The Summer Road Trip
The Summer road trip can be a great way to get out and explore. It could be for a day, or even a few months. Whatever you are doing, you can visit places you never thought you would whilst driving at your own leisure. The world’s your oyster. However, as your car is your main mode of transportation you need to ensure it works properly and is reliable when it takes you out. Car care is paramount on the road trip. In summer roads are usually dusty, which can hurt your car. When you a driving it every day you need to be sure it is working well or you could end up having an accident. This article can help you ensure your car is in good working order before you go out on your adventures. Even if you think you have most of it covered it is worth a read, in case you have missed something out.
First you need to top up your fluids. You know the drill. Don’t go on a long distance journey without doing this. You should invest in the best synthetic oil, great break fluid and coolant. It is essentially what keeps your car ticking over. You should also consider an additive to clean out your petrol tank. You’ll be using a lot of it over the time you are away so it pays to invest in its efficiency. Keep these fluids on you too, you never know when you could need them. Windscreen washer fluid is also a good bet.
You will also need to check the underside of your car, the often forgotten element when compared to the engine and the coat. Clean the rust of and treat it with an anti rust primer. This is especially important if you are travelling over dusty roads or roads that aren’t built to well. It will look after the underside and ensure nothing bad happens which could ruin your trip or cost a lot getting fixed.
Before you go you need to take inventory. What are you taking? And indeed where are you going because certain laws dictate what you should have in your car. In France for example you aren’t allowed to drive without a high visibility jacket in the car in case your break down somehow. It is important to remember this because you could get into trouble. Do your research. You need to take a spare tyre. It may be worth investing in an actual tyre, not the stock spare that comes in most cars which doesn’t allow you to go over a certain speed. You need to ensure you have the right skills to go with this too. Can you change a tyre? If not it could be worth learning how to do it. You should also take some tools, like a socket wrench for changing spark plugs, a jump pack in case your battery gives in and a jack for changing the tyre. These swap outs are good to take in cases of emergencies.