Best jack to keep in car boot ?

Another advantage of scissor jacks is that the jacking point is absolutely obvious so you can just sling under the sill lip at the marked location.

If you find yourself changing a wheel in any layby you want to be spending minimal time with your head near the ground unless you really do enjoy the smell of trucker urine. I'll never forget changing the wheel on my Octavia on the A47, I was about half way through when I spotted the discarded bottle of truckers Tizer slowly trickling towards me. It was a bit like those scenes in films as the fuse is slowly burning away towards the bomb... except with pee. Certainly got me hurrying up a bit.
 
Sinbad2000 said:
I do this anyway whenever it's practical, just in case.
Agreed with the above, scissor jack is fine for emergency use, trolley jack is complete overkill. If you regularly do DIY maintenance on your car then it's worth the investment in a decent trolley jack, but you wouldn't carry it around with you.
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Add a good pair of jack stands and chocks to that trolley jack shopping trip.

A jack is for lifting the car, not holding it up whilst you’re underneath it. Lift car, place stands with wheels in contact with ground chocked, lower car onto jack stands. By all means use the jack to an additional support point for the car to increase weight distribution and stability, but don’t rely on it to hold weight for more than a minute or two.

Seals fail under pressure, not sitting with the jack unloaded in the corner of your garage.
 
In order of preference for the boot of my car.

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My trolley jack weighs about 50kg at a guess. It would easily decapitate people in a crash. I just buy breakdown cover and as annoying as it is, if I get a puncture, neither of my cars have spares so just get breakdown. I do have a puncture repair kit I've used successfully when I've had to, but even that on the roadside is hard.
 
decto said:
Scissor jack usually fine.

Loosen nuts
Jack car
Slide spare wheel under the sill
Remove wheel from hub
Swap the wheel under the sill with the one you just removed
Fit spare wheel to hub
Remove wheel under sill
Lower car
Tighten bolts.
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You forgot the swear loads bit between swapping out the wheel under the sill and fitting the spare to the hub. Trying to do it at the side of the road in an emergency can guarantee it won't want to line up, especially if a heavier wheel.
 
Some slightly overdramatic replies about being decapitated by flying trolley jacks and the like, there are ways of securing heavy items. I'd argue it's just not necessary and if you can't get the car up safely with the scissor jack, a small trolley wouldn't be much help.

I have an SGS 2 tonne low profile one I use for wheel changes and track days, if you must/want to get a trolley jack anyway.
 
heavy gloves - to avoid doing knuckles or if iron broke.

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vertical screw jack had in 3series/36 which engaged in horizontal slot in the sill, were a good idea, remember screwdriver for the insert removal,
from the time when fruit boxes had nails, post horses.

£78/pa RAC replace/repair tyre insurance I just waived, almost be economic based on recent history
 
TLDR I give the thumbs up for an OEM scissor jack for an emergency tyre change.

A neighbour came over this morning when I was working on my mx5 and asked for help fitting the spare tyre on her car due to a puncture. A huge newish SUV.

She said there was a spare with a jack and locking wheel nut key.

I had a look first and sure enough there was an apparently unused space saver and scissor jack in the boot. She had the locking wheel key to hand and I assured her I could do it.

I grabbed my DeWalt dugga dugga and wheel bolt socket set from my garage and decided to leave my jacks at home. Her car was a good foot off the ground even with a flat tyre, I wasn't sure that my little lightweight low profile jack would have the reach to get the wheel off the ground and I couldn't be bothered to drag my big jack over to her house.

I knew her scissor jack would do the job because it's designed for the car, and as mentioned, it would slot straight onto the sill.

Ten mins later the wheels were swapped. We were packing up and another neighbour comes out and starts going on about how we should have knocked on his door because he has a hydraulic jack and tools etc. I just let him carry on, he spends ages talking about himself and never asks how you are so I say just hello and don't chat with him.

Funny how he came out AFTER the job was done with his kind offer of help :)
 
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jaybee said:
My trolley jack weighs about 50kg at a guess. It would easily decapitate people in a crash. I just buy breakdown cover and as annoying as it is, if I get a puncture, neither of my cars have spares so just get breakdown. I do have a puncture repair kit I've used successfully when I've had to, but even that on the roadside is hard.
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I must have the same jack... has a great lift height and rating.... but I really wish I had got the lightweight alloy version as I really don't need to lift 3 tonnes half a meter in the air.
It's a pig to drag around on uneven ground... but it doesn't get used all that often these days so I live with it.
 
Rroff said:
My truck came with a scissor jack - actually works pretty well for changing wheels - I wouldn't bother with anything else for being prepared for an emergency - just not worth a trolley jack.
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Same the scissor jack that came with my Ford was rather good.
The only annoying thing was how slow it was to use. An electric drill would have sped things up so much when I was on the side of the M60.
I do carry one of those 4 arm nut wrenches though being able to use both sides to undo nuts makes it easier.
 
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