Spares to carry on a road trip

[ja17]

Some basic items to carry along on a road trip;

The car tool kit and/or some basic hand tools.

Spare fan belt.

New or good used take off parts like spark plugs, points, hoses clamps, muffler hangers rings,

Items for the very cautious traveler may be an extra fuel pump, voltage regulator, wheel bearings and seals, and waterpump.


What else do you carry?

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[Ben]

Mobile phone charger !!    

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

[bsimaz]

Beer...

Bill Simaz
'66 230sl
Back on the Road

[rhersberger]

These two replies, "beer" and "mobile phone charger," remind me of a joke"

A guy is in the kitchen with a fly swatter making some kills.  His wife walks in and asks what he is doing. "I"m killing flies. I got three males and two females."  Oh, his wife asks, "how do you know their gender?"  "Easy," he says, "Three were on the beer can and two were on the phone!"

Rod Hersberger

Santa Barbara

'68 280 SL, red, tan, 4sp, two tops
'01 Jag S Type brg
'07 Cayman S Carmona red, sand beige

[Naj ✝︎]

quote:Trice
1968 280SL US, signal red/bl leather, auto, kinder seat
Sarasota FL; Alsace France; Switzerland
You only need 2 tools in life: WD40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop.

And a selection of hose clips, cable ties, fuses.
A bulb kit, reflective jacket, and warning triangle are mandatory in Europe

naj

68 280SL

[ami]

I also like to include:-four spare tires, exhaust system and a few key body panels...front wings / sills etc.

cars including SL's

[Shvegel]

I try not to carry too much but I do try to catch things before they break. I rebuild starter, alternator and replace water pump every 80k New belts every 60k. I pressure test my cooling system before long trips.(this applies to all my cars especially my wife's Volvo)

I replaced all my brake lines and hoses, rebuilt wheel cylinders and replaced master cylinder when I bought my car. I don't have to think about brakes.

I do carry tools, Wire for jumpers etc, electrical connectors tape and a flashlight.

Interesting to note I don't carry a spare tire. I keep good rubber on the car and I think having the extra room in the trunk is worth the risk.

[JimVillers]

Joe .... Besides lots of tools and a cell phone, I carry a few items that will stop the car and are not available in auto parts stores.  As you recall, I carry a rear wheel bearing because they are hard to get on weekends.  I also carry a spare Pentronix ignition and an early fuel pump rebuild kit.

Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-Speed, 190E 2.3-16, MGB 5-Speed

[J. Huber]

And for the real problemos, I would add a membership to AAA. I suggest the "deluxe" membership which will tow you anywhere you want, regardless of miles -- and you can request a flatbed.

James
63 230SL

[waltklatt]

Would it also be good to bring along the mechanic who does the work on the car for you?  Well, not everyone needs a mechanic as they do their own work.  But at least have an internet capable laptop or phone to access the SL forum.  
Walter
1967 220SL-diesel

[dendrinos]

Really, if you just bring one thing, make it a hot blond. Then you will be hoping for a breakdown.

P

280 Sl
Michigan, USA

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by J. Huber

And for the real problemos, I would add a membership to AAA. I suggest the "deluxe" membership which will tow you anywhere you want, regardless of miles -- and you can request a flatbed.

James
63 230SL

Jim,

Round these parts the "deluxe" is known as "Gold" or "Plus RV".  It includes only 100 miles of towing.   AAA SoCal also has Premier which is above Plus RV, and has 200 miles of towing.  We don't have that available.  Do it 4 times in a year and you are sent back to regular!

Regular includes 5 miles of towing.  Been there done that which is why I have the Plus RV.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
President, International Stars Section
Mercedes-Benz Club of America

[Chad]

Have benefitted from this one while using various antique cars of varying levels of disrepair and unreliability.

quote:Originally posted by dendrinos

Really, if you just bring one thing, make it a hot blond. Then you will be hoping for a breakdown.

P

280 Sl
Michigan, USA

1967 230SL

[J. Huber]

Hi Michael. You are right on. It's not unlimited mileage but enough to get you out of the woods (normally). Here it is 100 miles 4 times a year as you stated. I stand corrected.

I could have used this once when I was younger. My clutch (pre-Pagoda days -- a Honda Accord) went out on a trip to Las Vegas and they towed me 7 miles. That got me from the middle of nowhere to about 7 miles from the middle of nowhere... Paid the guy 200 bucks to get me to Vegas. Of course, I planned to win it all back...Yea, right. Ended up leaving the car at a dealership to be worked on and had to take a Greyhound Bus home. Fortunately, one of my party stayed behind and drove it home 3 days and a few 100 more dollars later. Not my fondest memory...

James
63 230SL

[hauser]

I would think that most of us here have AAA?  I do!  I also have Hagerty which provides flatbed towing service.  I would try to simply combine the two and double my distance.

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by hauser

I would think that most of us here have AAA?  I do!  I also have Hagerty which provides flatbed towing service.  I would try to simply combine the two and double my distance.

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

They call this "coordinated benefits" and good luck trying to make it work!!

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
President, International Stars Section
Mercedes-Benz Club of America

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by J. Huber

Hi Michael. You are right on. It's not unlimited mileage but enough to get you out of the woods (normally). Here it is 100 miles 4 times a year as you stated. I stand corrected.

I could have used this once when I was younger. My clutch (pre-Pagoda days -- a Honda Accord) went out on a trip to Las Vegas and they towed me 7 miles. That got me from the middle of nowhere to about 7 miles from the middle of nowhere... Paid the guy 200 bucks to get me to Vegas. Of course, I planned to win it all back...Yea, right. Ended up leaving the car at a dealership to be worked on and had to take a Greyhound Bus home. Fortunately, one of my party stayed behind and drove it home 3 days and a few 100 more dollars later. Not my fondest memory...

James
63 230SL

The funny thing about my bad towing experience which involved an angry dealer, dead transmission, and $450+150 miles of towing, while waiting for the tow truck is we sat IDLING (no car motion) in our Ford Explorer with the air on for an hour.  It was over 100 degrees F outside, and we could have frozen water into ice cubes with the a/c.  The darn temp needle didn't budge off norm.  One thing all the American car companies can do is AIR CONDITIONING and they all do it very, very well.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
President, International Stars Section
Mercedes-Benz Club of America