One potential issue with a bottle jack is that the seals can rot and fail. I don’t know what keeping one in the back of a car will do to it, but it’s something that’s not a problem with a scissor jack.
Also if your car is too low getting the bottle under it might be difficult, especially on uneven terrain.
I have a low car (13 Honda Fit) and I can see the clearance being an issue
Especially if the tire is deflated, that'll bring the car even lower. A good thing to check on.
And it won't be as stable on uneven terrain or even an incline/decline.
A scissor jack isn't necessarily any more stable, the "footprint" where it's in contact with the ground isn't necessarily very wide.
Make sure to chock the wheels of the car as thoroughly as possible before jacking it up. Ideally you could stash some cheap plastic chocks in the car, but failing that just anything you can firmly wedge in there will do in a pinch.
Depends on the type of bottle jack. It's a broad term that can mean both the hydraulic kind and the mechanical screw driven kind, which used to be more common in older american cars (lots of fords had them).
Both do have the issue of getting under low cars, but they are safer and more stable than scissor jacks. Scissor jacks fold and crumple extremely easily if the load shifts perpendicular to the arm direction. Bottle jacks will tilt but not collapse until they fall over center.
I agree a hydraulic jack should not be kept as the emergency spare. When they sit the seals dry out and if they tip over they can empty all their hydraulic oil out into your trunk. Plus they are not safe to be under a vehicle with as hydraulics can fail and drop the vehicle without warning.
TIL about screw driven bottle jacks, thanks
And, yeah, I’d only use any jack to change a tire and would never get under a car without using high quality jack stands.
If you go the bottle jack route it wouldn't hurt to keep a jack stand as well, so if the bottle fails for some reason the jack stand is a backup.
Having a jack stand is essential anyways for any under-car work, like changing your oil.
Fortunately not likely to be something you'd need to do in an emergency on a roadside. Changing a tire shouldn't require going underneath the vehicle.
Personally I'd get the oem that came originally with your car. The lift points usually have a lip for scissor jacks to "mount" to for a little more stability. Also it was made for that car, most guaranteed to work outside a larger floor jack.
Replace what it came with and it should fit in it's slot in the trunk also.
Find a jack from a salvage yard that has the same model car as yours. Same make would probably also work.
Get a 12v inflator.
You may consider keeping a 12"x12" square of 3/4 plywood or something with your kit to create a somewhat sturdy footing for any jack you choose. Can also come in handy if stuck in snow or mud
This is a good one! I have a piece of virgin wheel tread used to re-tread heavy duty truck tires. Afraid of losing it, it's quite the treasure :D
Good one! New trick to me.
A scissor jack will probably be cheaper. Some bottle jacks do not work on their sides and some should never be stored long term on their sides, FYI.
I got one specifically intended for use in various orientations, the box calls it a "multi-positional" bottle jack. It's been handy in unusual situations now and then - I used it to push my concrete porch back into position, for example. Drove a 2x4 into the ground next to it to act as a bracing point and then used the jack sideways to apply pressure to slide the porch.
*scissor. See that red underline? That means you don't know how to spell; it also means you don't know how to correct either.
Yikes.
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