Once upon a time, fixing a car used to mean plenty of elbow grease and nothing more than the best car tool kits you could buy. Today, it’s as likely to involve a laptop and a spreadsheet of fault codes. So while the more complicated repairs are best left to the experts, there are still plenty of jobs – such as changing the oil or brake pads – that you can tackle at home with a selection of the best tools.
With the right tool kit and a Sunday morning to spare, you could save a small fortune on things like garage labour costs and subsequent repairs. They are really the catalyst for any vehicular maintenance, whether it’s on a car, motorcycle, or even a van. Things like changing air filters, brake components, and much more require a tool kit, and it’s always a good idea to have one ready to go for when you need it.
A car tool kit consisting of sockets sets, screws, and other tools is also invaluable on the road. If you break down, particularly in a remote area, it might be the difference between a quick repair and a very long walk and/or wait. We’ve compiled a list of the best car tool kits for amateur mechanics. You’ll find many of them useful around the house, too.
The best car tool kits 2024 at a glance:
The best car tool kit: Sealey 100-Piece Mechanics Tool Kit – buy from Amazon
Editor’s pick: Dewalt 168-Piece Tool Kit – buy from Amazon
The best budget car tool kit: Hi-Spec Tools Auto Mechanics Tool Kit – buy from Amazon
All of our choices contain a comprehensive set of tools, including but if you want to supplement them with additional screwdrivers, spanner sets, or even a strong metal toolbox to keep them all in, we’ve got these covered, too.
The best car tool kits 2024
The best car tool kit
In addition to the 1/4" and 1/2" sockets, you get deep spark plug sockets (1/4"), extension bars, 10" water pump pliers, 12oz ball pein hammer, circuit tester, and hex keys, to name but a few. At almost eight kilograms, it's a hefty kit, but it's not intended to be super portable and is indicative of the heavy-duty nature of the tools in it.
Pros
- Professional-grade quality and materials, giving the user a piece of mind
- Comprehensive set consisting of anything from pliers to ring spanners
- Comes in a very organised little case for convenience
Cons
- Some may see it as overkill for casual DIYers
Editor's pick
Rrp: $154.99
Rrp: $154.99
What's more, you can even get different sizes with this kit. The 168-piece set is the top model, but you can also get a 142-piece set or even a 108-piece set if you don't need anything too large.
Pros
- Incredibly comprehensive amount of tools in one place
- Great quality tools with a sturdy feel and materials
- Ideal for basic maintenance of your car or motorcycle
Cons
- Doesn't quite represent as good value as the Draper set
Best value comprehensive tool kit
At just under £125, it represents good value as far as these huge took kits go. For basic maintenance on your motorcycle or classic car perhaps, this is a great place to start if you're just getting into learning the craft.
Pros
- Great, comprehensive tool kit for beginners for basis maintainence
- A plethora of items from ring spanners to screwdrivers and more
- It represents good value for the quantity of items inside
Cons
- The quality won't be as on-par as the more premium brands
The best portable tool kit
Acclaimed toolmaker Black & Decker has squeezed no less than 77 pieces into a roll-up bag. These include spanners, sockets and Allen keys, plus flat-blade and Phillips screwdrivers, pliers and a ratchet. The components are well made and should last for many years of occasional use.
Pros
- Portable to keep in the car due to its compact-ness when enclosed
- High build quality materials with a sturdy feel
- A very ideal kit for quick jobs that don't require major tools
Cons
- Only basic tools included, and not as comprehensive as some may want
Best socket set
Alongside the usual sockets and spanners are wrenches, crows feet and a raft of adapters that'll make car work a breeze. Everything is expertly made and the tough carry case will keep everything neatly kept together.
Pros
- Exceptional build quality and materials, which is reassuring
- Everything an amateur mechanic could reasonably need basic maintenance
- Carrying case makes the set well-organised and easy to carry around
Cons
- Others represent better value for the quantity of equipment
Best budget tool kit
Rrp: $49.99
Rrp: $49.99
Its plastic case doesn’t exactly feel premium, but this is an affordable tool kit that you could store at home or in the car boot. The tool sizes are metric, making it suitable for the vast majority of cars – and plenty of jobs around the house, too.
Pros
- Easy to carry around, thanks to compact case and fewer tools
- Good range of tools within, including sockets and screws
- Very good value for money, retailing at just over £40
Cons
- The trade-off with low price is lower quality, which may put some off
The best premium tool kit for your car
Ergonomics are at the core of Wera products and each tool is produced to offer the maximum durability and comfort imaginable. It all comes with a hefty price tag, but for the ultimate tool experience, nothing comes close. The clever thinking also extends to how it's all packaged together, the Wera kit is surprisingly compact at 32.5 x 14.5 x 6.5 cm and only weighs 200g.
Pros
- Exceptional quality and materials, as per Wera products
- Incredibly compact design, which makes it portable to carry in the car
- Perfect set for smaller jobs, mainly involving screwdrivers
Cons
- It lacks in some basic tools which many mechanics will need
The Sealey name dates back to 1978 and the company is one of the leading suppliers to the garage trade. The zip-up bag contains pliers, sockets, mole grips, cable ties, a ratchet and a magnetic screwdriver. The kit is of decent quality and won’t weigh you down unnecessarily.
Pros
- Incredibly compact design, which makes it easily portable
- Relatively affordable at around the £30 mark
- Ideal for motorcycle beginners looking to perform self-maintenance
Cons
- Limited choice of tools, which will put some off
- Only really useful for smaller, less strenuous jobs
FAQs of car tool kits and things to consider
What kind of jobs can I tackle with a car tool kit?
As mentioned in the introduction, a lot of jobs have to be taken on by professionals with modern vehicles. But plenty of basic maintenance can still be performed, such as oil and filter changes, brake servicing, and various part changes. You can’t begin any job without a tool kit – even if it’s as simple as replacing the headlight units.
How much should I spend on a car tool kit?
A complete car tool kit is much cheaper than buying individual tools separately. A reasonably comprehensive kit for home car maintenance may cost less than £100 – or £50 if you need a portable kit for roadside repairs. Compare that with the hourly labour rate for your local garage and you’ll soon realise how much you could save. What you will need if you’re going really thorough on home car repairs is a good torque wrench, and you must have one before doing important jobs.
What essential tools do I need in a car tool kit?
Assuming you’re starting from scratch, the basics to look for in a car repair kit include screwdrivers, a ratchet and sockets, spanners, Allen keys and pliers. Additional items you may need to buy – particularly for more involved jobs at home – include a hammer, car jack, tyre pressure gauge and inflator, battery jump-starter pack and hand degreaser. An OBD code reader is nigh-on essential for fault diagnosis with modern cars, too.
We’d suggest storing all of the above in your garage or shed, then keeping a portable tool kit in the car. Either way, a ready-made kit should be easy to carry, with its own case or bag providing easy access to the tools inside. Professional tool kits are of better quality, but vastly more expensive. So consider whether you will likely reap the benefits of a professional-grade set. Remember, there are perfectly decent sets for casual users. You can gradually upgrade your tool collection over time.
Why do I need a car tool kit?
Buying a complete tool kit to suit your needs can be a very clever way of ensuring you can easily store and organise everything. Buying the best tool kit will ensure a solid selection of quality tools organised within a dependable toolbox. If you’re a total newcomer to the world of tools, a kit is probably the best value option for you too. Things like funnels and impact drills have to be bought separately.
What are the best brands for car tool kits?
The usual high-end brands present throughout this article all produce excellent tool kits full of excellent tools. Wera toolkits often ship in an excellent and tough tool roll designed to survive years of abuse while Facom toolkits ship in fancy module trays perfect for slotting into equally fancy tool chests. We’d choose Siegen as our premium toolkit maker of choice thanks to the excellent tool and toolbox quality.
Looking to the more affordable end of the spectrum and once again Draper and Sealey are prime picks for complete toolkits. We’d also include Dewalt and Black & Decker, while Rolson is the best option if you’re on a really tight budget.
Aaron Hussain is a commercial content writer at Bauer Media writing for Parkers and CAR. He is obsessed with classic cars and anything with a fascinating story to tell.
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