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I know this is an almost impossible question to answer, and probably not a wise one to ask, but here goes. My standard, pretty much unmodified NA was made in 1993 and has done 200K so it is getting on. I drive it everyday without a problem (talk about tempting fate) and any one of a number, or combination of, things could bring me to a halt. What spares would it be prudent to carry - the common single points of failure in this car of this age? I already have a spare EFI relay in the glovebox (I've been though this movie with another car years ago), I've been thinking of another coilpack. All coolant hoses are less than 2 years old, radiator is about 4 so I don't have worry about them. I also carry a compressor and repair tyre repair kit (been though that movie as well), and spare belts and relevant tools. What parts would be good to have on a country road miles from anywhere and with no mobile coverage?

Regards and thanks,

Tim

PS - I have NRMA membership!

Clutch slave cylinder.

How's he going to fit that at the side of the road?
I wouldn't overthink it. Regular maintenance, a good battery, spare tire (or goop), and your NRMA membership will cover you.

go on try & carry a spare diff.If it is an early 1993 NA6 if its an NA8 your covered

in all seriousness. Don't stress about it. On long trips, I now carry a tool box. Ive not had any need for it. You can't plan for these things. If t stops because of a faulty Fuel pump.....somewhere between Orange & Bathurst you will just have to deal with it.
200K is bugger all. Thats not saying something can't break at any moment. since the car is now 23 years old. You're with NRMA. your covered.

Again spares you should carry rules out a coolant bottle (these get weak with age). Apart from spare fuses (as well as engine/fan fuse) possibly a spare fan relay (I think this is the same as the horn/headlight retractor).

I carry quite a few spares when away at a track day, plus this also means the trailer is with me Further, QR is only 10 mins from home so again it is just a phone call home for the spare part of the trailer...

bruce/StanTheMan pretty well summed it up!

bruce wrote:How's he going to fit that at the side of the road?

Add a few feet of fish tank air hose to the "relevant tools" that he says he carries, and carry some brake fluid.

$50 part that will render the car inoperable, but can be changed out in 15 minutes by the roadside.

Would I carry one driving around town ? Nope.

Would I carry one driving on country roads with no mobile coverage (as originally asked) ? Yes, I would (and do).

Thanks all for the replies so far. Clutch hydraulics were all renewed in Jan '14. I do have a spare slave - I'll pop it in the boot with a bleeding kit.

I must come across as paranoid - this is probably true.

Regards,

Tim

Dont bother with the hoses, a roll of duct tape will happily repair a hose and hold it long enough to get home.

Tools etc, yeah, carry some.

Parts, really apart from belts and fuses there's not a huge amount you can do roadside if it pops.
yeah, clutch slaves can go, but they rarely just go pop, they usually just start leaking. yeah the pedal will feel like sh*t, but you'll get home with it.

I'd just say belts, fuses (even these you can make do with a piece of wire temporarily), tape, some water/coolant, and maybe some brake fluid if the system is old.


You'd be surprised how many things can break on a car and it's still able to limp home.

the only things which have stopped me are
Jumped timing belt
faulty fuel pump X2
broken diff
Hole in radiator hose. managed to limb home though
Broken radiator
swamped ECU
broken alternator belt
dead battery perhaps a few times

that's in 19 years of ownership & prolly 260K km.

Most of those things were due to my own neglect. As you get warning as things are about to break. In most cases I was fortunate to limb home. with the exception of broken diff broken alternator belt. can you believe the fuel pump went in my driveway & once just around the corner? it was the same fuel pump. Just about 6 or 7 years between episodes. When it did die totally. It was in my drive way.

Purchase membership to RAA or your state equivalent to it haha. Something that offers reduced price or even free towing.

In various cars I have owned I have made it home with the following problems:

busted big end bearing (twice);
semi-stuck HLAs;
coolant leaking out from under intake manifold onto alternator causing shorting and lack of charge (2 problems in one, stopped about 8 times between Sydney and Newcastle);
busted radiator hose (found a better one in a bin at a service centre!);
no brakes, only parking brake;
stuck in 5th gear (although to be honest I finally stopped at an exGF's house 25km from home and got a tow from there);
punctured tyres (used a tyre repair kit I carry + hand pump);
what I thought was a broken ignition switch (disconnected it and hot wired it) but was a short in the harness across the accessories circuit;
no clutch (clutchless changes and engine off at traffic lights/stop only on down hills);
busted head gasket (stopped every ~5km to refill with water);
sucking oil into the intake manifold (lived with smoke and topped up oil once);
busted main 80A fuse (wired up with bits of stripped wire);
...plus possibly other stuff I have forgotten.

I carry self sealing tape, odd bits of hose, rubber blanking caps, tape, cable ties, fuses, bits of wire. Rags are good too. As are gloves. And basic tools, including a knife or scissors. And bottles are also handy.

EDIT: The only time I *didn't* make it home was the 5th gear incident. I have had quite a few jump starts, however.
EDIT EDIT: I just remembered, I was stuck in Taree when my (faulty) car alarm disabled the ignition (but I didn't know/couldn't diagnose it at the time).