Summer is upon us, and you know what that means: it’s time to soak up some sunshine and go on many, many road trips! However, before embarking on your next adventure, prepping the car is essential. Without the right preventive measures, your car is more susceptible to breaking down and suffering unexpected problems.
To lower those risks, check out these five ways to prep your car like a pro before a road trip:
- Get professional maintenance service and a tune-up
Never leave for a road trip before taking your car in for a tune-up at the auto-shop. It’s imperative that you get an oil change, check the fluid levels of the coolant system, and test to see if your air conditioner, lights, turn signals, and general braking system are working properly. In addition, make sure the battery is securely in place, the tires are not under-inflated, and no serpentine belts are damaged. Not only does your car need to perform at its best, it should be unquestionably safe to drive.
2. Read up on your car manual
You should know your car better than anyone else. That’s why it’s imperative you take action to read up on car maintenance. In times of trouble on the road, a professional will most likely not be there to help us. But when we educate ourselves on basic car repairs and learn how to do them, like replacing a flat tire or jumpstarting a battery, stress and anxiety will be the last things on our minds during those scenarios.
3. Clean everything inside and out
A clean car never fails to feel like a new car. Therefore, clean out your interior by throwing away trash, wiping grime off surfaces, and vacuuming dirt off the floor. Being stuck in a dirty and messy vehicle for hours on end is just a nightmare! Regarding the exterior, give the car a good wash and wax to add an extra layer of protection against outside elements. Plus, in the long run, keeping your car clean combats premature deterioration and damage.
4. Organize an emergency kit and important documents
Put together an emergency kit if you haven’t already. You never know when unforeseen circumstances will happen. Within a car emergency kit, include basic medical supplies, clothes suited for all types of weather, a flashlight, flares, emergency money, and jumper cables. Subsequently, keep important documents in the glove box such as a copy of your driver’s license, insurance, and car registration. In the event that an officer pulls you over or an accident with another driver occurs, you will be prepared to immediately present your information to them.
5. Make accommodations to the passengers if necessary
Consider the passengers riding in the vehicle with you: kids, a significant other, friends, pets, etc.? Each person will have different needs that must be fulfilled to feel at ease on the road. For example, kids are less likely to throw tantrums if they have some form of entertainment by their side, such as a book, game, or snack. A significant other, on the other hand, may spend the entire road trip in the front seat and would love to pack extra pillows to make themselves more comfortable. Pets should stay secure in place with a harness or reside in a crate; just like we need seatbelts, our pets require the same precaution of safety in the event of an accident.
A road trip is by far one of the most fun trips you can take in the summer. What could be better than a promising open road, new experiences, and precious time spent with loved ones?
But before you make this summer even better than the last one, make sure your car is 100% prepped and prepared for a road trip so you and your passengers are always safe and ready for anything that arises while having a blast.