Preparing Your Car For A Long Road Trip

Whether you and your family are getting away for the weekend or planning an extensive vacation, a long road trip requires careful preparation. Cars are built to be more reliable today than ever. But, even with proper maintenance, parts can still fail. Fortunately, by planning ahead and taking the right steps, you can reduce your chances of breaking down. You can even fix minor problems yourself after you’ve pulled your car to the side of the road. Here are 3 important things you should do to get your vehicle ready for the road trip.

Two Weeks Before You Leave

Take your car to a trained auto mechanic at least two weeks before leaving for your vacation. A lot of drivers wait until the last day before visiting the repair shop. That’s a bad idea. If your vehicle needs repairs or replacement parts, your mechanic might need more than one afternoon to do the work. Plus, auto repairs aren’t infallible; things can go wrong. When they do, it’s usually within the first 150 miles. Giving yourself a couple of weeks to “test drive” the repairs allows plenty of time to have them fixed if problems occur.

Prepare Your Roadside Emergency Kit

Even with the best preparations, you can find yourself stranded by the side of the road. For example, you might get a flat tire, your battery may unexpectedly fail, or you might be involved in a traffic collision. Pack a flashlight, bottled water, hazard flares, and jumper cables. You should also have a spare cell phone battery, a small pad of paper and extra pens. That way, if you are involved in a traffic accident, you can take notes and write down the other driver’s information.

A Few “Quick Fix” Essentials

Any long car trip requires carrying a few extra auto supplies. Your vehicle should already have a spare tire and a small jack in the trunk. You should also pack a few bottles of motor oil and transmission fluid. Plus, in addition to the items in your roadside emergency kit, pack a can of tire sealant, a few roles of electrical tape, and basic tools, such as a screwdriver and pliers.

One last note about the small jack in your vehicle’s trunk. Test it before leaving your house. Often, they’re designed for portability rather than strength. For larger vehicles, the jack may not be sufficient; in some cases, using it may even be dangerous.

Preparing for that long road trip can be time consuming task. Being prepared and covering all your bases and keeping up with the car maintenance will give you piece of mind for the journey ahead.

Taking your car on a long road trip should be worry-free. But, you need to plan ahead in order to avoid problems. Visit your mechanic a couple of weeks before leaving, replenish your roadside emergency kit, and pack a few extra auto supplies. If something goes wrong while you’re on the road, you’ll be better prepared to resolve the issue.

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Fuel Efficiency Tip – Move Closer

I realize this may not be an option for many of you, but if it is you might want to seriously consider moving closer to your workplace or changing jobs to work closer to home. If you can work from home, even for only several days a week, the savings could be worth any potential pay cuts. Many employers now offer the option of telecommuting your work projects via the Internet.

When you also consider the time savings of a shorter commute this option may be your biggest savings of all.

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Fuel Efficiency Through Good Car Maintenance

A lot of people were flabbergasted over the past year when gasoline spiked to over $4 a gallon. Even though prices have since declined, experts claim that the good times are short-lived; the price you’ll pay at the pump is going to climb again in the near future. In the spirit of keeping as many dollars in your wallet as possible, we’re going to talk about how maintaining your vehicle can boost its fuel efficiency. In this article, you’ll discover 3 easy things you can do to squeeze as many miles as possible from each gallon of gas.

Get A Tune-Up

Tune-ups involve more than tweaking a few screws and tightening a few hoses. Your mechanic will run a diagnostic test and calibrate your engine and important systems back to factory specifications (or, as close to them as possible). That’s valuable. A lot of drivers don’t realize that there’s an oxygen sensor in their vehicles’ emissions system. If it’s not set right, there will either be too much or too little oxygen present while the engine burns gas. That can slash the fuel efficiency of your engine by over 30%! Get a tune-up and have a technician calibrate it correctly.

Tire Maintenance

Your vehicle’s tires lose air over time. The problem is that if they’re sufficiently inflated, they’ll create too much resistance on the road. That means the engine will have to work a lot harder while you’re driving. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution: buy a digital air pressure gauge and use it. Each time you visit the gas station, check the pressure in your tires (your owner’s manual will describe how much pressure your tires need). The digital gauge will cost less than $20 and checking your tires only takes a couple of minutes. That’s a small investment of time and money to enjoy perpetual savings at the pump.

Change The Air Filter

Most people underestimate the importance of the air filter. They know it gets dirty. And they know it only costs a few bucks to buy a new one. But, like most car parts, they rarely think about the filter unless it causes a major problem (for example, they can’t start their car). In truth, you can increase your vehicle’s fuel efficiency by regularly replacing the air filter.

Here’s why: gas isn’t the only substance needed in your car’s engine. It needs air. If the filter is jammed with dirt and debris, air can’t get through it effectively. You’ll still be able to drive your car, but it will be burning gas much less efficiently. Keep the air flow clear by changing your filter every 10,000 miles.

The Little Things Add Up

Proper vehicle maintenance – getting regular tune-ups, keeping your tires inflated, and changing the air filter – can have a substantial impact on your car’s fuel efficiency. It adds up. Over time, you’ll find that you’re paying less money at the pump because your car can use gas more effectively. As the price per gallon of fuel rises, that extra money stays in your pocket.

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