How to Prepare Your Car for a Road Trip

Whether you're headed for the mountains or the beach, it's crucial that your auto be in good working order. There's nothing worse than having a vacation ruined by car trouble.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Car Manuals
• Car Accessories
• Car Parts
• Auto Emergency Kits
• Rooftop Packs

1. Make an appointment with your mechanic at least a few weeks before your road trip to do a pretrip inspection. Bring a checklist of things to ask your mechanic to review.

2. Check all fluids.

3. Check belts and hoses.

4. Look for any leaks.

5. Check and fill all tires, including the spare tire, and make sure they're in good condition.

6. Perform a four-wheel brake check (if not done in the last six months).

7. Check the condition of the exhaust system.

8. Flush the cooling system (if not done in the last year).

9. Pressure-check the cooling system to inspect for leaks.

10. Load-test the battery to test its ability to hold a charge.

11. Check the alternator output to make sure that the charging system is working well.

12. Replace the spark plug wires if they are more than two years old.

Tips & Warnings

• These steps are in addition to routine maintenance (see Related eHows).
• Don't wait until the day before you plan to leave to make any big repairs or get a tune-up.
• Some garages sell a pretrip inspection service. Find out exactly what they check, or just give them this list, so you get your money's worth. A pretrip inspection like the one suggested here should take no more than 1 to 1 1 /2 hours.
• More than half the cars that get towed into shops are there for repairs that could have been prevented by regular maintenance.

Who Can Help Sponsored

[bugmenot2]

on 10/23/2007 Bring along a spare car. Personally, I like to keep a Geo Metro in the back of my Suburban, behind the third row of seats. You hardly know it's there, and you've got peace of mind in case of a breakdown in the middle of nowhere.

on 11/22/2005 If I am traveling with someone in my car, near or far, I lend them a keyring with my car key on it. That way, if I should end up locking my key in the car, the person with me has a set! I also made a copy of my car key for my Mom and my Dad, and if I should lock my key in the car, I can give them and call and maybe they can rescue me instead of the Locksmith or AAA tow truck! I also carry a spare car key (only) and I attach it to the purse I am using. A guy friend of mine made a spare car key, cut out a thin piece of cardboard the size of a business card or credit card, taped the key to the card, and keeps it in his wallet to avoid lock-outs!

on 11/22/2005 Take a radar detector along. It is a great tool to get to places faster. It gives you peace of mind while on the road. It's also a good idea to get one with a compass.

on 11/22/2005 Having a well-tuned engine is one thing...Not being able to see in the rain is another. I can't stress the importance of Rain-X all year, especially if driving long distances. It's insanely cheap (a bottle lasts a long time) and great if you have a sedan without a rear window wiper. I put it on all my windows, including my side view mirrors.

on 11/22/2005 Yes, a new set of tires can be expensive, but the MOST COMMON disaster on a longer road trip is a flat or a complete blow-out. A new set of tires will prevent that, and adds a bigger safety margin when you encounter whatever nature might throw at you along the way, be it snow, rain, ice, or heat. A new set also improves handling and traction, not to mention gas mileage. If you are going across the whole country, new tires are worth it.