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Help me buy some tools for the RX-8

amdhunter

amdhunter

Lifer
I just realized I don't have any tools in my car yet, and would like to buy some.
I'd like to purchase from Amazon, or any bigger name shop.

Keep in mind that I have very limited trunk space, and I'd like a way to keep things organized and not flopping around. (Like this: http://l.yimg.com/dv/izp/mazda_rx_8_6_speed_2005_other_trunk.jpg)

I would like:

Basic tool set for emergencies. Something that I can use to troubleshoot problems in a pinch somewhere. I assume since my car is Japanese, it needs to be Metric tools right?

Battery charger with Air compressor, something lightweight and small. I can probably find this myself.

A nice jack for tire changes. I'd need something that can clear the low stance of the RX8 and be able to jack the car up with low effort.

I always end up making horrible choices with tool sets, so help me out a bit.
 
i think 90% of cars on the road today can be used with metric.

only thing i would really carry with you in the trunk is a spare engine =D lol


all joking aside, stock jacks are great for ONLY changing tires. never go under. Since you dont have tools, i assume you dont know all to much on a car.

a simple 10mm-19mm deep and shallow stock set and a 3/8 ratchet. a couple of flat and philip head screw drivers. jumper cables. zip ties, rags. from what i hear about rotary a COUPLE of quarts of oil. thats about it. on the road in the middle of nowhere if your car breaks down you are very limited to what you can do.
 
What is your price range?

For toosl I have a basic little socket set in a pastic case. I got it from target , onsale. Has some pliers and other things but small. I think I paid $25 or so for it.

But unless you will use them a lot don;t get a big set. Reason is there will always be something you don;t have and even if you have the tools do you have the part to fix it?
Example my truck broke down this weekend. Simple idler pully. I got the old parts off but without the new part it was a waste. Had towed home and fixed the next morning when the parts stores opened up.


Also the small air compressor's never seem to work well at all and always burn out. I would skip unless there are newwer and much better ones out there. I do have a tire plug kit in my truck, but use it on others cars then my own.
 
T2urtle said:
all joking aside, stock jacks are great for ONLY changing tires. never go under. Since you dont have tools, i assume you dont know all to much on a car.
Click to expand...

Pretty much this, although I usually can (generally) figure out what the problem is with some cars. (But not fix.) I'd like to have the tools in an emergency situation though.
 
Unless you carry a diagnostic tool, and a lot of spare parts, there is not much you can do for any modern car repair wise on the side of the road.

Does your RX-8 have a spare? They do not come with a spare from the factory, but one can be added (giving up a lot of trunk space). From the factory you should have a sealer kit and an air compressor strapped to the passenger side of the trunk.

I carry:

A compact metric tool set (wrenches, sockets)
Serpentine belt and belt tensioner tool
Oil, Coolant, brake fluid.
Factory flat kit (sealer, compressor)
AAA card.
 
Spend the money on AAA instead of tools. Your car is new enough you shouldn't have to worry about breaking down on the highway, if something does go wrong you'll need a tow anyway.
 
Don't forget a good flashlight with spare batteries.

If you did have a spare, a time-saver is a ratchet with socket for your lugnuts.
 
kornphlake said:
Spend the money on AAA instead of tools. Your car is new enough you shouldn't have to worry about breaking down on the highway, if something does go wrong you'll need a tow anyway.
Click to expand...

I guess this isn't a bad idea. I do have a spare tire and can manage to change my own spare though.

I'll look into this ASAP.

I also have to buy some oil to keep it in the back of the car, right now I've been stealing from my friends stash (he also has an 8.)
 
MiataNC said:
Unless you carry a diagnostic tool, and a lot of spare parts, there is not much you can do for any modern car repair wise on the side of the road.

Does your RX-8 have a spare?
Click to expand...

What kind of diagnostic tool? Just a plain ODBII reader? Yep, I have the spare. I also had a brochure from the previous owner about having run-flats on the car, but I don't see the "RFT" logo on them. Is there any real way to tell if they are run flat or not? (Besides letting all the air out?)
 
It should say on the side of the tire if it si a Run Flat. Also just look it up at the makers site as well.

If in doubt, treat it as a NON-runflat. Most people replace run flats with reg. tires. I did that on my C5.
 
I only keep a cheap ratcheting screwdriver set in my car. I got it because it had torx drivers which I need because it's GM and they're smarter than everybody else and so use torx.

Any jack is going to fit under your RX-8 unless you've lowered it. I say you're good with the crappy jack your car came with (as long as it is a normal scissor jack and not one of those awful POS german ones) and if you want to go overboard, a jackstand.

What do you plan on needing a socket set for? You think you're going to need an emergency oil change at some point? Oh man, I have to do an engine swap right now! I figure since you don't already carry one, then you're not adjusting suspension for racing events either.

I'd say:
~little ratcheting screwdriver set
~stock scissor jack
~paper towels, for checking your oil and blowing your nose
~a jackstand if you want to go completely overboard
~first aid kit (stole this one from howard)
~oil? you burn a lot of oil in those things, right?


Oh and you got a Japanese car, so I'll just come out and say it. If you bought silly rims for your car, make sure your car's lug wrench can reach and use the lugs in the rims. Also make sure you have the little key for your wheel locks if you have them.
 
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TwinsenTacquito said:
I only keep a cheap ratcheting screwdriver set in my car. I got it because it had torx drivers which I need because it's GM and they're smarter than everybody else and so use torx.

Any jack is going to fit under your RX-8 unless you've lowered it. I say you're good with the crappy jack your car came with (as long as it is a normal scissor jack and not one of those awful POS german ones) and if you want to go overboard, a jackstand.

What do you plan on needing a socket set for? You think you're going to need an emergency oil change at some point? Oh man, I have to do an engine swap right now! I figure since you don't already carry one, then you're not adjusting suspension for racing events either.

I'd say:
~little ratcheting screwdriver set
~stock scissor jack
~paper towels, for checking your oil and blowing your nose
~a jackstand if you want to go completely overboard
~first aid kit (stole this one from howard)
~oil? you burn a lot of oil in those things, right?


Oh and you got a Japanese car, so I'll just come out and say it. If you bought silly rims for your car, make sure your car's lug wrench can reach and use the lugs in the rims. Also make sure you have the little key for your wheel locks if you have them.
Click to expand...

Yeah, this sounds perfect. I'd need some kinda crate to keep everything from jumping all over the place.
 
why are you keeping tools in your car?
chances are if your RX8 breaks down, it is not something you can do anything about 😛
 
I really wouldn't bother on a new car under warranty.
Nonetheless, I was driving my 14 year old Saturn 90 miles per day in very harsh weather conditions for several months, and just incase, I did carry stuff.

I had:
socket set, 3/8" drive and 1/4" drive with all kinds of sockets
multi bit screwdriver
channelocks
vice grips
regular pliers
knife
LED flashlight
and of course coolant, oil.

I have never had to use them on the side of the road.
 
First you admit to barely being able to change your own flat tire, then you want to truck around 50-75# of tools in your trunk to do what? Fix something you have no idea how to fix?

Honestly, how well versed are you at doing under-the-hood repairs in a controlled environment with no traffic zipping by at 80mph 15 feet from you? Now, how well will you be doing when you've got semi trailers shaking your car while it's parked on the shoulder of an interstate, 5 feet from you?

And what sort of repairs are you experienced enough in doing that you feel you can do on that car anyway? Outside of a broken belt, probably not a darned thing.

Skip spending the money on a big ole tool kit and buy a AAA card. Get back to reality.
 
+1 for AAA membership.

I have an OBD-II reader, but even that isn't all that useful. I have an old car so it does help me know when I can safely ignore the Check Engine Light, but other than that it doesn't have that many practical uses.
 
remember the genesis or w/e they call the rx8 rotary motor isn't exactly a SOLID engine. Yea its better then the RX7 but still not that great, had a couple of engine recalled already. a 2 rotor engine should fit in the sad space you call a trunk =D

i know my way around cars pretty decent but i will not do repairs on the road. Only small stuff like wrap a towel around the leaking hose, change a tire and or zip tie a bumper back on the car till i can exit the highway or pull over. a rope/chain would be nice to pull you out of ditches or etc. +1 on AAA, thats what i've gave my 18 year old brother who is going to college about 150 miles away. since i cant be there to help.
 
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