A different type of article this week – but one that’s really important when you want to a) keep your car running smoothly and b) cover any little emergencies, motor-wise or other!  Rather like a lady’s handbag, your glove box is a superb area to stash away bits and pieces that no doubt, one day will become extremely useful!  As Hertfordshire’s number one car scrapping service, we know first-hand that those of you with cars that aren’t running that well need to keep certain essentials close-by just in case!  Whether your car is brand new, or it’s almost had it’s day (and it’s ready to scrap a car near me for cash in St Alban’s), your glove box should always be used properly.  With that in mind, here are our recommendations for what you need to keep stored away in your car, we’re not talking empty crisp packets, that pair of broken sunglasses and a single glove missing it’s other half, we’re talking those important bits to cover minor emergencies!  Oh, and a regular tidy-out wouldn’t go amiss too.

These are the essentials you need:

• Emergency Medication for asthmatics, allergy sufferers etc BUT this medication must be updated very regularly because it can deteriorate over time.  So, make a note in your diary to update it monthly to prevent an even more emergency situation.  You should also keep an in case of emergency document inside your glove compartment to highlight who someone should contact in extreme situations. Keep it at the top, for easy access and don’t put your address on it, just someone else’s contact numbers.
• Your Insurance Details.  Not your insurance documents – keep those at home, but your policy number and the phone number on a sheet of paper.  Equally, your breakdown cover policy number and phone number.
• Your Car’s Manual.  This is useful in case you do break down and you need to know how to fix the problem, check your tyre pressure and when a light flickers on your dashboard, you can easily use the manual to identify what it is!
• A Mobile Phone Charger.  Just in case you run out of juice, or your wire stops working – you’ll always stay connected (but never use a phone while driving of course).
• A Pen and Paper.  Just in case you need to jot down details in an accident.
• A Torch.  In case you breakdown at night.
• A Hand Sanitiser.  Stashed away in case you need to wash your hands!
• Plastic Bags.  So you don’t have to fork out 5p or 10p every time you go shopping.
• Baby Wipes.  Keep them recyclable, wipes are great for life’s little emergencies!
• Loose Change.  For parking and other moments in time when a £1 coin is really useful!

We should also mention what shouldn’t be in your glovebox, and why.

• Your Car’s Documents.  While you might think it’s a good idea to keep them in your car, imagine if your car got stolen?  If you’ve left a thief all of your car’s documents too, you make selling on your car or selling a car for scrap in London so very easy for thieves.  Don’t be caught short, there are lots of people posing as scrap car dealers who will be only too pleased to take a stolen car and scrap a car near me for the best price in Stevenage.  Anything with your name and address, any car repair invoices for example, shouldn’t be left in your car – remember, they could be used fraudulently. This is a good moment to remind you that when searching for a quality scrapyard in Essex, always choose an ATF registered scrapyard like UKCarMovement to ensure that you get the best price, the best service, and your Certificate of Destruction (which proves you did scrap a car in London, Herts, or Essex properly!).
• Credit Cards. You’d be amazed how many scrap cars in Hertfordshire that we get with credit cards left inside the glove box!  Never leave anything like that in your car – it goes without saying, you’re literally handing over your card to a thief if your car gets stolen.
• Valuables. We are talking about things like your mobile phone especially, never be tempted to leave it in your glove box!   If your car gets stolen, your phone goes with it.  Your insurance won’t cover stolen personal belongings from your vehicle.  Anything that’s worth money must be removed every time you leave your car.
• Cheque Book.  Yes – we know of people who leave their cheque book in their glove compartment!   They also leave their wallet “safely” stashed away. Obviously, because of all of the aforementioned reasons, don’t leave anything that could cause your personal distress if it got stolen along with your vehicle, however tempting it is just to leave it inside to nip to the post box or anywhere else.
• House Keys.  It’s best to take your house keys with you, not leave them in your car, especially if you have anything in there with your address on.  Need we say more?
• Batteries.  Stray batteries or spares (perhaps for a kid’s game?) can leak fluid that could be dangerous, so if you want to keep batteries in your car, keep them packaged in their original packaging and once open, remove from your car because over time, they could leave residue.
• Sunscreen.  Seems like a good idea and it is but if you do keep sunscreen in your car, regularly replace it because it deteriorates with time and won’t work.   Aerosols are also not recommended because extreme temperatures can make them explode.
• Water.  If you store bottled water, you must change it every other day or it can be dangerous to drink, especially when temperature fluctuates, that’s because the bottles contain BPA, a harmful substance that over time, could leak.

We hope that this piece has helped you decide what you do and don’t need in your glove box!  If your car’s had its day and you’re emptying your glove box for the last time, don’t forget that we’re the very best car scrapping in Hertfordshire and we cover London and Essex too.  With money transferred into your bank account on the same day, car scrapping near me in Waltham Abbey has to be with you UKCarMovement.  Click here and get the best quote for scrapping my car in Borehamwood or anywhere else nearby.