You might be ready to hit the road for your journey, but is your car or SUV ready for the travel? Some of you might be heading out for a major trip on the road lasting 4 days or more. Some of you might be taking just a short trip averaging about 2-3 days.
We have a few suggestions below on how you can prepare your car for your trip, regardless of the time on the road.
The Six Things Your Car Needs Before You Begin Your Road Trip
1) You have to check your fluids before you go. Well, you do not have to, but it is a strong recommendation. According to recent studies, the fluid levels, including coolant and oil, are the one thing that people forget to check. They just assume that everything is okay because the car is still running great.
You cannot go by that. You need to check your fluids. What happens if you find a leak somewhere underneath? That is an indication that either your fluids are low or there is internal damage somewhere. We have seen motorists get stuck on the side of the road 20 minutes into their trip. That is why you should make an effort to check the levels.
Need help with that? You can either call us and let us talk you through it, or you can Google it online and go from there.
2) Did you check your lights? You need to check every single light. You might be heading into some unknown territory on your trip. How are you going to handle it when the lights go out?
Some of you might need some new brake lights. News flash: Your lights go on and off every time you hit the brakes. That is why they are called brake lights. You should have us or someone else takes a look. It is better to get that expenditure out of the way before you get on the road. That is one expense you do not need while on vacation.
3) You could be driving for hours and hours on the road. Your tyres need to be in the best of shape, especially when the roads prove hazardous. You might have an SUV, but you still need to have your tyres checked. You can browse tyres online for a better deal and brand reviews when you decide to replace the current ones.
Check your tyre depth tread. You are going to need a new one once the tyre is worn way past the indicator. You should also check your tyres for punctures or bubbles on the surface. One small puncture or bubble can cause your tyre to bust on the road. You do not want that to happen, especially if you are out in the middle of nowhere.
Point of inquiry: Your tyre is going to wear in the middle when it is overinflated. It will wear on the sides and edges when it is underinflated.
4) Do you have the right brake pads? Do you need new ones? You better take a look before you leave the house. The pads have a metal outside and a composite inside. The thickness of your pads needs to be about 5 mm, maybe a little more. You are going to need some new ones once your pads go below that mark. We do not suggest trying to ride your luck to get there. Some customers have tried that and failed. Your car is going to have a lot of damage inside and out if you do.
5) Do you have a spare tyre? Do you have the tools and knowledge to change the tyre yourself? We ask because some customers do not consider that. They just assume that the person they travel with can do it. They assume that some angel is going to come along and save them. That only happens in movies and tv, sorry.
You should probably learn how to change a tyre, including the spare. You might need to use one at some point. FYI: Be careful when driving with the Aggressive driving can cause damage to your spare. The spare is only supposed to get you from point A to point B without a hassle. Treat your tyre with kindness.
6) How does your cat handle braking? Does your car have full control? Does it lack control when you apply the brakes? There could be something wrong with the clutch. It should be evaluated before you leave. The last thing you want is to have an accident due to your clutch.
