travel travel tips

10 Pre Car Checks Before Your Road Trip

2/23/2015Jake Ryan

So you’ve planned your road trip. You know where you’re heading and you’ve stocked the car with enough food to last you a year, but sometimes it’s easy to get that excited about your holiday that you forget whether the car is up for driving long distances. So, before you take off on that wild adventure, you should do a few pre car checks to make sure your car is in good condition and running smoothly, thus helping you get to your final destination safely. 

1 - Check Your Brakes
Don’t just assume your brakes are fine because they aren’t screeching, the brakes are one of the most important parts of your car and should be checked regularly. Why not consider getting your car and brakes serviced before taking that road trip giving you some peace of mind before setting off? Get some information on brake servicing here.

2 - Check Your Oil
Checking your oil is an essential part of keeping your car running. The oil maintains the smooth running of your engine and won’t take you more than a few minutes to check. Simply make sure your engine is cold, take out the dipstick, wipe it clean and re dip and see where the level of oil reaches. This check should be done regularly and not just when you’re taking a long trip.

3 - Check Your Tyres
It’s extremely important when running a car to make sure you’re checking your tyres regularly. Your tyres are a crucial part of car maintenance, so you should always make sure you take the time to double check them before taking off on any road trip or long journey. 
When checking your tyres make sure you check the tread and tyre pressure. The tyre pressures for your car can be found in the vehicle handbook. 

When it comes to the tread on your tyres you have to have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm.

Good traction is important in all weather conditions so if you think your car doesn’t have the correct amount of tread left, then you should definitely invest in a new set of tyres before your trip. A convenient and reliable source for new tyres can be Alba Tyres – a member of UK’s largest tyre dealer network, Point S. You can book your tyres and fitting appointments online at best prices with Point S!

4 - Check Your Lights
Check your lights before you leave…all of them. I’m talking head lights, brake lights, rear lights, fog lights…every light your car has should be checked before you take to the open road and any bulbs you need to have replaced should be done so before you set off. Your lights are important as they tell other drivers what you’re doing therefore reducing the risk of an accident.   

5 - Check Your Battery
If you have a car battery that is more than 5 years old then you should be sure to have it checked out before you depart, making sure your battery is in good order.

6 - Check Your Wipers
It’s said that you should replace your windscreen wipers at least once a year, so if you’re taking a long trip then now’s the time to check that they’re in good condition. Check the blade for any cracks or splits or any other type of damage. 

7 - Check Your Windscreen
It goes without saying that your windscreen is exceptionally important, so regular checks for damage to your windscreen is a very important task. Make sure you look for any stone damage or chips to the windscreen, even the smallest minor chips can grow quickly, and if this happens while you’re driving you will lose concentration and you can risk having an accident so always make sure you get any chips or cracks repaired. 

8 - Check Your Screen Wash
If your windscreen is damage free, you still need to make sure it’s clean. So having a good level or screen wash is important because after driving on a few dusty roads you’ll be desperate for a clean windscreen. 

9 - Get It Serviced
Keeping your car well maintained is obviously very important, so if you’re planning a road trip it might be worth having someone to take a look at your car and make sure everything is running as it should be. 

10 - Get A Sat Nav
So you’ve checked your car, and your good to go. Now’s the time to grab a Sat Nav and take to the open road, a Sat Nav will help you find your way throughout your trip so wind down the windows, get out that wanderlust playlist and take off into the open road and never look back.

Are you planning a road trip this year? Where are you heading? Let me know by commenting below. 

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