Sending Your Teen To College In A Questionable Car? What To Pack So They Don't Get Stranded

Your teen is headed to college and you worry that their car isn't going to be very reliable. What can you do? There are some items you may want to put in the trunk to make sure that they have what they need in case they get stranded or if they start having car problems. You don't want your teen to have to call a tow truck or rush to the mechanic unnecessarily, which can cost a lot of money. Instead, consider getting them the following.

Used Tire

If your teen only has a small donut in the trunk or they don't have any spare tire at all, there are many advantages to buying a used tire for them to store. You can get a safe and reliable tire at a fraction of the cost of a new tire, you won't have to worry about them being stuck somewhere without a reliable tire to drive on, and they don't have to come up with the money to replace their tire if the damaged tire isn't fixable.

Battery Tester and Jumper Cables

It's easy to leave a light on or the door open or for an old battery to lose a charge in cold weather. A battery tester for your teen to hook up to the car is an easy way for them to tell if there is just a minor battery problem when their car won't start or if they have to fix something serious in their car. With the tester and cables, they'll know if they need a jump from another car.

Fuel Stabilizer

If your teen lets the gas tank get very low, or if the car may sit for a long period of time without being driven on a campus parking lot, you'll want to get fuel stabilizer for them to keep in the car. A low gas tank can have condensation from changing temperatures, which leads to water in the fuel. This low quality fuel can make the motor sputter and cause other problems. If your teen complains the vehicle doesn't sound right or feel right, the stabilizer can help when they have bad gas.

These are just a few of the things that you want your teen to have access to when they are away at college, and there are a variety of other tools or fluids you may consider packing. Look at a local used car parts store to find more useful parts.

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