ROAD TRIP 101: Car Maintenance Tips Before Going on a Road Trip
Road trips are the best. It is where we experience funny and memorable experiences while inside the vehicle. We sing to the songs playing on the radio, we eat and pass around the snacks that we bring, we tell each other random stories and laugh, or we just stop and pull over and just stare at the beautiful view to the side of the road.
While we are on quarantine due to COVID-19, we can all only dream about this and we surely want to plan the travels that we would be doing after this is over.
Have you ever thought about the preparations we need before setting out on a journey, before the drive-thrus and stopovers?
Here are some important things that will help us jump-start our road trips post-COVID-19:
1. Give your car a tune-up
You should bring your car to an automotive shop or have it serviced at your dealership’s authorized service centers especially if you haven’t done it for a while. Doing so will surely save you from spending unwanted and unexpected amounts of money during your vacation and also prevents spoiling your trip. During a tune-up, your mechanic checks your essential fluids like motor oil, radiator fluid or coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, and even your windshield washer fluid. You should do this at least two weeks before your scheduled trip so that if your mechanic finds an issue in your car, he will have ample time to repair or replace the parts needed.
2. Check your tires
Check your tires in advance because you don’t want this to force you to stop for repair and delay your trip. Having tires in proper and good conditions also means safety and comfort when travelling, no one wants to be risking their life because of it. Here are some important things to keep in mind with regards to your tires:
- Air pressure
You should be fully aware of the air pressure of your tires. Just put the right amount of air inside. You don’t want it to be under-inflated because it means less fuel economy and you don’t want to be spending more when refueling. At the same time, do not over-inflate your tires because this will sacrifice your ride comfort and lessen stability and traction on the road.
- Rotation
Be accustomed to rotating your tires’ position when reaching a certain period. Aside from good tire pressure, tires do wear out over a period of time and they wear at different rates that’s caused by different road conditions, weight balance, and other factors.
- Replacement
It is important to replace tires that have reached its lifespan. It is also important to replace it immediately if it is already worn out from your everyday use even if it still is within the recommended tire life.
- Spare tires and tools
This is the most important part when checking your tires. Check your spare tire carefully and inspect for possible holes or damages and replace when necessary. You can forget or disregard checking the things above but never ever forget this one, because you may have a properly inflated tire but when things go bad and you damage your tire, the spare will save you from frustrations and disappointments.
3. Check your brake pads, air filter, belts and hoses.
Give your brakes a careful examination for everyone’s safety. Check for leaks or disconnected cord and wirings. Also check your air filter and see if it needs replacing because a clogged air filter will affect the engine performance and may cause issues. Another two things to check are the belts and hoses. Do make sure that they are well connected and intact so as not to cause major problems.
4. Check your car’s lights and electronics
Turn on your vehicle and check every light to see if they’re not busted and if there’s no loose wirings. It is also advisable to check the other electronics of your vehicle like your infotainment system that most of us rely on when it comes to listening to music and for navigation.
5. Check the A/C
Test out your A/C and see if it is working properly and is giving out the temperature set. Also check the wirings, tubes, and other parts of the air conditioning system to ensure that there are no leaks and that they are well connected to each other.
6. Clean the car inside and out.
Always clean your car inside and out. This will help you and your companions feel comfortable throughout your trip and it can help you find and position your things inside effectively.
7. Bring alcohol or any disinfectant.
In this time of a global pandemic and even after it ends, there will be changes to us and how we live forever. The pandemic teaches us to value health and hygiene, which should be applied and taken into consideration in everything that we do from now on.
The alcohol or disinfectant is for you to use on your hands, and on surfaces which are often held and touched so as to prevent possible transmission of viruses to you and your company or to the different places you plan to visit.
8. Prepare yourself physically and mentally for the road trip.
Whether your trip is a long one or a short one, be physically and mentally prepared for it. Have enough rest before your journey. This will help you stay awake and have a good mood during the drive. As much as possible, also research about the places that you’ll visit, how you’ll get there, and the kind of road that you will be passing through for you to be prepared. Take note of road conditions such as zigzags or steep ascents and descents.
Those are things that you should consider doing before going on your long-awaited road trip. During this time, it is best to stay home and keep ourselves safe from what is happening around us. For sure, once this all over, we’ll all be itching to once again take on the road and create new experiences.
