5 Car Preparation Tips for a Long Road Trip

Going on a long-distance trip is serious business. Statistically, if there’s something wrong with your car, it’s unlikely that it will come up during a 20-minute-long urban commute. On a long-distance trip, on the other hand, you will push your vehicle to its limits.

This means that if anything’s to break, run out or go wrong with your car, it’s much likelier it will happen during a long journey.

So, here are the top five car preparation tips that will help you avoid this unfortunate scenario.

1. Prepare for all weather conditions

Hoping that you won’t encounter any bad weather is not a good strategy. So, if the colder part of the year is approaching, make sure to replace your tires for a deeper tread. Also, pour the antifreeze and check your car’s heating.

Other than this, it would help if you prepared for all sorts of visibility-impairing weather conditions. Your fog lights need to be properly functioning, your headlights need to be brand new, and your windscreen protection needs to be optimal.

Buy new windshield blades and replace them and remember to pour new wiper fluid. This way, you will ensure visibility even in the harshest of conditions.

2. Check your vehicle

Experiencing a vehicle malfunction during your urban commute is unpleasant. After all, you’re late for whatever you’re planning to attend, and you’re causing a traffic jam. Nevertheless, getting stranded in the middle of nowhere can be even more unsettling and is a lot scarier.

So, how do you handle this problem?

It’s simple; you take the vehicle to a thorough mechanical examination. Replace whatever the mechanic states need to be replaced before the journey. If you want to save money or avoid getting scammed by the mechanic, ask them for a list of necessary quality motor accessories and then order them online.

3. Tend to your tires

Another thing you need to think about is your tires. The more worn out they are, the greater the likelihood that they will break. These tires can traverse 50-60k miles without breaking but still have to be replaced every 5-6 years due to natural decay.

If you have an FWD or an RWD vehicle, you should be aware that your tires aren’t getting worn out evenly. So, every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, try to rotate them.

To make this easier to memorize and harder to skip, make sure to rotate your tires every time you go for an oil change. This way, you’re doing systemic maintenance and not just handling a single minor task.

4. Prepare the cover

The only place where your vehicle is 100% safe is in a garage. This is because it is protected from theft, debris, hail, freezing, accumulation of dust and toxic materials, etc.

This is quite problematic on a long-distance voyage, seeing how you never know whether your lodging will have a proper garage option.

So, what do you do?

Ideally, you would get yourself a suitable vehicle cover. These covers are far from inexpensive, but they are also invaluable in terms of protection provided.

Sure, they will not stop a falling branch, a huge chunk of hail, or heavy debris, but they will provide a ton of protective value. The biggest trouble with providing suitable protection lies in finding enough packing space.

Speaking of which

5. A balance in packing

Extra weight in your car’s trunk means worse gas mileage. On a long-distance trip, this could make the trip significantly more expensive. On the other hand, going on a long-distance journey under-packed can be just as unsettling.

The key lies in finding a perfect balance. It would help if you started by making a priority list. Then, try to count your itinerary as a significant factor, as well.

Is there somewhere you can do laundry along the way? Are you camping or finding lodging along the way? What about your on-road meals?

Trying to plan this way will help you figure out how to pack.

Prepare for anything

Preparing your car for the journey may determine how the journey goes. A roadside problem or major preventable damage to your car can ruin even the most positive road trip experience.

Fortunately, with the above-listed five tips on your side, making your trip safer and more enjoyable shouldn’t be a problem.

Prepare properly and enjoy the ride!

Tell us your story

Would you like to write for nichemarket just like Diana has? Find out how to submit a guest post and when you're ready, you can contact us.

Are you looking to promote your business?

South African automotive businesses can create your free business listing on nichemarket. The more information you provide about your business, the easier it will be for your customers to find you online. 

Registering with nichemarket is easy; all you will need to do is head over to our sign up form and follow the instructions. If you require a more detailed guide on how to create your profile or your listing, then we highly recommend you check out the following articles.

• How to create a nichemarketer profile
• How to create a nichemarket business listing

Recommended reading

If you enjoyed this post and have time to spare why not check out these related posts and dive deeper down the rabbit hole that is vehicle management.

• The Most Frequently Stolen or Hijacked Cars In South Africa
• Get Instant Quotes & Sell Your Car Online In South Africa
• How Much Does A Personalised Number Plate Cost In South Africa
• How To Save Money To Buy Your Dream Car
• 7 Documents You Need When Selling A Car
• 3 Best Road Trips In South Africa
• 7 Ways To Choose The Best Car Roof Rack

Tags: Road Trip, Travel , Guest Post