How to make sure you are never stranded on road

[LTC8K6]

I was at the Buick dealer a few years ago looking at cars. The head salesman was taking a guy for a test ride in a new Regal GS. The supercharged one. They pull out of the lot and stop at the first traffic light. We wait for them to take off when the light turns green, but they don't. They never moved again.

The Buick had loudly developed a slushbox full of neutrals right there, and they had to walk back and tow the car back in.

 

[thomsbrain]

My old Accord stranded me once when the distributor coil died. It was fine for the next 100K miles or so before I sold it.

I've been a passenger in several Volkswagens that died due to electrical problems and required towing.

Only time I've been in a car that was stranded due to mechanical failure was a Ford Taurus that toasted its transmission (we were using it to tow!). We kind of had that one coming, though.

 

[JeepinEd]

I was out four wheeling, when the battery in my Jeep died.
This was deep inside Death Valley, about 2 hours (by car) from the nearest road and close to another hour from there to the nearest gas station.
The Jeep was running fine. I arrived at the Racetrack (a dry lake bed known for it's "moving rocks"), turned the engine off and it never started again. Not a good feeling.
Apparently the washboard roads caused the cells inside the battery to break and short out.
Luckily, I was with a group of Jeepers and one had a dual battery setup, so I took his extra battery.