So you work with vehicles in Dubai. You’ve probably just freshly started out, and while you have a good idea of the basics, you want to know now how to build your own toolbox. You want to know what to keep, and what to cut down. After all, it’s not just a space issue. It’s also about finances. You don’t want to overspend and end up with tools that’ll just gather dust.

So what the need of the hour is being strategic with the choice of gear you add to your automotive tool kit. And that’s easy because we can help you. We’ve got a list here that trims out the fluff and sticks to the absolute essentials so you get a toolbox that is raring to go with you, no matter the task at hand.

1.  A set of sockets

A good socket set will contain sockets of all sizes, which will come in handy when you need to change nuts and bolts. Craftsman is a good brand, by the way.

Sockets typically fit easily over nuts and bolts and can help you tighten and loosen stubborn ones without much effort. It’s a must-have, and we recommend you get the kind of set that has both shallow and deep sockets for your automotive tool kit.

2. A set of wrenches

If sockets are on the list, can wrenches be far behind? You need wrenches to turn those very sockets, after all. Now make sure your set has a wide variety of wrenches including combination wrenches, adjustable wrenches, specialty wrenches, torque wrenches, ratchets, and more. All of which you’ll find if you pick a good automotive tools supplier in Dubai. And choose a good brand like DeWalt.

3. A set of screwdrivers

We suggest insulated ones since working with cars means working with electrical current to a great extent. That said, make sure you have all the types such as phillips, flat-head, cross-shaped, and flat tip, and their different sizes because you never know which one you’ll need. Clarke Hand Tools has a good variety of screwdrivers if you needed a recommendation.

4. A set of pliers

Just like the rest of them, pliers also come in a wide range of shapes and sizes so having a set makes sense. They can help you cut wires or bend them, which is an integral part of automotive repair work. Anyway, make sure you get the works - needle nose pliers, slip joint pliers, etc. for your automotive tool kit. You can check out Irwin’s pliers.

5. A hydraulic jack

If you’re building a toolkit of automotive tools in Dubai, you can’t leave the hydraulic jack out of it. It’s what you need to lift the vehicle as you work underneath it. Just make sure you get a strong and stable one to prevent any accidents or injuries. Brand doesn’t matter as long as it’s durable.

6. Torque wrench

We briefly touched upon it in the point on wrenches, so let us tell you here why you need this specific kind. Some bolts have very specific torques, which when they're pushed beyond their limit, can break—something you can prevent with the right torque wrench. And you know Gedore is the best bet for torque tools.

7. Oil filter wrench

Almost all cars/vehicles have an oil filter housing, and you need a tool to change to grip and loosen this housing whenever it’s time for a change of oil. That’s where the oil filter wrench comes in. It can help swiftly carry out this task if it’s of the right size as the housing. Stanley has some good ones.

8. Multimeter

The purpose of a multimeter is to check your vehicle’s electrical properties - from resistance to voltage and current. You can use this tool to check if there’s anything wrong with the batteries or wires of the vehicle you’re working on. Use it to detect electrical issues. As for the brand, we recommend Clarke.

9. Lug wrench

Another wrench on this automotive tool kit must-have list, a lug wrench is exactly what you need to change wheels. It’s also called a tire iron and is quite useful for changing flat tires and overall wheel maintenance. You don’t really need this to be of a particular brand, if you ask us.

10. Compression tester

This one is used to measure the compression pressure on any vehicle’s engine’s cylinders. If the pressure is lower than the normal range, you’ll know that there’s likely an issue with the vehicle’s valves or piston rings.

When it comes to the best compression tester out there, we suggest asking around before choosing one.

11. Brake bleeder kit

Sometimes a vehicle’s brake lines can have air bubbles, which adversely impacts the performance of the brakes and can potentially lead to accidents. However, using a brake bleeder kit can remove these air bubbles, and that’s why it’s a must-have automotive tool in Dubai. You can pick any brand you like.

12. Rubber mallet

You need a rubber mallet because it can help you gently loosen stuck components or tap components back into their right place without causing any damage whatsoever. It’s preferred over a traditional metal hammer when working on vehicles. Stanley has good options in this regard.

Barring the above, you should also add wire brushes (for cleaning), a funnel set (for pouring liquids), and a whole set of safety gear to your automotive tool kit. That’s when it will be complete. Now if you’re looking for a place to find all of these automotive tools in Dubai, you know we’ve got your back