Preparing your car for a long road trip

Preparing your car for a long road trip will save you a lot of time and trouble if you get into trouble while out on a highway. If you trust that your car is able to handle an extended journey, going through these steps should be very quick for you.

Emergency Supplies

Before you even inspect your car, make sure you have these items or get them together and put them into your trunk or other roomy space:

Extra oil, extra pre-mixed coolant and a funnel

Spare tire, tire jack, lug wrench, a can of Fix-a-Flat and a tire pressure gauge

Jumper cables

A small toolkit with assorted tools such as screwdrivers and wrenches

A flashlight and spare batteries

Emergency cones or markers and roadside flares or marker lights

First aid kit, non-perishable foods and water and blankets
Spare bulbs for headlights, taillights, turn signals and the license plate
Hand cleaner and rags

Exterior Inspection

Tires. Make sure all tires are inflated to the manufacturer`s specifications. If they haven`t been rotated and balanced for a while, get that done. There should be no less than 4/32 of an inch of tread left on the tires. You can check that by putting an American quarter into the grooves to see if the tread touches and goes a little over George Washington`s head when it is upside down.

Lights. Make sure all of your exterior lights are working properly, including headlights, taillights, turn signals and flashers, as well as brake, parking and fog lights.

Windshield wipers. Make sure they are not dried and cracked and test them to make sure they are sufficiently removing moisture. They should work well enough to remove the mist from fog too. Replace them if necessary.

Mirrors. Make sure they are all unbroken and clean and that they are adjusted and will stay in position.

Check under the hood. Look for worn belts, hoses and leaks. Check all of the fluid levels, including brake fluid, coolant, oil, powering steering fluid, transmission fluid and windshield washer fluid. Inspect the battery for corrosion on the terminals and check to see if the water level in it is okay. If not, add de-mineralized or distilled water. Check and replace the air filter if necessary.

Interior Inspection

Get inside the vehicle and check the horn, the windshield wipers and all of the interior lights. Make sure the air conditioner, defroster and heater are working properly. Check the rear view mirror and all of the seatbelts. To be safe, ensure that all door locks work properly.

Driving Inspection

Once you are done with the exterior and interior part of preparing your car for a long road trip, it`s time to check it for safety and performance. If you are knowledgeable about cars, you can do this yourself. If not, you may need to have a mechanic check these things for you:

Brakes

Steering

Suspension

Drive train

The mechanic will put it up on a rack to check those things. You can also let the mechanic know if you have noticed any problems with the brakes, such as squealing or pulsing. Also, let them know if you have noticed vibration in the steering. Tell them about any noises you have been hearing and if you have noticed any other problems such as wavering or pulling across the road while driving.

In spite of all of your precautions and preparations for the long trip, something may go wrong that you cannot handle yourself. In that case, it is good to have an emergency service such as that available at www.roadsideassistance.co.uk