You'll need some good tools to perform simple maintenance on your car. They don't have to be expensive, but they should be high quality tools. First of all, if you need extra clearance to get under your car, don't use the factory-furnished jack alone. Buy a quality pair of jack stands or ramps. They'll provide the safest support. Some basic tools you'll need include a pair of pliers, Phillips and slot head screwdrivers, a set of wrenches and a set of sockets. Some cars require metric wrenches while some may need both metric and imperial. A set of both is best to assure a proper fit. A special kind of wrench called a torque wrench is a good idea to have. It measures the amount of force used to tighten bolts and spark plugs in order to prevent overtightening. A few good specialty tools to keep on hand include jumpercables, a battery terminal cleaner, tire pressure gauge, battery and antifreeze tester, spark plug wrench, gap gauge and an oil filter wrench. Take good care of your tools so they're sure to last a long time.
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