How to get your car ready for a road trip
The thought of a road
trip is enough to get most people excited, but that excitement can lead to
overlooking things that could turn your dream trip into a nightmare if you
don’t pay them the attention they need. You know all those routine car maintenance tasks you always intend
to do that don’t always get done? Well, this is the perfect time to take care
of them and more to make sure the only thing you have to worry about on your
road trip is enjoying yourself.
Fluids
One of the most important fluids in your car to get you
where you're going is gas, but there will be plenty of gas stations on the way
and you’re not going to run out, are you? But there are other fluids you need
to check before setting out on your trip that you might only realize you've
forgotten when it's too late. Engine oil is the first essential, and you should
be keeping a check on that all the time anyway as part of proper car care. If you’re vehicle tends to
use a lot of oil make sure the level is right before you depart and take some
with you for top ups if necessary.
Radiator fluid, coolant, antifreeze or whatever you want to
call it is important whether the climate is cold, hot or anywhere in between.
If your coolant is too low it can lead to your engine overheating, and that's
not something you want to happen when you're in the middle of nowhere with no
signs of life and no mobile phone connection.
Other fluids such as brake fluid, power steering fluid and
transmission fluid are not things you'll be checking yourself regularly, but
it's worth getting them checked out before setting off on a particularly long
road trip.
And of course, your windshield fluid needs to be topped up.
You only realize how important windshield fluid is when you need it and nothing
happens when you press the button. Make sure you have spare water in a bottle
with you for a number of reasons, but before you set off make sure there's some
proper windshield washer fluid in your car's reservoir bottle.
Tires
You should be regularly checking your tires for their
pressures and their condition, but especially before you embark on any long
journey. Risking a blowout when you're in the town or the city is one thing as
you can get sorted out quickly and easily, but if you’re somewhere like the
desert between Yosemite and Las Vegas it can be a massive problem. And remember
to check your spare too as it's amazing how often the spare isn’t up to the job
if you haven't checked it when you find you desperately need it.
General maintenance
If you keep up with your regular servicing schedule in
accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations you shouldn’t have too much
to worry about as far as brakes, lights, filters and belts are concerned. But
if you're within a month or two or a few hundred miles of needing a service,
it's probably a good idea to get it done before setting off on a long road
trip, just in case.
Are you ready too?
Depending on where you’re going, how long the journey is and
what weather conditions you’re likely to encounter, you need to think that you
and your passengers have what they need too. Drinks and food can be picked up
along the way as long as you’re going to be in inhabited areas all the time.
But if you’re going through the desert, up into the mountains or anywhere else
with challenging conditions, having some food, water, a fully charged phone, a
charger, some basic tools and the right clothes is essential, even on a spring road trip in good weather.
To get your vehicle checked out professionally so you know
it's as fit as it can be for that important road trip, don’t hesitate to bring
it to our expert team here at Southern
California Ford Dealers to get it checked over properly.