions over the years.
Good luck on keeping the new building uncluttered. Its very hard when you have the room to say well I might need this someday . I try to not keep non essentials around but they still seem to build up somehow. In doing spring sorting and chucking out now , also helps me know what I have and where it's at .
Given proper inspection, how many belts break "out of the blue"?
If you have nasty ex-wife who hates you, then a garage full of spare parts will not be enough.
If you have nasty ex-wife who hates you, then a garage full of spare parts will not be enough.
Originally Posted by Bud
Fuses, fluids and filters.
This and any maintenance items that is coming due like belts or spark-plugs so if it fails just before it's due it's no issue.
Fuses, fluids and filters.
This and any maintenance items that is coming due like belts or spark-plugs so if it fails just before it's due it's no issue.
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