If we had the chance to turn back the clock for a simple last-minute trip to the hardware store just right before this enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) started, we’d take it. In fact, we would savor every sweet minute as we browse the aisles. And while we could easily do it now through online delivery, it would’ve been a lot easier to do our shopping while we could still go out.
What would we have bought? Well, just some of the stuff we know could’ve come in handy for us gearheads and car owners over the last couple of months. If you share our sentiments—or you just want to know what’s on our ECQ wish list—then read on.
1) Car cover
Taking up the first spot in this list is that good, old car cover. Had we known that all our daily drivers would be locked up in our garages collecting dust for more than a month, we could’ve at least bought a proper cover for it. It sucks to see your car get dirty even if you’re not driving it around.
2) Chamois/Microfiber cloth
We don’t often buy these things since they tend to not last long, but we wish we could’ve bought some brand-new ones before ECQ started. We’ve wiped our cars clean these last few weeks more often than we would like. We could’ve at least used new pieces of chamois and microfiber cloth while doing so.
3) Car vacuum cleaner
Yes, we don’t drive our cars daily anymore so the interior doesn’t collect that much dirt as it used to, but that doesn’t mean a vacuum cleaner wouldn’t have come in handy throughout quarantine.
4) Pressure washer
A pressure washer can be a bit pricey, but it’s a solid investment. If we had the chance to buy one before quarantine began, we probably would’ve done so. It would’ve made the weekly DIY carwash much easier and, of course, a lot more fun.
5) Tools
With all the extra hours we have lately, we’ve also been able to tinker with our cars a lot, and it sure would’ve been nice to work using some shiny new tools. Besides, our toolboxes are never complete anyway, so we’re certain some last-minute shopping could’ve gone a long way.
6) Flashlight
There are days when it just seems so hard to stop working and step out of the garage. When that happens, we find ourselves wishing for a proper flashlight so we wouldn’t have any reasons not to work until the wee hours of the night. And we don’t just mean a regular pocket flashlight here, of course—we’re talking about those versatile and powerful flashlights we usually see our trusted mechanic using. Now that’s the good stuff.
7) Car-battery monitor
Keeping our cars running is also of the utmost importance throughout ECQ. While long-term car storage isn’t all that tricky, we wouldn’t mind using tools that’ll make the task easier—just like this CTEK Battery Sense, for example.
8) Car-battery charger
Of course, a battery monitor isn’t enough—we need a proper charger for it as well. We’re sure a gadget like the CTEK PRO60 would’ve done the trick.
9) Tire-pressure monitor
Just like battery levels, tire pressure should be monitored regularly, too, especially when your car isn’t moving that much. If we had our own tire pressure monitor, avoiding flat spots would be a cinch.
10) Tire inflator
Let’s say we did have a tire-pressure monitor. What good would it be if we didn’t have a tire inflator, right? We know a regular pump would do, but this is wishful thinking, anyway, so go big or go home.
What changes would you make here? If you have any additions to this list, drop them in the comments section.
