How To Prepare For A long Road Trip

By bobsauto

No one likes to have car trouble but it’s even worse when you’re potentially hundreds of miles away from home on a road trip. Vacations and road trips are supposed to be fun so don’t let car trouble ruin your experience. Before you leave home there are some pretty simple steps you can take to ensure your road trips plans don’t turn into a miserable nightmare. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of simple steps to take before you hit the road.

  1. Change oil and filter
  2. Change air filter
  3. Clean out your car (make room to carry your luggage in the car. Carrying luggage on top of your vehicle increases wind resistance, slows you down, and makes your car less fuel efficient.)
  4. Get an extra set of belts for your vehicle’s motor
  5. Check your spare tire
  6. Make sure your tire iron and jack are in the car
  7. Top off your vehicle’s fluids
  8. Carry extra engine fluids with you
  9. Fill up your gas tank
  10. Don’t forget the necessary cables (car phone charger, aux cord, USB cables, camera chargers,
  11. Bring your car’s spare key
  12. Purchase a magnetic spare key box that you can attach underneath your car. Nothing is worse than locking your keys in your car especially when you’re far away from home…and the car is running.
  13. Keep a small garbage bag in the car for snack wrappers and other trash

Once your car is all set up for your road trip there are some other tips we have for you when it comes to driving safely for long distances.

  1. Know your limits and plan around them.
  2. Take turns driving and don’t try to push through when you’re feeling tired.
  3. Forget about high speeds. Driving consistently at more of a mild speed will save on gas over the long haul.
  4. Keep yourself entertained. Traveling far distances usually means moving across areas that may not be considered the most exciting areas to look at. For times like these make sure to have your favorite game, podcast, stand up comedy, or music ready to go to help you enjoyably pass the time.

For all of your tune-up needs to contact Bob’s Auto Repair at 215-343-1255 to make sure your vehicle is ready to go for the trip ahead of you!

Posted in Blog